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

A DESOLATE HIGHLAND DESERT.

339 likely to the Lang-chu, unless there be a basin without an outlet between the two rivers. At any rate, the two passes are situated in the range which follows the left or S.W. side of the Indus, and which is the N.W. continuation of the range, in

which Tseti-lachen-la is situated.

Camp 247, at a spring called Dotsa, has a height of 4 885 m. Looking S.W. and W.S.W. we have a very extensive plain stretching far away to the N.E. foot of the range, which, in this part of Tibet, is the highest of the Transhimalayan system. Between this range and the one we crossed in Särtsoki-la, and Dotsa-la, only small ridges and hills rise from the plain. Thus, on this 8th line of crossing we have found three distinct ranges, the two on both sides of the Indus, and the one between Lang-chu and Gartang; the two first mentioned are rather like swellings of the ground, and only the third, with Jukti-la, is a mighty range with eternal snow on several of its pyramidal peaks. But, of course, there are many small ranges, ridges and peaks between the three principal ranges.

A few mountains in this neighbourhood have names: Yächung is a dominating mount to the S. 79° W., and Machung another to the N. 85° W.; in the same direction, but quite near Camp 247, is Buchu; Kotsang is a comparatively large mountain to the N. 42° W., and in the same direction there is said to be a road to the upper Lang-chu ; further to the right, or N.N.W. is a valley Titso said to go to the Indus. The valley of Dotsa, or Dotse-pu comes from S. 63° E.; to the S.S.W. is a valley Kunglung. The view from Dotsa, and still more from Dotsa-la, is very extensive and commands this most desolate and arid highland desert, where only the range of Jukti-la makes an imposing impression.

From Dotsa the ground gradually descends to the S.W. The country has a curious aspect: low ridges and thresholds of porphyrite stretch like fingers over the even, dark desert, resembling headlands and islands on the coast of a sea. Sugu-chu is a salt-water pool, 200 m long and 1 oo m broad situated at a height of 4 786 m. The dark desert stretches far to the N.W. and north. In the distance, to the north, there is a passage between hills, where a road to the Indus is said to go down. If this be true, the range along the left side of the Indus seems to be very low at the place indicated.

Some detached mountains are visible to the south; Hläri-kunglung is a dark,

conical peak, and Lumbo-säju, by other informants called Lumbo-teka and Ava-latse, a red massive; the living rock is always disintegrated and weathered; the ground consists of coarse sand and fine gravel, everything is strongly denudated and levelled, and the undulations hardly noticeable to the eye. Tsorul-hle and Kung-hle are names on this dreary, waterless road. The plain itself is called Chaldi-chüldi. Uruta is a region S. 4o° W. and Richü-kyangma a valley S. 2 2° W. The ground rises gradually to the S.W. Beyond Kung-hle the height is 4 831 m. To the right, N.W., there are detached hills, growing higher south-westwards. Camp 248, Nyanda-nakpo, is at 4 855 m. From here a road goes to Gerki, viâ: Loagung, Takiya-gompa, Karlung,