Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 379 (Color Image)

0379	Southern Tibet : vol.4

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*Camp CCLXIV* was at 4,179 m. and *Camp CCLXV* at 4,449 m., meaning a rise
of 270 m. or at a rate of 1:89. It is to be noted that during the first 10 km.,
the ground continued to fall, so that the rate of ascent was in reality somewhat
steeper than 1:89.

During the last days, we had experienced a strong W. S. W. wind, but only
at intervals and very irregularly and influenced by the mountains. I had the im-
pression that the strong and regular W. S. W. wind that last winter had killed our
animals on the *Chang-tang*, had not yet set in. It may, however, be that it does
not develop all of its energy until it reaches the high open plateau of the *Chang-tang*.

*Nesurma* is a tributary from the left, *Gyou* and *Lungun*, valleys to the right.
After crossing a cut-off bend of the river, the latter disappears from sight, and only
a last glimpse of it is caught when it pierces the *Ladak Range*, with a peak called
*Dungti* at its right. The bush vegetation ceases completely, but the grass steppe
continues, occasionally interrupted by small patches of nearly barren violet, hard
sand. In the mouth of a broad valley to the right, sand dunes have formed, reach-
ing fairly high on the slopes of the surrounding mountains. In the main valley,
there are no wandering dunes, only very low undulations of sand bound by grass.
The soil then becomes soft and more uneven as it is modelled by wind erosion.
In the background of the transverse *Indus* Valley a snow mass of moderate
height is visible. So far as can be seen, the transverse valley of the *Indus* is
directed to the S. 55° W., after which it again turns N. W. with the *Ladak Range*
to its right.

Having crossed a dry watercourse from the left side, we begin to ascend the
slowly rising slope of a barren scree of sand with fine gravel on its surface. Its
boundary is very sharply drawn. To our left the belt of vegetation continued for
some distance. To our right, is a little patch, like an island, of grass and bushes
called *Tama-yaghgang*. The road is comfortable, crossing absolutely barren ground.
The snowy mountains of *Panggong-tso* are hidden by the rising ground in front
of us. The erosion bed of the valley becomes deeper and narrower and its terraces
more developed as we proceed. The right one is the best developed. At the point
where we cross the stony bed, there is some vegetation. Some *manis*, called *Salme-
mani*, are again passed. Here the height is 4,272 m.

The valley becomes narrower but runs straight N. W. as before. A glimpse
backwards to the S. E. now shows us an endless perspective of the *Indus* Valley.
Its floor has a yellow colour between the mountains, but the river cannot be seen.
*Lungnak* is a valley to the right.

To our left is the little village of *Salma* with its low stone huts, walls and
barley fields. It gets its supply of water from a spring, forming ice-sheets. In the bed
of the main valley there is also some ice. The soil is now covered with gravel

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