Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 456 (Color Image)

0456	Southern Tibet : vol.4

general tectonic and mountain-building laws, are much more pressed together than
in the central and eastern parts of Tibet.

On *February 18th*, we took a new step in the prolongation of the great
latitudinal valley to the E. S. E., marching 10.1 km. and descending 94 m., as *Camp
CCCXXXIII* had an altitude of 5,181 m., the rate was 1:107, the same slow
gradient as usual. The minimum temperature had been —20.8°. In the morning
the wind came from S. E. but soon turned around to S. W. The soil of the valley
remained the same as before; heaps of gravel, small blocks and snow. The greatest
amount of snow was always found where the valley was at its narrowest. This snow
is swept down to the lee side of the mountains to the S. W. A large part of the
valley was as narrow as a gorge between mostly rounded hills of no great altitude.
One has to march in the erosion bed itself, the course of which, in accordance
with the valley, is rather winding. In the mouth of one of the small tributary valleys
from the sides, there was a square of stones, inside of which a tent had been pitched.
In the narrowest part of the valley, the living rock was dark grey and black quartz
schist. In a tributary valley near *Camp CCCXXXIII*, the rock seemed to be red
granite; the gravel in the bed of our valley was largely granite.

Finally the narrow valley again opens out, and we are able to leave the bed
and to travel on the flat slopes of the mountains on the left. Here the grass was
tolerably good, and all sorts of fuel to be found. As the slope was much exposed
to wind and sunshine, it was nearly free from snow except at the lee sides of ter-
races. Three flocks of *Pantholops* antelopes and one kyang had been seen in the
course of the day.

From this camp, Panorama 417, Tab. 75, was drawn, showing the black ridges
with low pyramidal peaks and, here and there, strips of snow. An accompanying
water colour panorama gives an idea of the landscape to the east and S. E. as it
appeared from the interior of my tent at about 1 o'clock p. m. when one of the
most violent storms I have ever witnessed, came sweeping with its full fury across
the highlands of Tibet. It came, as always, from S. W. Thick clouds of dust and
sand were driven north-eastwards and the farther mountains soon disappeared. The
nearer hills, of which some had a singular red colour, could still be discerned,
particularly their higher parts and crests, proving that most of the solid material
was swept along the ground. The sky was clear and blue without even the smallest
cloud. Even fine gravel was drumming against my tent, and the round balls of the
kyangs' dung were flying uphill like paper. The temperature rose to —1.4°, which
was the highest we had experienced since December 6th, in the *Shayok* Valley, or
about two and a half months ago. In the evening twilight, the storm came to an
end, and at dark only a dying breeze was felt.

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