THE YUM-TSO-LA. 283
A little path went up to the threshold of 4,918 m., where the living rock consisted of greyish pink half crystalline limestone, cropping out here and there amongst the débris. To the north, or N. N. E., we had a mountain massif on both sides of which small parts of Tongka-tso were visible through valleys or low parts between the hills. The eastern one was directed to the N. 2 3° E. From this high standpoint, the greater part of the lake seemed to be dry. South of the threshold, a broad valley goes down to the S. 72° E., joining the valley which comes from the next pass. Where the joint valley goes to could not be made out from here, but it is most likely that it still belongs to the depression of Tongka-tso. To the west the first-mentioned valley comes from comparatively higher mountains. At its southern side, W. S. W. from the pass, there was a tent and several yaks. Marching S. E., we crossed the valley diagonally. At the eastern side of a little hill, to the left of our route, three tents were pitched and 8 ponies grazing; higher up a flock of yaks was seen. Near the tents we turned S. W. up through the second valley which was narrower and seemed to be a tributary of the first. A Tibetan we met pointed out the direction up to the next pass, Yum-tso-la, on the other side of which there was a little lake called Yum-tso, in the vicinity of which a Tibetan camp was to be found. If we travelled E. S. E. from this lake, we could come across many tents, but going south we could only once find nomads, viz., in 4 or 5 days, the headquarters of the Bombo of Bongba.
At the right side of the valley is a frozen spring. On a slope a shepherd
e with 300 sheep, was climbing. We had reached a region inhabited by several nomads.
It was asserted that Bong ba-changma numbered 300 tents. The chief or Bombo lived in the centre of his district, and his subjects were spread in the valleys around. As snow was rare, we camped at a place where the grass was good, and some snow left. From Camp CCCL VIII, Pan. 438, Tab. 8o, was sketched. To the S. 6° W., the valley is seen going up to the pass, Yum-tso-la, to the west and north is a more rounded mountain group, and to the N. 40° E., is the valley by which we have ascended and which goes down to the Tongka-tso depression.
On March 20th, we wandered 9.6 km. south. The distance from the camp to Yum-tso-la was 1.2 km. and the ascent 65 m., the rate being as i :18.5. From the pass to Camp CCCLIX, or rather the little pool of this camp, the distance was 8.4 km. and the descent 191 m., the rate being i : 44. Camp CCCLIX, at 4,768 m., was only 4 m. above this pool. The weather was fine and clear and the minimum temperature of the night only —14.8°. The S. W. wind had dwindled to a light breeze.
The pass was easy, the saddle being a broad and open platform. Its altitude was 4,955 m. The name given us in this very region, was Yum-tso-la, though other nomads pretended that the pass of this name was situated farther south. To the W. S. W. on a slope, five tents were seen, all at one place. A little lake fills the
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