Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 66 (Color Image)

0066	Southern Tibet : vol.4

march. At *Camp IV* we were surrounded by relatively low mountains on all sides.
Those to the north and west were in our immediate vicinity and are, therefore, not
entered on Pan. 15, Tab. 3. The most interesting features of this panorama are the
high peaks covered with eternal snow, which are visible to the S. 22° E., S. 32° E.,
and S. 39° E., and some other peaks situated on the same range. The peak to the
S. 54° E. on Pan. 14, is identical with one of those just mentioned; though as only
the culmination point of it is to be seen, it cannot be identified. The peaks of
Pan. 15, certainly belong to the water-parting range of the *Kara-korum*, and rise
above all other mountains which may be seen from *Camp IV*.

On *September 4th*, the march goes to the N. E. and east 22.2 km. *Camp V*
is at an altitude of 5,206 m. or only 78 m. below *Camp IV*, which signifies a fall of
the ground of 1:285. This day's march as well as the previous ones all the way from
*Chang-lung-yogma*, followed the course of the little nameless brook which had its
origin in the pass. The greater the distance from the water-parting range becomes,
the more level is the plateau-land. Even three and a half days' marches from the
range we are only 574 m. below the *Chang-lung-yogma* Pass. Therefore it is easy
to understand that those parts of the range where we crossed it, as seen from the
interior of the plateau-land only look like a rather low ridge. But we have also
seen that farther S. E. there are several high summits on this range covered with
eternal snow. It is, therefore, not to be regarded as a mere fairly regular and rounded
upheaval along the whole of its length. But it is too little known, and I can only
direct the attention of future travellers to this important orographical problem. All
that I could see of the continuation of the range into the interior of Tibet, is shown
on my panoramas 14, 15 and 16. Unfortunately the weather was so unfavourable
that for several hours nothing could be seen of the far away mountains, and I, there-
fore, perhaps missed some good occasions to take bearings on their peaks. So,
for instance, the high peaks of Pan. 15 were hidden during the next day's march.

As soon as we have left the small hills of *Camp IV* and passed the last pro-
jecting cape, the great plain opens up to the N. E., and seems to be perfectly level.
The brook has disappeared to the right for a while, and there are no other water-
courses indicating the direction of the fall. The first few kilometers the ground was
very good and not too soft, though it consists of dust with very sparse, fine gravel.
But in the neighbourhood of the brook which we approached again, the soil was a
quagmire which was absolutely impossible to cross. Such stripes of wet, muddy soil
were afterwards, with some difficulty, crossed at two or three places. They betrayed
their existence from the distance by the dark colouring of the surface. Otherwise,
the plain had a lighter greyish or brownish colour.

Between 9 and 11 a. m. two snowstorms swept over the country towards the
N. E. In a moment everything became white. Nothing was to be seen at the sides.

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