Southern Tibet : vol.4 / Page 477 (Color Image)

0477	Southern Tibet : vol.4

On *March 8th,* we followed the river down to the S.W. for 12.7 km., the
ground falling 96 m. or to 4,644 m. which was the height of *Camp CCCXLIX,* the
rate thus being at 1:132. The minimum temperature was —19.1°. Another proof
of the violence of these winter storms may be given. One of our mules had sprained
her leg on the ice and had to be killed. Two of our dogs remained with the corpse
at *Camp CCCXLVIII* when the caravan left, and were never heard of any more.
It must indeed be very severe weather and a very strong corrasive power of the
wind to make it impossible for dogs to scent the track of a caravan which they
have been following so long.

On our route to the S. W., we had the ice bed to our right and the low hills
to the left. In the latter, several small valleys open out, some of them with fans
spreading down to the main river. At intervals there is no ice in the broad bed,
which now has more marked side terraces though always low. Only twice we passed
some little grass and once an old fireplace, the rest of the march the valley was
barren. At the right or western side, the valley is bordered by hills of a reddish
and violet colour. The distance from the river to the hills of the left side becomes
greater. The valley turns to the south. Kyangs are seen at a few places. To the
south the country is open, proving that the river continues in this direction. On the
right side of the brook, we saw a large square stone wall with a gate from the
east, inside of which, there was a house in the shape of a *gompa,* two or three
stone huts, and a sheepfold. On a projecting rock with a perpendicular base, two
*chortens* and a *mani* were built. Where we crossed the erosion bed of the
valley its breadth was nearly 200 m. and in its middle it had some open spring
water. *Camp CCCXLIX* was pitched at the lee side of the little hill with the *mani.*
Some 400 m. S. E. of the camp, we saw through the dust haze a big black tent with
white prayer rags on a pole, and a large wall. From this camp, Pan. 431A and B,
Tab. 78, was drawn, showing the flat country to the north in the direction of the
lake. To the N. E., east and S. S. E., are the mountains to the left side of the valley.

On *March 9th,* we stayed at *Nagrong.* The minimum temperature was at
—19.8°, but already at 7 o'clock a. m., we had —4.0° and at 1 o'clock p. m., +1.3°.
The weather was perfectly clear and cloudless, but already at 8 o'clock a. m. the
strong wind began as usual.

The place was of a certain importance, being the residency of the Gertse Pun.
This chief was now, fortunately, absent, and a Lama occupied his large tent. The
latter told my men that we had a three days' journey southwards to the route which
I had followed in 1901 and to the district called *Senkor.* The brook of *Nagrong*
has, even in summer, very little water: only after heavy rains it becomes big. The
ice-sheet would soon come to an end. On our route to the south we would have
at least two days to the next tent, which, however, would be difficult to find. In

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