Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 406 (Color Image)

0406	Southern Tibet : vol.4

To the north is a transverse valley, which probably pierces the mountains and per-
haps belongs to the *Kara-kash* like the one of the previous day. South of our
route was a large sheet of ice. The plain was surrounded by irregular, interrupted
and detached mountains. At the base of the eastern hills, *Camp CCXCVIII* was
pitched. Here nothing, except the usual hard plants, was to be had. There was
not even a sign of snow, the country was quite bare and barren. The last pass
had formed a very sharp boundary to the snow-fall. Even the surrounding hills
were bare. That the snow-falls of the *Kara-korum* region thus suddenly ceased,
looked somewhat critical for us, as we, at several camps, had not had other water
than that from melted snow. The animals had to be brought to a place with grass
and they got a day's rest at this camp. After a temperature of —30.2° in the night,
a regular S. W. storm began to blow at 10.30 o'cl. a. m., increasing in the course of
the day and bringing dark clouds over the desolate hills. Pan. 386A and B, Tab. 67,
shows the extraordinary forms of the mountains, more particularly to the N. N. W.,
with sharp pinnacles of limestone cropping out of the detritus.

The march of *January 8th,* is directed E. N. E. for 15.8 km. and again has
a transverse threshold in the latitudinal valley to be crossed. This threshold is situated
halfway between the two camps, 7.9 km. from each. Its height is 5,355 m.; the rise
from the 5,148 m. high *Camp CCXCVIII,* is, therefore, 207 m. or as 1:38, and
the fall to the 5,165 m. high *Camp CCXCIX,* is 190 m. or as 1:42. The rock
at the first-mentioned camp was greyish white dense limestone; on the pass we had
reddish brown calcareous sandstone. The temperature of the night was only —18.3°,
due to clouds and wind.

Marching E. N. E. over comfortable, slowly rising ground, we left to the north
the transverse valley which seems to belong to the *Kara-kash* drainage area, and
in the background of which flat hills are seen. Near the pass the ascent becomes
a little steeper, but is very easy the whole way. The view from this flat threshold
looked promising. The valley going down eastwards is broad and open, and bounded
by yellowish pink ridges of insignificant height. In its background, no high moun-
tains were visible, and it seemed likely that this valley would debouch into the great
*Aksai-chin* Plain where we had had our *Camp VIII* in 1906. At the sides of the
erosion furrow from the pass, the usual hard plants, *yapchan* and *burtse,* were growing,
and at *Camp CCXCIX,* some grass, sufficient for a night. There was no water,
only a very small patch of snow in the bed. From this camp, Pan. 388A and B,
Tab. 68, was taken. It gives an idea of the mountain range north of the camp,
and the stretching of the latitudinal valley, west and east.

On *January 9th,* we made only 5.6 km. first S. E. and then N. E. In this
distance, we descended from 5,165 m. to 4,977 m. or 188 m., giving a rate of the
fall as 1:30. A minimum temperature of —18.8°, and thick clouds. We continued

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