Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 317 (Color Image)

0317	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

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Yangtze in these parts do not freeze, though there

is sometimes an ice fringe on the bank of the

Mekong. At Chamdo the Mekong is frozen from

January to March.

On September 5, having hired fresh mules and

Dr. Thompson having recovered from an attack

of fever, they set out again on their march to

Batang. They had a steep climb for 21 miles to

the top of Chula, 11,480 feet, then an easy winding

descent to Dong at 9 miles. It is a Tibetan village

of forty families situated deep down in a valley.

The next day they marched 13 miles to Ku-shih

(Go-hsieh). There was a rather steep descent for

6 miles down the Dong-lung Chu valley between

very high steep bare hills. High up on a ledge was

a monastery. At 312- miles the path leads through

the wild Ru-wa-shou gorge between high rocky

precipices. Then there was a climb of 500 feet to

the Ma-pa La, 7890 feet, from which there was a

steep descent. On the opposite side was Ma-pa-

t'ing, from which there is a trail between A-tun-tzu

and Chamdo. After two stages this trail leaves the

river, crosses the wild Shu La and proceeds on to

Pi-t'ou monastery, which has always been notorious

for its anti-foreign feeling, and which pays little

attention to the Kalon Lama at Chamdo.

The Mekong on this march was of a dark

reddish colour, showing that it had been raining

lately in Tibet. The path continued to wind up

and down along the hill-side and was often very

narrow with steep drops to the river. Ku-shih,

a village of ten families, is situated on a small

fertile ledge 300 feet above the river. Its eleva-

tion is 7018 feet. The weather was fine and hot.

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