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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

krong. Il coule encore 60 li (13 milles) et se jette dans le Tsan po à 30 li (6 milles) dans le
sud-ouest des Djochot.¹

As a rule the Ta-ch'ing map becomes more and more uncertain the more
one proceeds to the north from the Tsangpo. Therefore the upper course of the
Naouk-tchou seems to be exaggerated in length. On the other hand, the Tcha
Tchou (Tsa-chu), which is situated comparatively near the Tsangpo, is remarkably
good, and very like the representation given to this river on Ryder's map. In both
cases its main branch keeps almost parallel with the Tsangpo and receives several
tributaries from the north, N.E. and east. The same may be said of d'Anville's
drawing of this river.

The Chinese text says:

›Le Tsa ou Tcha tchou est à 100 li (or rather 200 li) à l'ouest de la horde des Saga.
Six rivières découlant de la chaîne des montagnes de neiges appelées Yoro gang tsian se
dirigent 100 li (22 milles) vers le sud, se réunissent et forment le Giablar tchou. Celui-ci,
après un cours de 50 li (11 milles), reçoit les eaux de trois rivières venant du nord-ouest et
des monts Chang la tchouk ri, Tzoreng ri et Yang bou ri. Alors, le Giablar tourne au sud-est
et reçoit deux rivières: l'une venant du nord-est de la montagne Djedze goung gar tang, l'autre
du sud-ouest du mont Niam ri; puis il prend le nom de Tcha tchou et coule 70 li (14 milles)
au sud-ouest pour se jeter dans le Tsan po.›²

The Chinese river Man-ch'u is identical with Nain Sing's Minchu Sangpo,
which is, of course, also on Ryder's map, and which I followed to its source at
Kilung-la, probably identical with the Mt. Kirgang tsian on the Ta-ch'ing map. It
is, although not improved, to be found on d'Anville's map as well.

Of this river the Chinese text says:

›Le Man tchou est à l'ouest des Saga. Deux rivières venant du nord et des monts
Sier tchoung et Piloung ri coulent pendant 200 li (44 milles) au sud; trois autres viennent de
l'est de la montagne Gang tchoung djadak ri et une découle de l'ouest, de la montagne Lak
dzang djora ri. Ces six rivières se réunissent et forment le Man tchou qui coule encore 40 li
(9 milles) au sud et se jette dans le Tsan po. Le mont Kiem la tchour mou est à 190 li
(40 milles), le mont Sier tchoung à 110 li (24 milles) et le mont Kio our tchoung à 38 li (9
milles) au nord-ouest des Saga.›

Then follows one of the most important rivers, Saga dzang bo, the length of
which is very much exaggerated, whereas its lower part is remarkably correct. The
great bend towards the west, before the junction with the Tsangpo, is to be seen.
The Sa tchou comes in from the east. This is the tributary on the bank of which
Saka-dsong is situated. Sa-chu is its real name, the only name I heard for this
river. Nain Sing calls it Chaka Chu. Above the junction with the Sa tchou the
main river is called Djadak tchou, in which we better recognise Chaktak-chu than
Nain Sing's Charta. Still higher up the river is called Lab tchou, coming from a