304 THE THIRD CROSSING.
The weather was almost always clear, but a hard western wind was very common. In the beginning of May, it was bitterly cold, when sweeping over the high crests near Angden-la. The wind does not whirl up dust and sand, for even at Io days' distance the mountains on the northern side of Dangra-yum-tso were clearly visible. This probably depends upon the fact that the ground, at that season, is frozen; otherwise the corrosive power of the wind plays a very important part in Tibet. South of Angden-la the prevailing wind is said to come from S.W. The rains also come with S.W. winds. In the beginning of July the rain sets in; in August and the beginning of September the heaviest rains fall. At Raga-tasam, which is regarded as a cold place, even during the summer, the prevailing wind comes from W.S.W.; the spring is cloudy and windy.
On several occasions in the middle of May we had snow and hail on the southern side of the continental water-parting. The precipitation was, however, very short and sudden. As a rule the weather in the spring varies greatly from one hour to another ; from sunshine to heavy clouds and hail or snow. Usually the morning is the best time of the day. The higher one comes the worse grows the weather; on the considerable heights north of Chomo-uchong we had the greatest amount of precipitation.
The big animals are here the ordinary ones; kyangs in the valley of Targotsangpo and at the upper Raga-tsangpo, antelopes and hares in the valley of Kyamchu and Raga-tsangpo, rabbits everywhere, Arctomys, "Herodotos ants", in the higher regions of Chomo-uchong, wolves occasionally, wild geese, ducks and gulls at Shurutso and Amchok-tso, partridges here and there in the mountains.
The population is much scarcer than on the line of the second crossing. In the Karmuk-valley, on the southern side of Targo-gangri, there are tents and yak flocks. At Näven, near Camp 151 one tent and flocks of sheep. At Parva, Shuru-tso, 8 tents were pitched and another in a neighbouring ravine. At Tsargam-tsangpo, southern shore of Shuru-tso 2 tents, and near Dunka-la 4 tents and flocks. No tents were pitched at the northern side of Angden-la, and at the southern side we passed only old camping places, perhaps rather resting places of caravans than regular camps of nomads. In the valley of Kyam-chu-tsangpo there were seen tents at several places, for instance 4 at Kyam. In the eastern half of the plain of Amchok-tang many nomadic camps were pitched, and at Amchok-yung 8 tents. On the eastern shore of Amchok-tso we saw 3 tents with great flocks of sheep and yaks. In the Serma valley one tent and yaks. The nomads who pass their winter and spring on the Amchok-tang have their summer-dwellings in the Serma valley, as could also be seen from numerous camping places, now uninhabited. In the upper Serma-lartse a rich nomad owned 30o yaks. In the Lungring valley were now 7 tents. Temporary camping places and heaps of argol were seen in other valleys visited at other seasons. At the right side of the Raga-tsangpo great herds of yaks were occasionally seen, and 3 tent villages. Travelling merchants are a
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