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

353

From Camp 420 my road follows the left bank of the Buptsang-tsangpo north-
westwards. On an average the valley seems to be 10 miles broad, though some
passages are narrow; one of these is just below Camp 420, forming a real gorge
in quartz-porphyry. Here three brooks from springs join the river, which is shut in
between 20 or 25 m high erosion terraces. The narrow passage is short and the
river soon comes out into the open level valley, with the Lunkar range to the left,
and to the right a low range which must be the N.W. continuation of the Lap-
chung. This place is called Mabiya. The road is much worn by the traffic of salt
caravans to and from Tabie-tsaka. The view is free and open far away to the
N.W. down to the Tarok-tso. From the left side enter two valleys Nalung-lungpa
and Nate, without roads to passes. The river keeps to the right side of the valley
where the mountains are called Kukchung. The soil is extremely arid, and only
some sparse grass is seen along the river. The region of Camp 421 is called Mabye-
tangsang-angmo, at 4 704 m. From here the Nate-valley is seen to the E.S.E; to
the S. 3° W. is Nara, and Rabyi is a valley S. 22° W. In this section of the Lunkar
range there are said to be no trafficable passes.

On the road to Camp 422 the valley again becomes narrower. The erosion
terraces are in several stories and sharp cut, some 25 or 30 m high. At a sharp
bend to the west the river sweeps the foot of the porphyry and quartz rocks.
Shangchung is a tributary from the left side. At Tuta, Camp 422, the height is
4 664 m; the name of the district is Bongba-tsaruk, and a meadow at the river is
known as Tsaruk-gunsa. To the west is a pass in the Lunkar range called Pechen-
la. Between the Lunkar and the Kapta ranges, west of it, there must be a valley
parallel to the Buptsang valley and with a threshold equivalent to the Samye-la;
from the S.E. side of that threshold one of the feeders of the Tsa-chu-tsangpo must
take its rise. The natives asserted that, crossing Pechen-la, one comes to a lake
called Senit-tso which is of the same size as the Chunit-tso. The road to Pechen-la
goes up the valley of Shangra, from which a very considerable bed comes down to
the Buptsang-tsangpo, and now contained only 3/4 cub. m a second; its erosion
terraces are as high as those of the main river and in three levels.

Below the mouth of the Shangra the valley becomes broader, at least 12 miles
across, and widens out to a real plain with very arid soil. From here a part of the
Tarok-tso is visible, as is also, to the N. 53° W., the hill of Lunkar-gompa. The
mountains at the right, N.E., side of the valley are low, and pierced by very small
transverse valleys. The Lunkar range, which, in this region, is the highest Trans-
himalayan range, seems not to be very imposing, as its crest is hidden by lower front hills.

At Camp 423, Tarok-shung, the height is 4 632 m. A mountain to the S. 20° E.
is called Malung-gangri. A brook entering the Buptsang-tsangpo near the camp, is
called Malung-chu in its upper part, and Shangdok-chu lower down. To the S. 27° W.
is Lungnak-gangri, and S.W. is the deep-cut valley of Lungnak. Through this valley
a 7 days' road is said to go to Tuksum, crossing an easy pass called Lungnak-la.