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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

chu line is also unknown. The most important orographical feature is, however, the
existence of a high water-parting range, Pabla, giving rise to the sources of the Mü-
chu, and the Nien-chen-tang-la which is pierced by the river before its junction with
the Raga. The joint river, Dok-chu, is thus situated south of the Nien-chen-tang-la.
The Mü-chu affords a very comfortable way over a great part of the Transhimalayan
system, but at the same time the deep valley makes it impossible to get a distant view
and clear comprehension of the orographical arrangement all round. The fifth cross-
ing, over Samye-la, is of quite a different type, very favourable for orientation, as
will be seen later on.

The Pabla range stretches E.N.E.—W.S.W., but that part of the range, in
which the Chang-la-Pod-la is situated must be nearly meridional, for the road, the
direction of which is dictated by the valleys going down from the pass, runs east
and west. The meridional part is, however, very short, for the Sha-la and Angden-
la, belonging to the same range, are situated to the W.S.W. from Chang-la-Pod-la.

The pass is full of sharp-edged gravel, and so is also the western slope. The
road to the west at once enters a well-defined valley between low rocks of quartzitic
porphyrite and porphyry. From the left side enter the small valleys Shalung, Chi-
lung and Sha-oktsang; from the right: Mugbalung, Shag-risivi-lungpa and Shageluma.
The main valley itself is here called Shak or Shagenang.

At Sha-oktsang the height is 5 233 m. On the section of the road which
takes us to Kyangdam, Camp 147, the fall is hardly 200 m, or to 5 050 m, which
is much more gradual than to the east of the pass. From the left or south the
following tributaries enter the Shak-chu: Nemolung and Chombolung, Salung-kamba
and Ngoring; Kölung which is a steep and short valley; Hleynang; Tsölung; Tay-
nang from a ridge in the south, and with a brook joining the Shak-chu on a great
widening of the valley; and finally a broad valley, in the upper part of which a low,
snow-covered mountain is visible.

From the right or north the tributaries are: Parlung, which is a considerable
valley with light-coloured, rounded mountains in its upper part, belonging to a ridge,
the continuation of which is visible in the opening of almost every northern tributary.
Through the Parlung another road is said to go to Kyangdam, and through its left
tributary, Korchen, a road goes up to the Chang-la-Pod-la. At the junction with
the Parlung the whole main valley was still like a lake of ice. Ayang is a small
valley, but the above-mentioned ridge is seen through its opening. The little tributary
Sogang enters near the great mani Lapsen-tari. The ridge of hills to the north
appears reddish and without vegetation. Tukchen is a very broad and flat valley
with a frozen brook. All these valleys are quite insignificant.

Some distance below Camp 146 the Shak-chu valley has a breadth of about
200 m; at its right side living rock occurs, sandy schist, and lower down lyditic
schist. The terraces are very small and rudimentary. The bottom is still full of ice;
sometimes, as at Tang-yung-ngori, the road goes on the slope of the hills. Then