outlet to the ocean, is, therefore, more than four times as steep as the slope from the Tibetan plateau-land without an outlet to the ocean.
From Kisil-unkur the road is comparatively easy on the slopes of the right side hills of the uppermost part of the valley. They consist of soft red material. There are the tracks of many caravans to and from Eastern Turkestan, and there are, as hitherto, the carcasses of many dead ponies. From the height of the pass, which my Ladakis called Da j5sang, a name also given to the country to the N. E. of it, it is difficult to get a clear conception of the general orographical features. In the clear and fine weather, we had, however, a magnificent view of the great Kara-korum giants to the west and S. W. To the N. E. the country seemed to be most easy for marching. To the east and S. E. there is a labyrinth of red wild mountains of moderate size. We had nothing else to do than continue to the N. E. by the slowly falling erosion valley which, in this direction, goes down from the Daj5sang Pass, and which seemed to come to an end in a small self-contained basin between the areas of the Shayok and Kara-kash. Between our valley and the valley of the uppermost feeder of the Shayok, we have a range running N. E.—S. W. and parallel to the range in which the Kara-korum Pass is situated. These ranges are only of secondary importance and constitute rather superficial features of the great northern Kara-korum Range which runs N. W.—S. E. and even S. S. E. The water-parting crest of this range is very irregular and runs in the most capricious, zigzagging windings. The Daasang Pass belongs to this crest, and it is therefore, a water-parting of first class importance. Such is also the case with the Kara-korum Pass. A third pass of the same rank, is the Chang-lung yogma which I had crossed in 1906. From north to south the absolute altitudes of these passes are, according to my observations: the Kara-korum Pass 5,658 m., the Daj5sang 5,428 m., and the Chang-lung yogma 5,780 m.
As seen from the Daj5sang Pass, the whole country was now covered by snow, only the more exposed hills, peaks and ridges being swept free. In all valleys, depressions and erosion furrows, the snow lay deep, one meter and more on our route, and on the surface it had been arranged like dunes of sand. The valley down from the pass which at first sight had seemed to be so easy and comfortable, therefore, proved to be very difficult and tiring for loaded animals. Sometimes we had to follow the crests and slopes of small hills. At some places where the snow was deep, its surface was hard enough to bear the ponies and mules, but, as a rule, they broke through the crust. Having proceeded along the crest, we finally went down into the valley where, on the right terrace of its bed, the snow had been swept away to a breadth of 1 or 2 meters. It was easier to follow all the windings and bends on the edge of the terrace than to march in the furrow, where the snow was treacherous. By and by our valley becomes broader and finally opens out into
IIIFカラー高解像度
