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

WVEBBER'S MAP.   231

interrupted chain of Transhimalaya rises in the north. Further we have the statement that the great Brahmaputra originates from the glaciers of Gurla. This statement was published in England 1 7 o years after the publication of d'Anville's map and 75 years after Klaproth's translation of the Chinese geographers' description of the source of the Tsangpo, both nearly correct.

And finally we are told that the travellers »at times could see Tuksum. From the place' where the Manasarovar was visible to Tuksum is about 11 o miles. On Webber's map Tuksum is one mile from the northern bank of the Tsangpo, in reality it is 9 miles. The place from which they returned, was, on the map, i 1 miles from the Tsangpo, so that from a distance of 20 miles they could see yaks, ponies and pack-sheep. But the most marvellous thing is that, on the whole way from Dak Eo till they came opposite Tuksum, they only crossed two »small streams». It is physically impossible to travel north of the water-parting towards the east, from a point situated where Webber's Dak Eo is marked out, without crossing the Ganglung-chu, the Angsi-chu, the Chema-yundung, the Kubi-tsangpo and four other rivers, of which the last, before Tuksum, is Gyang-chu, or Kyang-chu. Of these, as I said before, the Kubi-tsangpo, which is the very Brahmaputra, can hardly be crossed at all, so high up as indicated on Webber's map. The whole of Webber's route is, on his map, on an average S or 1 o miles from his »Brahmaputra River, and where it is nearest it is still 6 miles from the river. The river cannot be seen at such a great distance. In open country it could, but in these parts the hills and ridges hide the bed of the river.

Webber's map has six > sources of the Brahmaputra . The four first of them, which ought to be the most considerable of all, begin below his route. He must therefore have travelled above all the tremendous glaciers that feed them. But he marched some 12 miles north of the crest. The puzzle cannot be explained by ordinary physical laws.

The Maryam La is on the map. And so is a river which represents Maryum-

chu. As we know, the M'laryum-chu joins the Chema-yundung which is a tributary to Kubi-tsangpo. On Webber's map the Maryum-chu joins the main river and below the junction there is no sign of Kubi-tsangpo. Farther down there are some three other tributaries which he did not cross at all, although he was a long way north of the southern watershed.

Colonel Smyth and Mr. Drummond »explored a considerable extent of country»». Smyth marched »east and northward over the Marian La». But where are the results and the documents which should beat Nain Sing's pretended record two years later?

Then they returned westward by long and rapid marches, crossed Dak Eo and

reached Taklakar. At the end of Chapter XI we are again told that the Brahmaputra, as also the Ganges and Indus, rise from the glaciers of Gurla. Of course, if we call the whole range the Ganglung-gangri, the Kubi-gangri etc., Gurla or the Gurla range, the Brahmaputra begins from Gurla. But both in the text and on the map