Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 184 (Color Image)

0184	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

138 PEKING TO LHASA

only extended the palms of his hands but also put

out his tongue several times.

The ula transport arrangement worked excel-

lently. He found the yaks waiting for him in the

morning, and he gave their owners eight rupees

a day and three extra as wine money.

On the way Pereira passed a living Buddha.

He was a boy of ten riding with two monks. He

wore a broad-brimmed, low-crowned yellow hat,

surmounted by what looked like a top.

Göche Gomba, 14 miles, 12,370 feet, was

reached on the following day after crossing two

low passes. The monastery is under the king

(Jyelbo) of Nang-chen and contains thirty lamas.

Two miles to the south is a range of rocky hills about 1500 feet high called Göche-doma.

Following up the Ray Chu valley, on July 15,

for 4 miles between high rocky hills, there was

then a steep climb to the top of the Ka-la-la, 13,360 feet, and 3i miles farther on the Kear-

zung La, from which there is a fine view to the

west over countless ranges on the west side of

the Mekong. The descent at first was very steep

and rocky, and then very slippery down a grass

slope. At 15 miles there was a steep stony

descent for a mile through a small pine wood to

the Ku Chu, a swift stream, 2 feet deep. After-

wards the going was easy down the valley. The

hill-side was partly red sandstone. Pereira camped that night at Kanda, 11,900 feet, a hamlet of

thirteen hovels, close to the Dze Chu or Mekong.

The Mekong is here from a quarter to three-

quarters of a mile wide, and with a fairly strong

current and many sandbanks covered with beech.

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