NATIVE INFORMATION. 261
have their sources. Still further east we know the line of Shang-chu and Khalamba-la to Tengri-nor, a road that has been completely done by two expeditions. It is, however, only known in great features. North of the Nien-chen-tang-la, or from Khalamba-la, a river, Dungche-chu, goes down to a salt lake, Tengri-nor, and south of the same pass a river, Shang-chu, goes to the Tsangpo, exactly as in the case of our first crossing, where Naong-Tagrak-tsangpo goes to Ngangtse-tso from Sela-la, and Sele-nang-Bup-chu-Mü-chu goes down to the south. But it is not known whether the valley, Ta-nakpo-chu, which is situated between the two, has the same geographical value and position as its two neighbours. If such be the case, — as is hardly likely —, it comes from the great continental water-parting, or in other words, from a pass on the Nien-chen-tang-la which has exactly the same importance and functions as the Sela-la and Khalamba-la.
Even the following information which I got from a reliable man at Namachang, Camp III, does not throw sufficient light over this complicated region. He said that we had to make our choice between two different roads to Shigatse. If we took the eastern road we should not find nomads for some ED days; water is sufficient, although less than further west; some grass is to be found. In the summer a few tents are pitched along the road. There are several difficult and high passes; the highest of all is Pa-la, which is »three times as high» as the Pongchen-la, as my informant put it. The western way, the one which I took, is said to be two days shorter than the eastern; it is full of gravel, but avoids passes. The informant had never travelled the western road himself, but knew the eastern one from many journeys. If Shib-la, Chesang-la, Dangbä-la, Ta-la and La-rok, from the native point of view are not regarded as passes, the passes on the eastern road must indeed be very high and difficult. My informant said that the distance between the western and eastern road was two days' journey. This can, however, only be the case at certain places, for the eastern road crosses the Sela-la, unless there are two passes with that name, which is not likely. Anyhow the two roads diverge from each other south of Sela-la.
The following names on the eastern road were given, although most of them are of little value, their surroundings and situation being unknown. From Namachang: Kechung-säri, a small mountain; Chabuk, small mountain; Yakchen-sumduk, mouth of a valley looking north, coming from the Pabla range or rather its eastern continuation, and being a tributary to the Tagrak-tsangpo; then follows the Sela-la or Se-la; south of it is a small valley, called Loma-tarchuk or Chesak; Marchem, a valley of which we have heard above as situated east of the Terkung valley below Sela-la; Nien-chungsa, a valley; Kungcha-la, a pass; between the ranges, in which the Sela-la and Kungcha-la are situated there is a river going westwards, obviously one of the tributaries to Bup-chu and MU-chu; Laptse-karchung, a valley; Shingtunavar, a plain with tents, — probably the same as Chingdu, so often heard of as situated east of our road; Pang-tebré, valley looking north, and coming from the
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