Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 398 (Color Image)

0398	Southern Tibet : vol.4

a latitudinal valley, at the beginning of which a low red mountain is seen. At its base
grew some hard *yapchan* plants which could be used as fuel. Already at 9 o'cl. p. m.,
the temperature was at —27.1°. In the night it went down to —38.6°, very near
the freezing point of mercury. From *Camp CCLXXXVII*, Pan. 374A and B, Tab. 66,
was taken from E. N. E. to W. S. W., the rest of the circle being hidden by the little
red mountain. It shows a very irregular morphology, a mountainous country where
the denudation and the destructive activity has gone very far.

Already the first day's march in the latitudinal valley, proved that we were
on the plateau-land of *Chang-tang* with its even ground and insignificant gradients.
*Camp CCLXXXVIII*, on *December 25th*, was at 5,208 m. or only 19 m. below
the previous camp. The distance being 12 km., the fall was, therefore, at a rate of
1 : 632, perfectly imperceptible to the eye.

Our march goes E. N. E. between comparatively low, irregular hills of a red
colour. The ground consists of yellowish red dust sometimes uneven and furrowed
with small watercourses, here and there with ice. Large parts of the valley are
covered with snow, which becomes thinner the farther eastwards we proceed. Only
in beds it still has a depth of two feet. The northern range is somewhat higher
than the southern; only on slopes looking north, there is snow. In the northern
part of the valley was a large sheet of ice formed by a spring with running water.
Eastwards from this place, the valley becomes narrower and the snow is again deep
on its floor. On the lower slope of the northern mountains, which were free from
snow and were overgrown with abundant *yapchan* plants, we stopped for the night.
From *Camp CCLXXXVIII*, an incomplete panorama, 377, Tab. 66, was drawn,
showing to the W. S. W. the road up to *Dapsang*, and to the S. E. and E. S. E.,
irregular peaks and ridges. Unfortunately the southern quadrant of this panorama
is missing, including the N. E. side of the *Kara-korum Range*. Pan. 379, Tab. 66,
taken from *Camp CCLXXXV*, gives an idea of the appearance of the same range
from its S. W. side.

On *December 26th*, our march continues eastwards through the latitudinal valley
for 18.6 km. *to Camp CCLXXXIX*, rising to 5,383 m. or 175 m. above the previous
camp, which gives a rate of 1 : 106. The minimum temperature was —31.2°, and
the sky was covered with clouds. In the morning the wind came from the east,
but turned at noon, over south to S. W. The march was very monotonous. Ascending
to the east, the valley becomes narrower and is, as a rule, 1 km. broad. The ground
is very even and comfortable. Here and there watercourses, filled with snow, are
crossed. The valley is straight and regular, bounded on both sides by black mountains
of no great height and with patches of snow. Through the openings of two or three
side valleys from the south, higher ridges and peaks are visible, completely covered
with snow, but not forming continuous ranges.

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