| KARA-KORUM PEAKS TO THE SOUTH-EAST. 27 We were lost in darkness on account of these heavy black clouds. The change of climate since Chang-chcnmo was tremendous. The thunder was rolling over the Kara-korum to the south. Such storms last for from one half to one hour. It is of interest to remember that I, in i 896, at the very same season and in the N. E. parts of Tibet, experienced exactly the same weather, which seems to indicate that these storms sweep over the whole country diagonally from one end to the other. It is difficult to say whether they play an important part or not in the denudation and decomposition of the mountains, for the snow and hail that comes down with them, very quickly evaporates, and does not contribute to the formation of brooks to any degree worth mentioning. In spite of their regular occurence at this season, the air is extremely dry, and water very rare. The brook we now followed, for three days and a half in all, was the largest we saw for a very long time, or until we reached Bogtsang-tsangj5o. And we have seen how very small and tired, nearly dying, this brook was. Its existence is, however, explained by its neighbourhood to the mighty Kara-korum, on the other side of which the feeders of the Indus have their origin. In the winter the brook is completely frozen and quite dead. Only in the beginning of the summer, when the snows of the water-parting Kara-korunz melt, it will be in flood, though never reaching any considerable size. Farther N. E. water becomes more and more rare, and sometimes it may be difficult to find a sufficient supply for ourselves and the animals. We cross a very low ridge of hills. There is no living rock to be seen, and not a stone as big as a fist the whole day. Everything is dust or fine, sparse gravel. Beyond the ridge the ground again is comfortable and even. Two sheets of yellow clay, as even as the floor of a dancing-room, are passed. During a short interval of clear weather one could get a glimpse of the surroundings. To the east and west the country was perfectly open, indicating a latitudinal valley of the same kind as those which are so common in central and eastern Tibet. It was, however, impossible to see whether it turned N. W. and S. E. as would be expected from the general position of the mountains in these regions, or whether the plain we crossed was simply a local formation of the same kind as those which generally are called Ling-. sha-tang and Aksai-chin. From the first sheet of clay two peaks were seen to the S. 46° E. and S. 48° E., the first of which was considerable, and covered with eternal snow. But they soon disappeared in clouds. To the north, at a distance of some t o km., reddish rounded ridges partly covered with probably fresh snow, were seen, and to the N. W. at some 20 km. more considerable mountains with apparently eternal snow. Finally we approached the brook, the left erosion terrace of which was 3 m. high, sometimes 5, and divided in two steps. The right terrace seemed to be here at some 200 m, distance, — lower down even at 30o m. Between the two, the brook | | |
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