JYE-KIJNDO TO CHAMDO 143
plateau. The headman here was a woman. Small wild cherries and, farther on unripe wild peaches were seen here.
Continuing down the Ngom Chu valley on July 26 the hills were at first covered with grass, but after 9 miles there were again some trees and bushes. A few small villages and some cultivation were passed. At 101 miles is the Yangda monastery with thirty monks, from which the road descends to the small Yangda Chu and crosses it by a plank bridge. Beyond this the Ti-za La, 10,950 feet, was crossed at 14 miles, and Lamda, 10,760 feet, was reached at 15-i miles. Here Pereira put up in a clean room. He was treated with the greatest respect at every village where he halted, the people coming out to lead his horses, and the headmen bustling about to make things comfortable.
Again, on July 27, he followed down the Ngom Chu valley between grass hills 1000 feet high. Only a few were clothed with trees. By the roadside was some bush, includâng wild gooseberries. At 10 miles was Nguro-zamba, a village of seven families, where he ought to have crossed the river by a fine pile bridge, but it had been temporarily damaged by the swollen river. He halted for the night at Sagang, 13 miles, and here a small official with a secretary arrived to welcome him on behalf of the Si-wa-la of Chamdo. He brought a scarf and three small plates of sweets and dried fruits.
Chamdo was reached on July 28. The road wound down among the hills along a muddy and often stony path and along rocky hill-sides. At 91 miles the Ngom Chu was crossed by a pile
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