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

309

gangri is called Räruk. To the S.W., beyond a little valley, Nanchü-gongyoni-
lungpa, the Chaktak-tsangpo pierces the Kanchung-gangri in a wild and narrow
valley, which seems not to allow of any traffic; the high Kanchung peaks S.W. of
Lapchung-tso are, therefore, left to the east by Chaktak-tsangpo. To the W.S.W.
is a valley Luma-nakchen-nakchung and to the N.W. the valleys Salung-nakchung,
Salung-nakchen and Pencha; a fairly large valley from the same direction is called
Sosänang. Sago-gangri is a small and flat snowy massive to the N. 35° W., in the
neighbourhood of which is situated the valley Tsalung-karpo. To the N. 30° W. a
considerable valley opens out, called Gyandor-ngundor and leading to Gyandor-
ngundor-la, which may be situated on the continental water-parting, for a road is said
to lead over it to Teri-nam-tso. To the N. 5° W. is a small height with some snow,
Sangmü-rigyü. From all the small valleys visible to the N.W., N. and N.E., brooks
run down to the Lapchung-tso, and from this lake issues the joint river, Chaktak-
tsangpo. The sources of this river are thus situated on the southern slopes of the
principal water-parting range, which I have called Lapchung.

The road follows the eastern shore of the lake northwards. There are many
blocks of quartz-porphyry but no living rock; there are swamps and pools covered
with thick ice, low, close grass, and, further north, the soil becomes sandy and more
comfortable for the traveller. The northernmost part of the lake is narrow, and
here the river enters which is formed by the several northern tributaries and in fact
is the upper course of the Chaktak-tsangpo. The road crosses several small deep-
cut brooks from springs; they go directly to the lake without joining the Chaktak-
tsangpo; the road keeps to the eastern side of the broad open valley, where there
are rounded hills, separated from each other by small tributary valleys; the mountains
at the western side are higher. The grass is fairly good. Some pasture grounds
also have special names, probably from valleys from the eastern hills, such as Lapchung-
shungra, Dombe-hloma and Dombe-changma.

Camp 402 is situated in the entrance of the valley Sang-bertik or Sangmo-
bertik at a height of 5 245 m. Its bottom was (May 9) full of solid, hard ice. It
comes from the range with the continental water-parting. It is surprising to find just
at the foot of this most important range a plain, so extensive and level as the one
north of Lapchung-tso. But, on the other hand, this range has more of the Chang-
tang character than of the peripheric accentuated sculpture. We found something
of the same kind south of Angden-la, where, north of Amchok-tso there is another
great plain.

From Camp 402 some interesting observations are made, as explained by my
guides. To the N. 61° W. is a very low and flat threshold, Dicha-la, situated in the
broad, long valley between Kanchung-gangri and Lapchung, through which a road
proceeds to the N.W., reaching the lower Buptsang-tsangpo without crossing a single
pass, and with only insignificant thresholds amongst hills. The Tibetans assert there
is a longstretched tanga or plain between the two ranges. West of Dicha-la a road