84 CROSSING THE KOKO-SHILI RANGES.
taken by wild yaks. The dung of these animals was very abundant everywhere; it was perfectly dry, and probably dated from the spring when water is to be had in the region. The skull of a yak found here, had belonged to an animal killed by man, as could easily be seen. Yapkak is very common. There was not a patch of snow left from the last snowfall.
Turning around the black promontory, we get an excellent view of the S. E. continuation of the valley and of the next round salt lake occupying the lowest part of a very flat basin. Nearly the whole area of its surface was frozen, and only in the middle there still was open water. Now not a drop of water reached the lake, but next spring, or early summer, when the snows were melting all around and the springs opened, it would again be fed. It was, anyhow, in an advanced state of desiccation, and belonged to the category of lakes which soon will disappear. In the S. E., at a considerable distance, the lake basin seemed to be closed by low hills, beyond which mountains without snow were rising. To the east, irregular ridges were seen. At about N. 52° E., two high peaks were seen at a very great distance, belonging to a range of considerable dimensions. This range may be the one observed by Wellby to the south of his route. Between us and that range, there was, of course, a mass of moderate ranges, the situation and stretching of which could not be made out.
Panorama 6oA and 6oB, Tab. I o, is taken from a point at 3 km. N. N. W. from Camp L. At the beginning of that panorama a glimpse of the last-mentioned range is seen. At N. 89° E. a more prominent double peak is seen rising above the nearest hills. To the E. S. E. the country is comparatively flat. The lake is still hidden behind small protuberances at the base of the western mountains, of which the nearest parts are visible to the south, S. W., west and N. 58° W. The hills to the N. 2 2° W. and north are situated on the eastern side of the great valley.
Cam, L was placed in a shallow depression near the foot of the western mountains. In its upper part there was a completely frozen spring, and we had nothing else to do but to melt ice for the caravan, which takes many hours. Not far from the camp there were fireplaces found at two points and another head of a killed yak.
On October 30th our march was 7.1 km. to the S. S. E. Carn j LI has a height of 5,040 m. or 85 m. below Cam, L; thus having a rate of the fall as I :84. Both on the 29th and 3o th , the S. W. wind was very strong. The landscape remained monotonous. To our left we had an extensive steppe with grass and very flat undulating ground where, nearer the eastern side, the principal watercourse of the valley went S. E. to the lake. To our right we had the hills, at the base of which we now followed a real well-worn path, though it could not be said whether it had been trodden by wild animals or men. Small side valleys opened to the
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