National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

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BELIGATTI.

Beligatti cannot understand these curious effects which this mountain causes

both to men and animals. Some thought it was on account of the considerable elevation, which forces people to respire rarified air. He also mentions the opposite direction in which the rivers flow on both sides of Lhangur: from east to west on the southern side, from west to east on the other. But he adds: »Notwithstanding the diversity in the course of the water, I should not be able to adhere to the opinion that the mountain Lhangur was the highest mountain — I will not say of Tibet, but of those very mountains which we have had to cross.»

»From Mount Lhangur all the way to Lhasa one is always ascending more

than descending, and before one arrives in Lhasa one has to cross Mount Kambalà, which in my opinion and that of others is not unconsiderably higher than Mount Lhangur, and still, on the Kambalà one does not feel any other inconvenience than that which is characteristic to every somewhat uncomfortable ascent.»

Other people believed that the said effects were due to exhalations or minerals

or venomous plants on the mountain. After some speculation on the plants, he comes to the conclusion that the symptoms are rather to be accounted for from the exhalations than from the rarefaction of the air. He was confirmed in this view when he, PP. FLORIANO and COSTATINO in 1742 again travelled this way and passed without feeling the least inconvenience, which he thinks depended on the fact that the whole mountain was now covered with snow which certainly hindered the exhalation, but could not diminish the rarefaction of the air. But he wisely says he leaves to naturalists the discussion about the matter, and goes on with his narrative.

They arrived in the valley of Tingri which is one of the finest he has seen

in Tibet. There is a river flowing from west to east. In a place Tingri Culà they tried to get animals of burden and for riding. After several days they succeeded in hiring some animals from a Tibetan merchant who was on his way to Lhasa. He gives a very good description of Tingri, its nature, its flocks. On December 3, after a long delay and great difficulties with the muleteers they started for Tingri Saura. Thence they proceeded to the north-east and halted on the bank of a little brook, where they passed the night under a tent. Beligatti gives, like Desideri, an excellent description of the daily routine of travelling and how they passed their days. Next march the road sloped to the east and beyond Tzogor they halted

again on the bank of the brook. The following morning; they continued to the east, passing the places Ngambà, Mermbù and Hahar and after 7 kos' journey again halted at the same brook as before and experienced during the night the

usual cold.

The next day's march took them along the brook and after 4 kos they halted at its bank. The 8th they continued further along the brook and after I kos they passed a fortress situated on the other side of the brook and called Segar-giun (Shikar-dsong). The river grew larger as theyP roceeded, and on its banks they

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