Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 438 (Color Image)

0438	Southern Tibet : vol.4

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had a temperature of +7.9°, it kept the lake open for a short distance from the
shore. This little affluent of *Shemen-tso* is thus continually running winter and summer.
Here dung of sheep was laying about. East of this point some very scanty grass
made its appearance, together with the usual other plants. *Camp CCCXXII* was
situated in a very desolate region. The weather was as usual. The strong S. W.
wind began at 9 o'clock a. m., and, one hour later, we had a very lively snowfall.
At the camp a lonely kyang was grazing.

On *February 7th,* we made 8.3 km. S. E. We follow the same latitudinal
valley as hitherto, a large part of which is occupied by *Shemen-tso*. After a temperature
of —22.9° in the night, we had a very fine day, the sky being nearly clear, except for a
few small, white clouds now and then. Only a very light S. W. breeze was blowing
and occasionally it was nearly calm. At some distance from the camp, the barrenness
of the lake shore ceases and a rather thick and dense steppe of the customary hard
plants begins. The eastern end of the lake is left behind with its little flat penin-
sula. The clay ground hereabout is modelled by the winds into tables and terraces
with furrows between. The soil of the steppe consists of gravel, traversed by small
beds bound to the lake. Only in these beds, there is still some snow, the rest of
the soil is bare. In the southern part of the latitudinal valley, a shallow and broad
erosion bed seems to be destined to the lake. In the same direction, four wild
yaks were seen. To our left extends a large and open arena, or rather the
mouth of a northern valley with a small black group of hills in its middle. On this
plain, kyangs and antelopes were numerous, as well as hares. Near the base of a
red hill to the east, the grass was good, and as some snow was to be had, we
made our *Camp CCCXXIII*. The absolute height of this camp, calculated from my
observations on the boiling point thermometer and the three aneroids, was 4,896 m.
which cannot possibly be correct, as it is not in accordance with the altitude of the
lake or 4,960 m., and from the shore the ground, of course, rises, though extremely
slowly, towards the east. *Camp CCCXXIII* must, therefore, be a few meters above
the surface of the lake. This discrepancy must be due to the great change which
had taken place in the weather, the atmospheric pressure being quite another than
during the stormy and cloudy days. I have, however, thought best not to change
the figure, as it would influence either the altitude of the lake or the heights of the
following camps.

The panorama from *Camp CCCXXII,* is shown on Tab. 73, 407A and B.
To the north we have the mountain group situated just north of the camp. To
the right of it, is the arena or plain with the little hill in its middle. To the S. E.,
is the direction of the latitudinal valley and of our march to *Camp CCCXXIII.*
To the south and S. W., is the lake and the mountain range on its southern shore.
Pan. 408A, B and C, Tab. 73, is taken from *Camp CCCXXIII.* On it we have

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

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National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books