AN EASY FORD 227 



We struck camp on the following morning at 7 a.m. 

 and went for some time down the valley of a small 

 stream in a northern direction. Fresh ponies were of 

 great service to us now, and we decided to make a 

 long march of it. On our way we passed through 

 a deserted place covered with odd -shaped rounded 

 stones, which we took to be the moraine of an old 

 glacier. We also passed on our way a fairly large 

 lake which had probably once been about ten times 

 the size, for we could plainly distinguish the former 

 water-line on the surrounding hills. Most of the 

 lakes in Asia, and especially in Tibet, have that 

 well-defined line above their present level ; they 

 appear to be gradually drying away, and in time 

 will become reduced to small pools. Towards midday 

 our caravan reached the broad valley of the Tchagan- 

 Kol River, which we now had to cross many miles 

 above the place where we had had such trouble during 

 our journey up the Kobdo. Here there was an easy 

 ford ; its waters were as milky and dirty as below, and 

 it was hardly 150 feet wide at this place. As we 

 forded the river some fine snowclad peaks at the head 

 of the Tchagan-Kol came in sight and made us hesi- 

 tate whether we should not march up the stream 

 towards the hills, which looked as if they might afford 

 sport. \Ye inquired about it from our new guide, who 



