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0482 Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2
Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2 / Page 482 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000213
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on a strip of green sward below it, and all troubles of
the day were ended.

On August 9th, a brilliantly clear day, I allowed men
and animals a good rest while I reconnoitred the head of
the valley for a route across the range. I had followed the
broad winding bed of shingle for some five miles when I
noticed a track taking off to what looked like a gap in the
range. But its approach was so steep that I doubted its
being the right route until I had convinced myself that
the head of the main valley to the south-east was com-
pletely closed by big snow-fields, feeding two small glaciers
which came down to a level of about 14,200 feet (Fig. 239).
So next day I led my convoy along the track I had
discovered and found my confidence rewarded; for, after
ascending a very steep rocky spur which at first frightened
our Chinese greatly and almost caused a fresh attempt at
mutiny, we came within sight of the pass.

It proved a broad saddle close on 15,200 feet above sea
and relatively easy (Fig. 240). The view of the Suess
Range was confined to the south and south-west, yet grand
beyond expectation. There was an unbroken chain of big
snowy peaks, girt with conspicuous glaciers, rising far
back from the wide Su-lo Ho Valley. It impressed me at
once as a range far more massive and elevated than either the
To-lai-shan or the one which we were then crossing. The
general crest-line in this portion of the Suess Range seemed
nowhere to fall much below 19,000 feet, and the computation
of the clinometrical heights taken subsequently revealed a
number of peaks rising well above 20,000 feet.

The northern slopes passed on the ascent had been
quite bare of vegetation from about 13,800 feet upwards;
but on the south coarse grass and some hardy flowering
plants were met with about 14,400 feet above sea level.
On the other hand, the neighbouring peaks, which north-
ward had displayed such large snow-beds, were almost
entirely clear of snow on the south. This gave to the
mountain scenery a bleak, monotonous look; it was
distinctly enhanced by the dirty streaks of coal-carrying
strata which cropped out on both sides of the valley
between about 12,900 and 14,200 feet. Our descent led