Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 472 (Color Image)

0472	Southern Tibet : vol.4

are crossed, and finally we enter a somewhat larger bed, being from 10 to 15 m.
broad. At its left side or lee terrace, some snow was accumulated. Camp CCCXLIV
was pitched at the eastern base of a little detached hill where we had some pro-
tection from the wind. Tibetans had camped there before. Grass and fuel were
good and snow remained on the slopes. The bed had at its left side, a terrace
1 m. high. To the north, east and south, Pan. 426A and B, Tab. 78, was sketched.
It shows, to the N. W., the depression of Lumbur-rigmo; to the north and N. E.,
the mountains which, to the north, border the eastern continuation of the latitudinal
valley; N. 65° E. is the open gap of the latter. N. 79° E. is the first projecting hill
belonging to the mountains south of the valley. To the S. E. the country also seems
to be very flat and open, though the ground rises in this direction to a threshold.
To the south and S. S. W. is the continuation of the southern mountains.

On March 4th, our march goes 11 km. S. E. The ground rises for 7.6 km.
to the threshold of 4,886 m., or 126 m., being a rate of 1:60. From the threshold,
we had 3.4 km. to Camp CCCXLV, being at a height of 4,748 m. and, therefore,
138 m. below the pass; the rate is here as 1:24. The storm continued the whole
night and the whole day, though not quite as strong as before. The temperature
was only —13.8° in the night.

Behind our hill, two men had a tent and were watching 400 sheep belonging
to a Tibetan from Senkor. E. N. E. in a furrow, there was another tent. We slowly
approach the southern range, and have to cross innumerable erosion furrows gather-
ing from small valleys and from the slopes, joining one another, resembling the
branches of a tree. As usual, they contain drift snow at their lee sides, sometimes
deep and sometimes troublesome to cross. There is also a good deal of snow on
the ground between the furrows. To our left kyangs and antelopes were seen. The
whole way, there is grass. Looking back towards Lumbur-rigmo, one could see the
sand- and dust-laden wind like brown and reddish yellow veils sweeping across the
plain, giving the impression that the wind was much stronger on the even ground
than here in the vicinity of the hills. On the threshold, which is very flat, a cairn
had been built. On its eastern side, a winding erosion furrow went down, rather
deep-cut and with comparatively steep slopes on both sides. It is joined by numerous
small tributaries. The principal bed which we follow, contains much drift snow.
To our left a rather low ridge stretches E. S. E., to the right the mountains gra-
dually seem to become lower and finally to disappear in a large plain, the eastern
boundaries of which cannot be seen in the haze of dust. Our descending valley
also emerged into the plain, and as grass, fuel and snow are more likely to be found
near the base of the hills, we stopped at the lee side of a little mountain, amongst
blocks of grey quartz-biotite-diorite (hornblende-granite). On the threshold the living
rock was greyish green, very weathered, phyllite with veins of quartz.

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