Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 112 (Color Image)

0112	Southern Tibet : vol.4

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*Yeshil-köl* or the Green Lake as it is called by the Mohammedan Taghliks
in the *Kwen-lun*, was previous to my journey, well known to students of the
geography of Tibet. Carey had already passed along its western shore in 1886,
and the same way was taken in 1892 by Dutreuil de Rhins and Grenard. On his
memorable journey, 1896—1899, Deasy had passed along the northern, eastern and
part of the southern shore, and along the northern shore Wellby and Malcolm had
travelled in 1896. Finally Zugmayer passed on the plain immediately west of
*Yeshil-köl* in 1906. Under such conditions I had not very much to add except
measuring the depth of the lake. Neither is the lake unknown to the Changpas or
northern Tibetan nomads, as could be seen from the small earthen cairns or mounds,
which they are erecting in long straight lines for hunting antelopes. Now the region
was as lifeless as the rest of Northern Tibet.

The crossing of the lake was accomplished on *September 24th*, 5.9 km. E. N. E.
to the northern shore, and thence 8.2 km. S. E. to the southern shore. The situation
will be well understood both from the photographic panorama on the opposite side,
and from the sketched panorama, 35A and 35B, Tab. 7, taken from *Camp XIX*. On
the latter we see the mountains to the N. W., north and N. E., where the lake
comes to an end in this direction. N. 68° E. a red hill served as a landmark, and
on this our course was steered. From there we should try to steer upon a point
to the S. 71° E. on the southern shore, where a bright point was said to be the
place where springs come up and where Deasy had passed several days, as two of
my men could witness who had accompanied him. To the S. 40° E. the southern end
of the lake appeared. From S. 15° E. to south stretched the high snow-covered range
mentioned above. When seen from a short distance, the water of *Yeshil-köl* has a
green colour, which is partly due to its comparative shallowness. The bottom consists
of grey clay, of salt crusts hard as stone, of sand with ripplemarks, and, at the
northern shore, of gravel and blocks as the continuation of the mountains rising
there. At the western shore the clay forms, as it were, a barrier of blocks incrusted
with salt; they are to be seen both below and above the water. At 1 o'clock p. m.
the water had a temperature of 9.5° and the air 10.3°. On the first crossing, which
took us 4¼ hours, the greatest depth sounded was 16.10 m. and was situated nearer
the northern than the southern shore. This depth remained the absolute maximum
I measured in this lake, and it is not likely that deeper places would be found, at
least not south of our course, for the southern half of the lake is very shallow,
being a gradual continuation of the nearly level plain south of the lake. At a very
short distance from the northern shore there are ridges of hills more or less parallel
with the shore-line, and at one place with a steep fall to the lake. From the landing
point the shore-line runs N. 70° W., after which it gradually turns west, S. W. and
south, and on the other hand, to S. 80° E., S. E., south and S. W. Just where we

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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