CHAP, xvii THE WIND OF CHANGCHENMO 295 



fuel used by the very few people who ever pass, through 

 this inhospitable region consists of the dry roots of 

 bortza^ and dapshang, and the droppings of wild asses 

 (kyang) and travellers' yaks. The plants mentioned 

 are only procurable in some places, and, as may be 

 imagined, the droppings are not much to depend on. 

 The cold, even in summer, is considerable, and in winter 

 it must be almost arctic. 



For the greater part of the day a strong wind blows, 

 bitterly cold even in August. It usually began, we found, 

 about eleven o'clock, and did not sink till about an hour 

 before dark. In the Kugrang nala it always blew down- 

 wards in the afternoon, and in the main valley always up 

 the stream. This wind was the most trying thing which 

 we had to encounter. When travelling, my wife and I 

 could not hear each other speak unless our ponies were 

 side by side ; and every day I had to smear my face well 

 with vinolia cream to prevent the skin peeling, while she 

 always wore a thick gauze veil. Curious to say, the sun 

 was very powerful. If behind us, our backs would 

 feel scorched, while our hands required fur gloves to 

 keep them warm. The air was never anything but cold, 

 and the wind was always bitter no matter how hot the 

 sun blazed down. 



When travelling here we must have presented a 

 peculiar appearance. We each wore a Jaeger night-cap 

 to keep our ears from being frozen, while a broad hat of 

 sola pith was required to protect the head from the sun. 

 Besides the gauze veil my wife generally had a knitted 

 woollen shawl tied over her hat. The hands were pro •• 



^ A plant similar to dapshang, and the principal fuel of Tibet. 



