Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 140 (Color Image)

0140	Southern Tibet : vol.4

single yapkak plant there is a little ridge of coarse sand remaining as a testimony
of the prevailing W. S. W. wind.

A short distance farther S. E. there is a second erosion furrow, broad and
shallow and with some poor grass at its southern side. Probably both these beds
join. From the second bed the ground slowly rises again amongst very flat hills
crossed by dry, shallow beds. We reach a low threshold 5,055 m. high. From it
a comparatively narrow valley goes down, cut through grey, dense limestone cropping
up at some places. Farther down in the same valley there was quartz sand with
cement of calcpar. At the foot of the hills a dry brook was directed to the E. N. E.,
with which our valley joined. At Camp XXXVI there was not a drop of water nor
had any been seen during the whole day's march. Near the camp a fox was seen,
otherwise, only the usual ravens, obviously the same that had followed us for
many days.

Pan. 51A and 51B, Tab. 9, taken from Camp XXXVI shows, to the N. W.
and north, the little range we had just crossed. To the N. 46° E. is a very distant
mountain rising above the even line of the eastern horizon which continues un-
interrupted to S. 75° E. and shows how very flat and open the country is in that
direction. To the S. E. and south again, mountains are raising their irregular crests,
but high mountains are nowhere in sight.

To Camp XXXVII the distance is only 8.7 km., and we are again rising 151 m.
to 5,129 m., or at a rate of 1:58. The plain we now are crossing is undulating,
and its drainage bed is directed to the N. E. In front of us there is a new range,
which we have to cross in a new pass; our course is, therefore, directed towards the
part of its crest which seems to be the lowest. Grass again begins to appear in
the barren landscape. It grows on a kind of platforms, about 1 m. high and con-
sisting partly of gravel, partly of sand.

We enter the transverse valley coming from the next range. Its dry erosion
bed is very extensive, 2 m. deep and about 200 m. broad, showing that a good
deal of water occasionally goes down through it. In this bed finally a pool of water
was found. As it had snowed during the night our position needed not to have
been critical, even if no water had been found. Most of the snow had disappeared
at 10 o'clock a. m., but at protected places some of it remained during the whole
day. The northern slopes of the southern mountains also remained white.

The bed proved to come from a valley which, where it is at its narrowest, is
only 50 m. broad between strongly eroded walls of living rock of grey limestone.
Very low yak-grass and moss is growing here. In its bed, which is covered with
sand and gravel, there is a little brook, which is mostly frozen, but has open running
water at a few places. A little higher up, the valley narrows to a real gorge,
only 4 or 5 m. broad between solid plates and slabs of limestone standing vertically

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