Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 225 (Color Image)

0225	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

CHAPTER XVI

CHAMDO TO LHASA

THE basin of the Tsang Po, the Brahmaputra, had

now been reached. Pereira sighed with relief at

the thought that the worst pass was now behind.

He was in country whose waters drained to India.

He was in the basin of a river into which the water

from Lhasa flowed. He was obviously nearing

his goal and was half-way from Chamdo to Lhasa.

But he had still a succession of high ridges to cross

and winter was drawing near.

Alando was reached on September 26 after a

long march of 24 miles. The way led at first down

the Chara Chu valley. The river flows into the

Tsang Po, but it is only possible to go down the

valley in winter when the river is frozen. On the

south on this day's march were ranges with snow-

covered peaks which must be 16,000 feet high

with higher still'behind, and one solitary high peak.

The lower slopes were covered with fir. The

going was good for 10 miles and the path lay about

600 feet above the river. A good many villages

surrounded with fields were passed. Then there

was an ascent of 600 feet by a not very wide

rocky path with an almost precipitous drop to

the river. After this the path leads down again

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