Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 79 (Color Image)

0079	Southern Tibet : vol.4

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to the N. E. Farther on a greater bed is crossed directed to the N. N. W. From
this the ground rises extremely slowly to the base of the eastern hills. As it appeared
to be hopeless to look for water in the direction we had followed, we turned to the
west where the ground was green. On the way westwards the plain was furrowed
by some great erosion beds proving that sometimes a considerable amount of water
comes down from the western mountains. At Camp VII grass, yapkak and water
was to be found.

During the day's march two fragmentary and one complete panorama were
sketched from the points which on Pl. I are marked P¹, P² and P³. Though the
country is rather monotonous in our neighbourhood, the views at a greater distance
belong to the most magnificent in the world. To the north we have the ranges
where Kara-kash and Yurung-kash take their origin, to the south and S. E. the con-
tinuation of the Kara-korum which here no more is a water-parting between the Indian
Ocean and the self-contained plateau-land of Tibet, but a mountain system, the direction
of which becomes more and more E. S. E., just as the Himalaya farther south.
Between the two gigantic systems, Kwen-lun and Kara-korum, extends the high
plateau-land which we are crossing. To the east and west we have comparatively
low red ranges and ridges rising on the plateau. Beyond those to the west, and
at no great distance the Kara-kash River has its sources north of which I would pass
in January 1908. The most interesting feature of Pan. 19.1, Tab. 4, is the mighty
range visible from S. 78° E. to S. 11° E., consisting of a series of cupola-formed and
pyramidal peaks in light pink colours and covered with dazzling white fields of eternal
snow. Pan. 19.2 shows only the mountains to the S. W., west and N. W. On Pan. 19.3
we see between N. 15° W. and N. 15° E., at a considerable distance, the mountains
beyond which the Yurung-kash is streaming in its deep-cut latitudinal valley, and
where the Kara-kash turns its sharp bend towards the east. The high peak to the
S. 54° E. is marked on Pan. 19.1, and thus belongs to the Kara-korum. It should,
as always, be remembered that Pan. 19.3 has to be imagined as a closed ring,
which altogether changes the perspective. The panoramas stretched out horizontally
give the impression of a continuity which does not exist in nature. Only when the
drawing is imagined as a circle, one will realise that the high mountains north and
south are two different systems more or less parallel with each other.

The march of September 8th takes us 12 km. N. N. E. The ground falls, though
extremely slowly, in this direction. Camp VIII is at 4,916 m., or 37 m. below
Camp VII, giving a fall of only 1:324.

As water is very rare, one has to take a supply along in the water-
skins. The plain consists of fine, yellow dust as before with sparse yapkak plants
and innumerable rabbits' holes. Kyangs and antelopes are often seen, and sometimes
the wild yak's dung. Erosion furrows carved out by running water are very rare.
S. 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

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OCR Text

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