In the preceding chapters we have seen that Humboldt and Ritter derived their material on Tibetan orography from the information given from Chinese sources by Klaproth. We have also seen how great the difference was between Klaproth's original sketches of 182I (Pl. IV and Pl. V) and his great map of 1836 (Pl. III). If therefore, Klaproth, had furnished the great geographers with the material they needed, he could, himself, after fifteen years, make use of the way, in which Humboldt and Ritter had brought the Chinese descriptions into harmony with the general laws of physical geography. But we shall also see that in many important particulars he was not in the least influenced by the two 'great geographers. On the contrary, for instance in the case of the Hor or Khor Range, he sometimes, interprets the original texts in quite an independent way. Only some 7o or 8o years later could these problems be cleared up by European exploration.
In this chapter I will show how Transhimalaya and other Tibetan mountain systems were represented on European, and more especially German maps, from 182o to 185o. It is both impossible and superfluous to try to be complete in such a case as this. Klaproth's translations influenced all maps from this epoch, but were not always interpreted in the same way. For our demands it will be
sufficient to discuss a few different maps showing how the conception has been i
changing.
In D'OHSSON's work' there is an excellent map of Asia engraved with a fineness and delicacy which are rare in our own time. Its title is L'Asie au commencement du Treizicnne Siècle, Dressée par le Ch'' Laj5ie Géographe, 1824. Pl. IX gives an idea of the southern part of LAPIE's map. Tubbet or Tibet is bordered on the north by the Kwen-lun system which on 8o° East. longitude divides itself into two branches, one stretching E.N.E. to the regions north of Koko-nor, the other continuing south-eastwards in the direction of Tengri-nor. The upper Indus runs between two almost parallel ranges. The source-branches of this river are drawn
I Histoire des Mongols, La Haye et Amsterdam, 1834, Tome premier.
IIIFカラー高解像度
