Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 39 (Color Image)

0039	Southern Tibet : vol.4

Tibet. Finally the path goes down the gravelly slope, which is crossed by several
small tributary brooks, to the junction with a valley from the right, which, accord-
ing to the Ladakis, is the *Spanglung* proper. Here some grass was growing and
we pitched our tents.

From *Spanglung* to our camp at *Pamsal* in the *Chang-chenmo* valley, the distance
amounts to 16 km. and as the height at *Pamsal* is only 4,529 m., the difference is
579 m. or a fall of 1 : 27.6. The road goes down the *Spanglung* valley N. E. and
north. First we go down to the *Spanglung* proper, at the right bank of which
there are the ruins of a little house. Then we continue on the right slope of the
main valley, less steep than hitherto, and some 40 or 50 m. above the bottom of
the valley. Opposite the left tributary, *Yardep*, we follow the bottom of the valley,
which now becomes broader. Here is a sheepfold of stone; shepherds from *Pobrang*
were said to arrive here about the end of November and to stay in the valley during
the winter. In the early hours the joint brook was much smaller than the evening
before and could perhaps carry 2 cub. m. per second. Most of the bottom of
the valley is covered with gravel, tiring for the animals. *Guthlâs* is the name of a
tributary from the left side with a second sheepfold and some pasture. It is, however,
difficult to see how sheep can live in this barren region. Probably the shepherds
take them up into protected side valleys where grass is more abundant.

At the place where the main valley turns N. E., and then north, two tributary
valleys, viz. *Kanglung* and *Kuyung*, open from the right. Both have brooks coming
from the range we passed in *Marsimik-la*, and some of whose snowy crests and
peaks are seen in the background of the valleys. In these valleys grazing-grounds
are said to exist. Through the *Kanglung* valley a path is said to cross the range
over an ice-covered pass which can be used only on foot. *Kuyung* has also a path
which goes to *Yu*, a place on the other side of the range. The brooks from these
valleys increase the main brook which gradually grows bigger on its way down to
*Pamsal*. The whole region is grey gravel, boulders and blocks of gneiss-granite, but
living rock is, for a long while, not attainable. Sometimes small patches of grass are
passed. The brook is followed on both sides by three beautifully developed erosion
terraces generally some 20 m. high. Sometimes one or two of them are subdivided
into several, and lower down 6 or 7 terraces could be reckoned on the right side
of the valley. They are best seen at places where tributaries cut their way through
them. As a rule the road sticks to the top of the lowest terrace on the left side.
The terraces are very eloquent remains from the time, the pluvial epoch, when the
precipitation was much richer than nowadays.

Finally we reach a place with living rock, the same gneiss-granite as the gravel.
The brook everywhere forms rapids, and there are no quiet reaches between them.
Erosion is busy at work in this peripheric region with effluence to the sea. Such
2. IV.

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

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

Citation Information

OCR Text

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