THE ROADS OVER SAMYE-LA.
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of old camps, probably rather from caravans than from nomads. About Camp 385 several travelling parties were seen, and at Camp 387, 4 tents. In the Gyäbuk valley and its tributaries I o tents were pitched, and on the western plains of Raga-tasam 5 tents. At Semoku were I o tents and one stone hut.
Some nomads at Chunit-tso pointed to the east, where the country appeared to be comparatively low and easy, saying this was the nearest and most convenient way to Lhasa. As I was to find out later on, the road to Teri-nam-tso is in fact convenient; farther eastwards it proceeds to Penla-buk, Shansa-dsong, Guring-la and Lhasa. The natives of Monlam-kongma asserted that no other road existed to Tradum, Saka and Raga, except that over Samye-la, information which seemed to indicate that the height of the Lunkar-Lunpo range must be considerable in this region. Southwards from Samye-la the road, therefore, was said to divide into three branches: I) to Tradum 7 days; 2) to Saka 8 days, and
y , 3) to Raga 6 days.
North-westwards these nomads knew of only three important roads, namely, to Gertse, Senkor and Semnit. The nomads of Bupyung-ring also asserted that from there no direct road to Tradum went over the Lunpo-gangri. Later on we found out that from the valley of the lower Buptsang-tsangpo several roads cross the Lunkar range. The chief road to Tabie-tsaka crosses the Samye-la.
The district round Camp 351 is called Kemar, Bongba-kemar or Kemardenang. The country south of Dung-la belongs to Bongba-kebyang.
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