国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

KHAN BAHADUR GULAM RASUL AND RAJ BAHADUR TIIAKUR JAI CHAND.

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channel between the lakes. To this he answered from Leh, June 12th 19 I 1, literally as follows:

»I. There was a great deal of rain in the autumn of 1909 at Gartog. But in the whole autumn of 1910 there was more rain than the year of 1909 in all the places of Chang-thang, and was wet for nearly 3 months. By cause of heavy rain brooks were as great streams and dry brooks were also as streams and rivers. By crossing of such streams and new rivers some men and tea loaded poneys died by the struck of rushing water. In the same season there was also a rushing stream in the brook of Cheu-gompa, as I heard it in Chang-thang.

2.  All the traders and caravans from Leh to Yarkend goes by the way of Morgho on the East. They also passed by the way of Morgho in 1909 and 191o, as it is impossible to travel by the way of Khomdan, the glaciers closed the road.'

3.  (A) In the autumn (Aug. & Sept.) of 1909 and 1910 some water flowed in Langagtso from Mawang-tso.2 (B) In the last winter (February 1911) a reliable Lama Inhabitant near Langag-tso came in Leh, and as I ascertained he answered thus: 'It is impossible to run out water from Langag tso to any direction, because it stands lower and it is rounded by moun- . tains as a fort with wall.'

But I think these words are not sufficient for you and for your book; therefore I will send our reliable man to Cheu gonpa & Langagtso, after his return we will write you in details about them.»

More than a month later I received, unexpectedly, the following communication from the British Trade Agent at Gartok, RAJ BAHADUR THAKUR JAI CHAND, dated

July 7th, 19 I I:

»I learned from Khuaja Gulam Rasul of Ladakh that you asked information regarding the lakes Mansarowar and Rakas Tal and I have the honour to reply as follows: The two lakes have not joined but owing to excessive rain in the two preceding years,3 the channel joining them had expanded considerably, but it has now come to its former width.»

Both these distinguished orientais, who did me invaluable services during my last journey in Tibet, are perfectly reliable men, and the fact that they tell the same story puts the situation beyond doubt. Gulam Rasul first talks of a »rushing stream» in the channel, and then he says that »some water» flowed from the eastern to the western lake. From this it is clear that there must have been a communication in 1909 and 191o, although it is impossible to draw any conclusions as to the dimensions of the water-course. Thakur Jai Chand says that the channel joining the lakes »had expanded considerably» in 1909 and 191o, but »come to its former width» in July 1911, which obviously means that it then was dry. For it is likely that even in years of outflow, the channel is in function only during the wet season, August and September. Thakur Jai Chand's report is, however, less clear than that of Gulam Rasul, which may be owing to the circumstance that he had not been asked to give me information.4

I I have given the original as it is, without improving the grammatical slips.

2 It is worthy of attention that he writes Mawang, and not Mobang, Mapam etc., which may, however, depend on the fact that I wrote Tso-mavang in my letter to him.

3 1909 and 191o.

4 As soon as I got their letters I wrote again and asked for more detailed reports, if possible

some measurement on the bridge at Chiu-gompa, as well as some information for the autumn of 1911.

19-131337 II.