Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 232 (Color Image)

0232	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

174 PEKING TO LHASA

the pack animals had to go much farther up to

ford it. At 5 miles the path led along the south

edge of the Atsa Lake, which was beautifully

blue and very deep. It is 31- miles long. At

9 miles the road ascends the Pok Chu valley to

Guo-lê, a hamlet of stone hovels at 14,450 feet.

Pereira was still weak, but feeling better. By a

very great effort he walked 10 miles. If he could

walk 83 miles before reaching Lhasa, he would com-

plete 3500 miles on foot. He saw two cranes and

some mandarin duck—the first of the migration.

The Tro La, 16,050 feet, was crossed on

October 4. The way led up the barren stony

Pok Chu valley. At 11- mile there was a steep

ascent and then some very steep zigzags and a

final easier circular rise, and at 34 miles the top

of the Tro La was reached. This was the last of

the four great passes which had to be crossed on

the way to Lhasa and was higher than any on the

way from Tangar to Chamdo. Of these four

the Nur-güng La is the worst in autumn and the

Shiar-güng La is the worst in winter. From the

Tro La there was a steep, winding stony descent

to the Tro Chu at 7 miles. This river is forded

and the road leads down the valley between high

barren hills. At 10 miles the valley narrows to

a gorge with huge perpendicular rocky mountains

on the right and a glimpse of snow mountains

through a gap on the left. At 10 miles the going

is very rocky and gets worse down to Chomdo,

12/ miles, a hamlet of three stone hovels in a

small strip at a bend in the river.

Cramp in the left leg made the last 3 miles

very painful for Pereira. He walked 8 miles,

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