Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 411 (Color Image)

0411	Southern Tibet : vol.4

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On *January 13th*, we moved 22.3 km. E. S. E., rising only 21 m. or to
4,935 m. at *Camp CCCIII*, being a rate of 1:1062. The temperature of the night
was —28.0°. In the morning we had a west wind. It had snowed in the night,
but only on the northern hills, where no bare patches were left. About 9.30 o'cl. a. m.
it began to snow again for half an hour. At the same time a very thick fog came
up from the east, concealing all the surrounding mountains. Even the eastern end
of the lake became hidden. We now left our course of 1906, and proceeded along
the base of the southern mountains, crossing a broad, shallow and barren erosion
bed from a larger transverse valley to the south. The good grass had ceased
about one hour from the camp; to judge from the enormous amount of dung of
wild yak and kyang, it was a well-known grazing-ground for these animals. Then
only *yapchan* plants were abundant the whole way to the next camp. The soil con-
sists of soft sand and dust; gravel is only passed in erosion furrows. A herd of
antelopes fled at our approach; no other animals were seen except two ravens.

The west wind begins again, and the fog is swept away. In front of us, is
a little threshold between the southern hills and a detached hill which we had left
to our right in 1906. To our left, is the broad and open latitudinal valley with
half its area white with snow, and its principal watercourse, to which broad erosion
beds go down from the southern valleys. Some of them have terraces, 1 m. high,
at the east or lee side of which, a good deal of snow has been swept by the strong
west wind. *Camp CCCIII* was pitched in the mouth of a southern valley, where
grass and fuel were abundant and the snow afforded water. Pan. 392A and B, Tab. 69,
is taken from this place.

On *January 14th*, our march goes E. S. E. and S. E. for 17.7 km. rising
10 m., as *Camp CCCIV* is at 4,945 m. which means a rise of the ground at a
rate of 1:1770 or a practically level country. The temperature went down to
—36.1°. We crossed the little threshold just east of the camp, being only some
30 m. high above the surrounding ground. From here the great latitudinal valley
of 1906 is seen stretching far away to the east. Our passage to the S. E. seemed
to be obstructed by moderate mountains, but soon we found an opening between
two hills, and a large even plain stretching S. 55° E., being in connection with
the extensive latitudinal valley. In this direction, all vegetation gradually disappears.
The soil is fine, grey clay, or dark brownish dust, the latter being soft and tiring
for the caravan animals. In the lowest part of the plain, where the height of 4,928 m.
was read, running water had modelled the clay deposits into terraces, platforms
and tables. Several shallow erosion beds convey into this flat depression, probably
the basin of a dried-up lake. Calcified parts of plants form a fine gravel, as it were,
on the surface of the soil. To our right are hills of moderate size, all white with
snow. In the S. E. part of the plain, the soil consists of reddish brown and very

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