228 LATITUDINAL VALLEYS OF THE CHANG-TANG.
of the latitudinal valley, which we follow to the E. S. E. In the western part of this valley, small snow-covered mountains are seen, though it is impossible to tell whether they rise at the end of the valley or only indicate a change in its direction. To the left of our route, we have low hills. To the south, the latitudinal valley is bounded by a range of moderate height and with much snow. To the S. E., is a pyramidal peak covered with snow and of considerable height. In the valley, there are yaj5chan plants in large quantities. The amount of snow decreases to the east, and patches remain on the ground only at the lee sides of ravines and terraces. Several times Pantholoj5s antelopes were seen, two and two or 4 or 5 together. Of wild yak and kyang, only the dung was seen.
Turning E. S. E., we have a distant view of the continuation of the latitudinal valley. Camp CCCIX may be some 4o m. above the lake. To begin with , we descend about 25 m. after which the latitudinal valley rises slowly in the direction of our course. Far to the E. S. E., mountains are seen. Still all watercourses are destined to the lake. They are very shallow. South and S. S. W. of the lake, there was an interruption between the mountains, obviously the valley that had been used by some travellers. On the northern slopes of the latitudinal valley as well as on its flat floor, grass is seen in patches. From the little flat threshold of 5,25o m., a small frozen lake comes into sight, surrounded by a 8 m. high beach, at the eastern or lee side of which snow lay accumulated to a considerable depth. Following the S. W. shore of the lake, we found more recent beach-lines, the result of a constant desiccation. The ice - sheet sloped down frown the shore as if the lake had sunk 1 m. since the freezing began. At the southern shore, there was a hole in the ice formed by springs. The water proved to be perfectly fresh and clear. As the grass was good, we stayed over the next day at the southern shore of this lake. To the north were mountains of moderate size, to the east the country seemed to be favourable for the march. Just after noon, the wind increased to nearly a storm. The minimum temperature had been at —18.4°. From 7 to 8 o'cl. in the evening, it snowed.
On the night of 7anuary 24th, it snowed again and the temperature was at —28.0°. The whole landscape was again quite white. From 10.30 o'clock a. m., a strong S. W. storm was blowing. Our march went on to the east for 15.4 km. From 5,244 m. at Camp CCCX, the ground ascended to a little pass of 5,291 m. Here the distance is 4.6 km. and the rise 47 m., at a rate of 1 : 98. Camp CCCXI was at 5,296 m., or 5 m. higher than the threshold, the rate being here I : 2 I 6o. We follow the shore of the lake with the greyish green slopes of terraces to our right, pierced here and there by ravines. Among them is a small valley from the south. The largest affluent of the lake is the principal watercourse of the latitudinal valley coming from the east. Turning east, we soon reach the little threshold from which
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