done so, leaving a snow-white sheet of salt and soda,
six square miles in extent.
Two short marches now brought us to the shores
of the lake seen some three stages back, and which
Khalik announced to be Huping Tso, “ the drinking
water of the giants.” As Khalik had never been
near the place before, and as we had met no Tibetans
for two months, it was probably an effort of his
imagination—until better information can be obtained,
however, the name must stand. The lake is evidently
well known to the Tibetans, for numerous old fireplaces
were found by the water’s edge.
Huping Tso is of an unusual shape as Tibetan lakes
go, for it boasts an island and a rocky peninsula; its
waters are beautifully fresh, the shores and bed sandy,
and weeds grow from the bottom in great abundance.
Thousands of fresh-water shrimps were seen but no
fish. This was the first sheet of fresh water of any
considerable extent we had come across for two months,
and the sight of it was highly appreciated.
