Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 128 (Color Image)

0128	Southern Tibet : vol.4

height of which is about 4,863 m. It is, therefore, at a more than 200 m. lower
level than *Pool-tso*, and the lowest lake we had passed so far. For five days we
had followed the brook that finally emerges at its S. W. shore. This part of the
great latitudinal valley resembled, therefore, in a very high degree the part of it
that sloped to Lake *Aksai-chin*, though this eastern part generally was at a somewhat
lower level. In both cases the fall of the valley is, as we have seen, extremely
gradual, and in both cases there is a brook that gets most of its water from the *Kwen-
lun*, or northern side, where the mountains are higher and the amount of snow
greater. We had found the western brook still carrying water, but the eastern one
was cut off, dry and dead as we passed it later in the season. In both, deposition
of material supercedes erosion, and in fact these rivulets are both in a state of
exhaustion and dying. But still, in the summer they may bring down considerable
quantities of water, when the snows on the southern side of the *Kwen-lun* are
melting or when heavy rains are falling.

On *October 8th* our direction is E. N. E. for 15.5 km. including a gentle rise
of 73 m., or as 1:212. *Camp XXXIV* is at a height of 4,996 m. This rise is,
however, not regular and gradual, for from the lake hills we first go down and
pass a place of only 4,912 m. But still the undulations of the ground are very
insignificant. The whole day's march we move over very low and flat hills of sand
and gravel partly covered with vegetation. From *Camp XXXIII* we go downhill
and lose sight of the lake. The living rock is greyish green calcareous sandstone
the whole way, forming very low ridges cropping up out of the ground. As the
dip is 42° S. 28° E. we march long stretches between such ridges one or two feet
high. The rocks are extremely weathered and only these insignificant ruins remain
of them. All the rest is covered by débris. At some places quartzitic veins are
visible in the sandstone. The ground is covered with sand and fine gravel of
sandstone and quartzite. Some slopes are quite yellow with grass; yapkak is seen
everywhere. Antelopes are common; occasionally a yak is seen. Sometimes erosion
furrows are crossed and it is not always easy to tell whether they go to the lake
or to the other side. One of the eroded sides consisted to a large extent of solid
sandstone. From this the ground rises to a little flat threshold, from the height of
which the lake was again visible, and beyond it, to the west, the high snow summits
of the *Kwen-lun* Range (Pan. 47, Tab. 8).

Farther on, the highest parts of the small hills we cross are to the north of
our route, and the dry watercourses we are crossing go south, probably to some
little isolated depression. To the north no dominating peaks are visible, to the
south is a moderate red range, and beyond it a short range covered with snow.
Between our route and the red range is a barren latitudinal valley which may rather
be regarded as a part of the great one we have followed. No water was seen, and

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