Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 323 (Color Image)

0323	Southern Tibet : vol.4

two panoramas Nr. 111 and 112. As the *Lamlung-la* is a water-parting between
the depression of *Nadsum* and that of *Dumbok-tso,* so the *Laen-la* is a water-parting
between the *Dumbok-tso* and the *Ngangtse-tso*. The *Gyanglam-la,* on the other
hand, has no water-parting importance whatever. From *Laen-la,* the *Ngangtse-tso* is
not yet visible, but we suspect a large lake depression to the S. W., for in this
direction, there is an interruption between the mountains, and only far away there
is a rim of hills of a light blue colour. Only in these two directions, there is
a distant view. The rest of the horizon is hidden by rounded hills belonging to
our immediate vicinity. The colour of the mountains is dirty and undecided.

On the southern side we go down to the upper part of a broad, open and
flat valley with grass and springs on all sides, bounded by hills and opening out to
the northern-most part of *Ngangtse-tso.*

The nomads of *Camp XCVI* confirmed the name of the place being *Laen*
and the pass above it, *Laen-la.* The name of the large lake was pronounced
*Ngangsi-tso.* One day and a half to the east, was a place called *Markung,* where
nomads lived. To *Kemar,* two days were reckoned. *Targo-gangri,* here called
*Torgut,*¹ was well-known and regarded as sacred. When travellers get the first
glimpse of it, they fall down on the ground and worship it. A ridge to the S. E.,
only a few kilometers distant, was called *Gyabsang,* and the hills to the west, *Kelam.*
The mountains bounding the valley of *Laen* to the west, were called *Kyedsö.* In
the *Laen* valley, five tents were now pitched. The *Naktsang* Province continued
four days more to the south, after which follows the territory of *Tashi-lunpo,* which
agreed with earlier information. An old Tibetan, who was our neighbour, was the
owner of 100 sheep and 6 yaks. He was accustomed to passing the winter in
different valleys in the vicinity; in the summer he goes down to the lake. He said
there were several tents along the southern shore of the lake, but only a few along
the northern. He distinguished between good and bad wind-years. The good were
such when the wind was not strong and came to an end comparatively early in
the spring.

It was our intention to pass some two or three weeks on the shores of
*Ngangtse-tso,* to let our yaks and last ponies have a much needed rest at a place
with good grass. Such a place was found at *Camp XCVII* to which we moved
on *December 27th,* after a night with no wind and a temperature of —31.2°. We
thus followed the base of the eastern mountains to the S. S. W. for 4.5 km., des-
cending 54 m. or at a rate of 1:83, as the next camp, *XCVII,* had a height of
4,770 m. To our right, we had tussock-grass and sheets of ice formed by springs.

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