国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

Our road to Camp 393, at 4 656, follows the S.E. foot of the Chomo-uchong
and crosses the little threshold Kule-la, 5 088 m high, where the living rock consists
of quartz. Here one enters the *tasam*. The pass is so far important as it is a
water-parting between the Raga-tsangpo and a little direct tributary to the Tsangpo;
on the southern side its slope goes steep down to that valley. It is joined by a
great tributary from the N.W., in the background of which a part of the Chomo-
uchong is to be seen. At Semoku, which is a station on the *tasam*, the height
is 4 596 m. From here the *tasam* continues to the west through the broad valley
of Sa-chu-tsangpo and Saka-dsong. Our road has a more northerly course to the
village of Ushü, where the fifth crossing comes to an end.

The climate of April was anything but settled. The mornings could be fine
and clear, but at noon heavy clouds would appear, accompanied by hard wind from
S.W. or west. On April 3 there was snow-fall and hail both at Chunit-tso and on the
Nima-lung-la, and on April 5 the whole northern side of Lunpo-gangri was whitened
with freshly fallen snow. About April 20 there were frequent snow-falls, especially round
Gyäbuk-la. In the beginning of April the Buptsang-tsangpo was still covered with
thick ice, though there was always an open channel, and a little spring flood from
melting river-ice was just about to set in. The weather was often stormy and the
prevailing wind S.W., though it varied very much in different valleys. During sev-
eral days one could observe that an almost stationary cloud hung over the Kanchung
mountains, while the snow-covered summits of Lunpo-gangri remained perfectly clear.

Animal life was represented by the usual specimens. Round Chunit-tso there
were kyangs and goa-antelopes, drinking from the fresh-water springs on the shore.
Wild geese were numerous. Kyangs also appeared in the broad Buptsang-valley,
and along the banks wild geese, ducks and gulls were often seen. Hares and foxes
were seen on the Samye-la. In the mountains north of Gyäbuk-la the wild yak is
said to live.

Nomads are rare as before. At Chunit-tso only one or two tents were seen
in a valley, as well as a salt-caravan. South of Nima-lung-la one tent was pitched,
and at Camp 373 another. A few shepherds were seen with sheep and yaks. At
Camp 374 a party of travelling nomads were met, coming from Tradum and going
to Gertse. Near Camp 375 we reached 13 tents belonging to poor nomads, pos-
sessing 30 or 40 sheep each, or, at the most, 100. Up to Amchung we saw 6 tents
along the Buptsang-tsangpo, most of them at the left side of the valley and in the
mouths of tributaries. Many pasture grounds were now empty, as the nomads had
gone in search of better grass further north. The section between Camps 378 and 379
especially was said to be well inhabited during the summer. Near Camp 379 there
were now only 5 tents with flocks of sheep and yaks. On the road to Camp 380
2 tents were passed and near that camp 4 tents were pitched. A great salt-caravan
of 350 yaks was seen crossing the Samye-la on its way to Pasa-guk, where a salt-
market is held in summer. On both sides of the Samye-la there were many signs