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

From a hill, Kilung-la, at 5,318m. (17,443 feet) one gets a splendid view of the
mountains; the Kilung-karmo comes from the N.E.; in its background rises the three-
headed peak of the same name. From the north comes Kilung-nagmo, said to have
its sources at the southern side of the Lunpo-gangri, where small glaciers are seen.
To the N.N.W. is the valley of Tok-sumchen. To the W. and N.W. my guide did
not know the country, and had only heard that it was inhabited by ›the Tradum-tribe
Sokpo-chumgor‹. It may be regarded as certain that the Tsa-chu-tsangpo gets most
of its water from the S.W. side of the Lunpo-gangri and its N.W. continuation,
Lunkar. From the S.E. side of Lunpo-gangri the Rukyok-tsangpo goes to the
Chaktak-tsangpo. The Lunpo-gangri ranges include some of the highest peaks of
the Transhimalaya, and from its snows and glaciers much water reaches the Tsangpo.
Seen from the Kilung-la the Lunpo-gangri represents an insurmountable wall of steep
rocky mountains, and the Tibetans pretend there is no possibility of crossing them.
The upper part of the Kilung-karmo is a wild narrow gorge between steep rocks.
The living rock is here fine-grained gneiss, quartz-mica-porphyry and grey porphyrite.
The panorama I drew will give an idea of the general view. The animal life was
represented by kyangs, antelopes, hares, wolves and wild yaks; of the latter a herd
of 30 head was seen just under the edge of the eternal snow.
From Camp 177 our road leads W.S.W. up the valley to Särchung-la; the
upper course of Men-chu is left to our right, coming from the N.W. The rock is
sandstone. From the south enters a valley Panglung, and from the north Nilung.
Higher up the rock is phyllitic schist. The valley gets narrower between low soft
hills; from the south Gablung comes in. The last part of the ascent is comparatively
steep. The pass Särchung-la, 5,188m. (17,017 feet), is a soft saddle, and the view it
presents is magnificent. The highest peak of the Lunpo-gangri again shows itself,
N.38°E., as a brilliant, snow-covered giant with black, rocky crags, and very steep
sides, and dominating the whole range; N.47°E. is its neighbour, partly snow-covered,
and with grey and rose tinted sides. The peak to the N.57°E. is all snow dipping up
as from a sea of petrified waves. From it and from a peak to the N.68°E. small
glaciers go down. To get a clear idea of the general orographical arrangement
from this point would have been impossible; only the next year should I have an
opportunity to explore the different ranges further north.
To the S.40—65°W. a particularly high part of the northernmost range of the
Himalaya showed its world of snowy peaks and pyramids. North of them is the
depression of the Tsangpo valley.
The valley going down to the S.W. from the pass is called Mendelung; it
soon widens out to a plain, Tüchu, receiving the right tributaries Yülung, Poguchenga,
and Kyang-kere-napko. The village of Tüchu consists of a few stone walls and
tents, and is the residency of the Gova or chief of the district. The ground is very
sandy and the rock is sandstone. To the E.S.E. is the valley of Tingchung-hlonga,
through which the tasam comes down. The tributary Tükyu-keta enters from the