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

TRIE TAROK-TSO AND TABIE-TSAKA.

51

rivières qui sortent des montagnes et se réunissent en une seule. La horde des Djeba est à 420 li (92 milles) dans l'ouest de Chigatzé, près du Amtchok mtso situé à I 8o li (40 milles) au nord-ouest de Djang abring.»

The latitude of Tarok-tso is fairly correct on the Chinese map, but it is placed more than one degree too far east. The river Tarogh of which de Rhins speaks is obviously the same which, on the map, is called Rong pou, and as I found it, Buptsang-tsangpo. On the Chinese map it flows from south to north, in reality from S.E. to N.W. There is a Mt. Samoié on the map, which may be identical with the Samye-la, although it is not at all within the drainage area of the Buptsang-

tsangpo as represented on the Chinese map.   The principal thing is, however, that
a river entered the lake from the south and de Rhins is right in supposing that it has been roughly surveyed. Under such circumstances the existence of the river Naghii choung tchou coming in from the west must also be regarded as beyond doubt, even if its length is greatly exaggerated in the Chinese text. But this river flows through a part of Tibet where no European and no Pundit has ever been. When the text says that Tarok-tso is N.E. of Amchok-tso, this must be a misprint, for on the map the direction is N.W. as it ought to be.

Another proof that this region has really been visited and surveyed may be found in the following passage: »A 20 li (4 milles 5), au nord du Tarogh, se trouve le Djabjaya tchagan dabsoun nor ou Tchapia tsaka, qui a 15o li (33 milles) de circuit, et sur les bords duquel les indigènes receuillent du sel blanc.»2 For such a salt basin, the insignificant rest of a former lake, really exists and is called Tabietsaka. It is still the place from which the Tibetans get their best salt. It is interesting to observe that just the Tarok-tso and its southern river, and the Tabietsaka should be mentioned in the Chinese text and much more correctly entered on the map than any other part of the country north of the Tsangpo. This must depend on the fact that Tabie-tsaka is such an important centre for the salt trade. Many roads meet here from all corners of the compass, and on account of its importance the Chinese surveyors may have paid greater attention to the place.

D'Anville has Tarouc-yomdsou. The southern river, which is nameless on his map, flows N.N.E. In this respect his map is, as usual, not as good as the Tach'ing map. He has, however, given Sarnia M. a better situation. The western river he calls Nacoi R. and has it exactly like the one on the Ta-ch'ing map. Tabie-tsaka he calls Tchapie dsake ton psou. North of Tabie-tsaka he has a lake

I On Kiaproth's map it is called Amyé la.

2 In Klaproth's translation: Le Djabdjaya tschaghan dabsoun noor, ou le lac du sel blanc du bois madré, est à zo li de distance au nord du précédent, à 150 li de circonference, et produit sur ses bords du sel blanc dont se servent les habitants du voisinage. — Ibidem. To this Amiot adds: Auprès de ce lac, du côté du nord, il y en a un autre, qu'on appelle Lang pou-tché, dont l'étendue est de deux cens vingt lys. Op. cit., p. 206. This lake is to be found north of Tabie-tsaka, both on the Ta-ch'ing and the d'Anville maps. There is no doubt about its existence as the two southern lakes, Tabie-tsaka, and Tarok-tso, have been proved, on my journey 1908, to exist.