c h i n e s e y e Si p i r e .
which run off from hence With rapidity to aflift in inundating I
From Odtober to March a clear and uniform iky, fuceeeds, feldom 'ob-
fc urcd either by fogs" of clouds! For "three monthsof this feafon a
degree of cold is felt, far greater perhaps than is known to prevail in
Europe, Its extreme feverity is more particularly confined to the ,
fouthern boundary of Tibet, near that elevated range o f mountains
which divides.it from Afam, Bootan, and Nipal.” 19
Thus the diftinguifhing charafteriftic of the climate is that extreme
dry and parching cold, which, under jthe latitude of 26°,_near the torrid
zone o f antiquated geography, rivals that of-the Alps in-latitude 46°.
From.'the famé intelligent traveller we learn that Bootan, with all its
confufed and fliapelefs mountains, is covered with eternal verdure, and
abounds in forefts of large and lofty trees.10 The fides of the mountains
are improved by the hand ofinduftry, and crowned with orchards,
. fields, and villages. Tibet,Proper, On the contrary, exhibits-only low
rocky hills, without any vifible Vegetation, or extenlive arid plains óf
- an afpeit equally ftern ; while the bleak and cold climate conftrams the
inhabitants to feek refuge in fheltered vales and hollows, or amidft the
warmeft afpédts of the rocks. Yet Tibet produces great abundance aficL
variety o f wild fowl and game; with numerous'fiocts df^fÈefép and ?
goats, and herds of cattle, and is infefted by many’beafts of- pr'eÿf While
in Bootan few wild animals are found except monkeys, and a few
pheafants. Tibet Proper muft indeed be confidered as a mineral' country,
the mountains prefenting a peculiarly naked afpeft, which indicates-,
that they contain rich ores, for the fumes of large maffes of metal are
poifonous to vegetation.
The nature of the foil here prohibits-the. progrefs of agriculture. The
vales are commonly laid under water On the approach of winter: in the
fpring they are plowed and fown, while frequent fliowers, and a powerful
fun, contribute fpeedily tq mature the crops.*1 The autumn being
clear and tranquil, the harveft is long left to dry on . the ground-; and
when fuffieiently hardened is trod out by cattle; ' The courfe of cultivation
is wheat, peas, and barley ; rice being confined to a more fouthern
.foil.
** Turner, 300. . < "P . 216, *■ Turner, 354.' :
T I B E T..
•The chief river of Tibet is, beyond, all comparifon, the Sampoo or Rivers.
Berhanpootar, which riling, in the weftern region, from' the fame lofty
mountains that, give fource-to the.Ganges, proceeds-in an E. and S. E.
direction for' about the fpaee of 1000 Englifh mijes^o.the-confipeSi of
Tibet and Afam, where it, bendgS, W., and,.floWfUPto the eftuaty of
the Ganges, after .a further, courfe of about 400 B.ritifti miles. ,
. The Hoan Ho and Kian !Ku of the Chinefe alfo derivg their origin
from the eaftern. boundaries of Tibet. Of the other rivers little is
k n o w n b u t the great Japanefe rivefj^|!';p.gp?J^§^j*.iOr- -Maykaung of
Tiaos ;kthafc-ofi-,iNqu Kia, IW p f ^
Qf pe’gU:; and the Irrawady of this laft country, are all fiippofed to derive
their.fources from the mountains of Tibet,, which may be ftyled the
Alps of Afia. Nor muff: it be forgotten that another large river, called
the Sardjoo or Gagra, which after a .sbfirfe,' d?arl'y
paralluhS^he- E^yrith that <pf thbr Gan g es^ j^ ^ it near a qftuf«*; ?ailo <
deisms its fpririg'from the lofty wdftern meUqtaamS;; of-Tibet.
.MThhfe:^dpip,e- Eegronricontain, as.ufiMf-ntany^akdy the moll coni Lakes.,
' fid'^r^ble being represented under the name-of Tefkiri, abouf^q Britiih
miles kidehgth, andia^hroad. ThaHSH&efe lamas/wher * e w up the ’
map .of Tibet, Which geographers flail eppyrin the wantiofifuperior airi
thorite?, have.^lfo depiae^many .other lakes i‘n thei northerp parts-of
the country; wfie^e the^e certainly exifts one.- very lingular,iwfiich yiplds
the tincal or crude borax.' Equally uncommon is the lake to the S. of .
Lafla, which our. maps call Jamdro or Palte, the laft appellation probably
fromPeiti, a village which the original atlas'of Du Halde places on its
margin, This ftrange lake is reprefented as a wide french,. o f about
'two leagues broad,, every where furrounding, an illand of about twelve
leagues in diameter ;' if true, a fmgular feature of nature. Even the
finaller lakes in the fouth of Tibet Proper are in the Winter frozen To a
great depth. - G y ■ ' \ **
The Vaft ranges of Tibetian mountains have already'been repeatedly Mounta
mentioned.; but there is 'no accurate geographical' delineation '.of their
COurfe and extent. Thofe in the weft and fouth feem to bend in .the
form of a'CEd/cent, from-the fources .ofthe Gangpsitb-theriremriers'ef 1
Afaro, in a N. W. and S. E. diredion. i To the north of Sampoo. a -
I .u jjpj ‘a Msk f- 'Y G '. S ‘ parallel