A SUMMER IN HIGH ASIA. 



On the following morning we moved round the 

 end of the lake by Puttatuktuk (home of the goa), 

 and encamped at a place that rejoices in the name 

 of Pongonogo, and the next day (September 3rd) 

 struck the main Simla- Leh road, and journeyed on 

 to Debring, at the foot of the Tagalang Pass. On 

 reaching this well-known track I felt that I was 

 fairly back in civilisation, and we camped half-way 

 up the Pass, at about 17,000 feet, where it snowed 

 all night, and was bitterly cold. On the way to 

 Debring we had a glimpse along the Zara Valley 

 towards Zanskar, and this nalah was apparently 

 closed by some terrific-looking mountains of the 

 organ-pipe type, which appeared as bad as those 

 that I had seen in the Hushe Nalah. In the 

 morning we climbed the short ascent that remained 

 at the top of the Tagalang Pass (17,500 feet) and 

 descended on the opposite side by a rocky ravine. 

 Here I shot with my small rifle a splendid lammer- 

 geier, or bearded vulture, which was drinking at a 

 stream, and which measured nine feet from tip to 

 tip of the wings.* 



Soon afterwards we reached the village of Gya, 

 where I had encamped some six weeks previously. 

 As I looked back to that time I thought of how 

 much I had done during those six weeks, and of 

 what extraordinarily good luck I had experienced. 

 Then I had not had a shot at Thibetan game, and 

 at the most hoped to get a few napoo, and perhaps 



* Now in the Norwich Museum. 

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