THE RANGE SEPARATING US FROM ARPORT-TSO. 225
belonged. We camped at the northern side of the valley at the base of red hills of reddish, white, dense, weathered limestone. The grass was good. Water was obtained from the snow and from the ice of a spring. Pantholops and one Ovis aminon were seen. During a day's rest at Camp CCC VI and after a temperature of —2 6.6° in the night, the wind blew from the S. W., though not
very hard.
On 7anuary 18th, we made 12 km. to the east. Camnp CCC VII, at 5,1 i o m., was only 15 m. above the previous camp, being a rate of 1 ; 800. The minimum temperature of the night was —24.8°. The latitudinal valley we now are following, is broad and flat and parallel to the valley of 1906, all mountain ranges stretching east and west, or nearly so. During the first few kilometers the ground rises very slowly to a flat, hardly noticeable threshold which is a water-parting of the valley. Beyond it the shallow, broad erosion furrows are directed to the east. From the southern mountains, a series of watercourses come down to the principal erosion furrow of the valley, and we have to cross them all. Their left terraces are 1 or 2 m. high and rounded. At their lee side, snow is accumulated. Otherwise there are only small snow-patches here and there, as for instance at the lee side of every yapchan plant. The northern mountains are interrupted, rocky, rugged and steep. In the opening between two of these hills, one gets a glimpse of the extensive northern valley. To the N. 31° E. , there is a considerable peak at a distance of some 5o km., and beyond it another snow-mount. These mountains are situated to the north of my route of 1906. The principal erosion furrow is to our left. On our right, is still the range which we have to cross to be able to reach Arj5ort-tso, which now was my nearest goal. Our valley falls slowly eastwards, and seems finally to open out into an extensive plain which, to the north, may also be in connection with the latitudinal valley of 1906. Beyond a rocky promontory of the northern hills, the view to the N. 67° E., is unusually extensive. In the background, snow-covered mountains are visible which may belong to the range on the southern shore of Lake Lighten. In the nearer prolongation of one valley, there is a little lake, which seems to be open and, therefore, must be salt. One gets the impression of enormous plains on which the mountains are arranged like more or less interrupted protuberances, chiefly stretching east and west. Proceeding on the slopes of the southern mountains, we finally entered a valley from the S. E., where, on the slopes of the right side, the grass was good, fuel and snow abundant. Here is Camp CCC VII. Only a few Pantholoos antelopes and the fresh track of a yak were seen. Pan. 396A and s, Tab. 7o, was sketched from this camp. It shows a considerable snow-mountain to the S. 50° E., and in the same direction, as well as south, S. W. and west, the range we had had to the south. To the N. N. W. is a curious red ridge with an enormous talus of detritus at its base, and beyond it, nearly north, snow-
29. IV.
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