CHAMDO TO LHASA 167
valley with high snow hills to the west. The inhabitants gave Pereira a performance of dancing,
discordant singing, and acrobatic feats, such as standing on the head and vaulting on to the shoulders.
First signs of changes in the weather were now felt. Owing to rain and snow his start had been delayed. At nine it had stopped sleeting but snow remained on the hill-sides, and it was chilly enough for a coat and gloves. The day's march used generally to end with the pack-horses, the boy and interpreter arriving first, then Pereira himself and his interpreter, and the rollicking old yaks a bad third. He would then find his chair, bed and table ready upon arrival.
The highest pass so far crossed, and what was reckoned the worst on the road, the Shiar-güng La, on the Salween-Tsang Po divide, was crossed on September 25. First there was a steep climb up a bare hill-side to the Dor-jee La, 14,600 feet, at 5 miles. Then the path wound along the hill-side through snow, and finally there was a very steep ascent to the top of the famous Shiar-güng La, 16,528 feet, which was the highest altitude Pereira had ever reached. All the high mountains round were snow-covered, but as snow had fallen two nights before he could not say whether this snow was normal. There was a regular jumble of high mountains in every direction. But towering over the rest was one in shape like the Matterhorn, which must have been well over 18,000 feet in height. A very steep descent through snow for a mile and then a gradual descent led to the Chara Chu valley and over most terrible boulders and
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