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0286 Southern Tibet : vol.4
Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 286 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000263
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one of the largest rivers of the extensive interior parts of the Tibetan plateau-land
which has no outlet to the sea.

*Camp LXXXV* was situated at the southern bank of a cut-off branch of the
river, which here makes the most extraordinary windings in all directions. The
branch was very broad and was more like a pool, with water under the ice. Some-
times the formation of ice causes inundations which conceal the real hydrographical
features. Here the river itself was frozen everywhere.

Panorama 97A and 97B, Tab. 16, is taken from *Camp LXXXV*. It shows
the open passage of the western continuation of the latitudinal valley. Between
N. 64° W. and N. 50° W., is the comparatively narrow gate by which the river comes
out, as shown on the last panorama. To the N. W., is a mountain ridge called
*Tsaksing*, or, by another pronounciation, *Yaksing*. At a greater distance to the
N. N. W., there is a ridge called *Tingu*, and to the north, at some kilometers distance
from the river, the range and peak of *Amkak*. To the N. E., there is an inter-
ruption between the hills: a kind of smaller latitudinal valley. To the N. 57° E.,
is a ridge called *Ambun-karpo*. The latitudinal valley continues to the east, though
a distant view in that direction is hindered by the slope of a scree from the south.
To the S. 59° E., is the peak *Tak-surmo*. To the S. W. the hills of *Shirilok* are
still visible. Six tents were said to be pitched in our surroundings, and at several
places we could see flocks of sheep and yaks. There is no lack of water, for white
ice-sheets are to be seen in nearly every tributary valley. In the valleys to the
north of the *Bogtsang-tsangpo*, the tents were said to be more numerous, as the
winter grazing is better there than along the river. In the late autumn not very much
of the summer grass is said to be left along the river, and, therefore, most of the
nomads go north for the winter. During the last few days, the night temperature
had been at —27.2°, —26.2° and, on the night of the 12th of December, —31.3°.
In the afternoon of the 11th, the temperature rose for a while, even to a little
above zero, which had not been the case for a long time. Still the S. W. wind was
strong as usual.

On *December 12th*, our march was 10.5 km to the S. E., rising to 4,770
*(Camp LXXXVI)* or 106 m., a rate of 1:99. From the camp we again go up on the
top of the erosion terrace and have the winding river to our left and the little peak of
*Tak-surmo* to our right. The left terrace of the *Bogtsang-tsangpo* is farther away from
the river and higher and more energetically developed, as the erosion presses upon
the base of the northern screes. The *Tak-surmo* continues eastwards or E. S. E.
as a series of irregular peaks and rock pyramids. From a transverse valley to the
south, a mighty ice-filled bed comes down and reaches the river, though it does not
seem to have any running water now. In the summer the valley must have a brook,
the largest tributary we had crossed. Finally we turn S. E. and nearly south, up