232
as our route struck it at the middle of its western shore, it was a question of whether we should march north or south of it. Having passed the eastern-most promontory of the hills on the west shore, we found that the lake continued in a large basin to the south, and that we had marched on a flat, sandy, barren peninsula, ending with a sharp point to the south. In front of us was then the narrowest part of the lake, and opposite us a more considerable rocky peninsula. We crossed the snow-covered ice in the course of half an hour, and then followed the N. E. shore of the peninsula, which proved to be extremely difficult marching as the rocks fell perpendicularly down to the lake and forced us to go on the ice, long stretches of which were swept free from snow. In the strong wind, we had endless trouble in getting the mules across the ice. Between different promontories, were small bays with sandy ground, which were of assistance to us. But when finally the water along the shore was kept open by springs, we had to climb up and down across the hills. At a larger bay with a 2 m. high sand wall along the shore, inside of which grass and fuel were to be had , we made our Camp CCCXIII. From this point, Pan. 401, Tab. 71, was drawn, only a little more than one quadrant being visible from our bay, or the mountains surrounding the northern basin of the lake. From Cam, CCCXII to the northern point of the peninsula, the living rock was a dark grey dense limestone, and at Camp CCCXIII, grey and reddish limestone.
On 7anuary 27/k, we marched not quite 2 km. S. E., with the single intention of reaching. the good grazing-ground at the southern shore of the bay. In this short distance, we had partly to walk on the ice and to cross a flat ramification from the hills. The rock was limestone as before. Cain, CCCXIV which had, like Cam, CCCXIII, practically the same height as the lake or 5,298 m., was pitched inside a sand wall, of the same appearance as the one at the previous camp, and mixed with the remains of dead water plants. The ice of the lake was here 3o cm. thick. According to my men the water of fly/ort-tso was slightly brackish, though to my taste it was as nearly fresh as possible and could very well be drunk. Our animals drank it without hesitation. As several springs came up along this shore, it may be that they account for the comparatively good taste, and that the water of Arjort-/so, at other places, is really brackish.
At Camp CCCXIV, everything was abundant; grass, fuel, dung of kyang and yak and water. The weather was curious. After a temperature of -2 1.9° and a strong S. W. wind during the night and before noon, it began to snow at I I o'cl. a. m. The snowflakes were falling thick and fast, and everything again became white, and the air was so misty that nothing of the surrounding mountains could be discerned. In 1906 we had had nearly no snow before Christmas. Our experience of this winter, allows the presumption that the snow period of the winter is in January ; particularly the latter half of the month. As soon as the snow began to fall, the wind ceased.
IIIFカラー高解像度
