National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

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Once, the Khalasi had such a stone flung at his leg, which caused him to complain bitterly, as he was an official personage, but the nomads explained that it was intended for the yak.

On the 12th August, we had our camp by another mountain lake, called rnThso-kyag (Kyaghar) . This lake is only 21 miles long and one mile broad. Its depth is 67 feet

according to Drew. Its water is brackish, like that of the Thsomo Riri. There is no permanent habitation on its shore, but many stone walls have been erected by the nomads who often have their encampment on this lake. The scenery round about is very grand and of the same character as on the Thsomo Riri.

On the 13th August, we had our camp near Raldrong, where the Phuga brook enters the Indus. Opposite the confluence are the ruins of a Mon village. This is probably the deserted village mentioned by the late Dr. Shawe in his letter of the 19th July 1906, in which he advised me to visit Nyoma and surroundings. Dr. Shawe wrote as follows :

" Some miles west of Nyoma are said to be the remains of an old Mon village, where I was told boxes, household utensils, and coins have been found (apparently in graves). Unfortunately I did not hear of this till I had left and was across the Indus, or I would have made enquiries. Coins should prove interesting and instructive." From the left bank of the Indus we could see deserted fields in terraces, a group of houses, and walls. As, however, the distance from Nyoma was fully ten miles, and we were perfectly exhausted from our long desert journey, I could not manage to visit the site. In Nyoma I tried to obtain some of the articles found by the people at this deserted village, but they pretended not to possess any such things.

On the 14th August, we marched to Nyoma, where we had our camp on the left bank of the Indus. Pindi Lal and myself crossed the Indus on a little raft of inflated skins.

The river journey on this raft, where four men had to sit motionless on a single square yard, occupied fully half an hour. Pindi Lal got a slight touch of the sun, and a severe headache prevented him from enjoying the shade of the first willows after Kaze in Spiti, to which he had been looking forward. He was, however, brave enough to take some photos of objects of interest.

The elevation of Nyoma (Nimu, Nima, etc., on maps) is given as about 14,000 feet

by Drew. This is certainly exaggerated. It could hardly be more than 13,000. Drew
mentions the few large willow trees of great age at the village. They would not be

found, we may be sure, at an elevation of 14,000. Besides, we saw very many young

and thriving ones. Before speaking of our own experiences, let me quote Dr. Shawe's observations according to his letter of the 19th July 1906. He says : " Here (at Nyoma) are very fine remains of a castle and old town on the top of a rock (Plate XXVI, a). The buildings all more or less destroyed except the temple which is said to be of the

same date as the rest, and contains a fine lot of small brass idols and other temple utensils. The town is said to have been built by bDe-skyong-rnam-rgyal (c. 1730 A.D.) whose name I also found on a mani wall. The only other king's name was Don-grubrnam-rgyal (1790-1841), but there are many old mani walls, both of the ordinary and of the shelf type. On the plain behind the rock are extensive remains of a village which