warm. This is the season selected by the caravans for their pilgrimages to Lhassa.[1] The rendezvous is Lake Koko-nor, where the camels, which have already accomplished a long journey, are fed up in preparation for the still longer and more arduous march before them. Here too the pilgrims are joined by Mongols of the vicinity, mounted some on yaks and some on camels. The latter travel more rapidly, averaging twenty miles a day,[2] and accomplish the entire distance of 1,000 miles from Tonkir to Lhassa in two months, while the progress on yaks is much slower, occupying double the time.
There is no regular road anywhere in the Tibetan deserts, nothing but the tracks of wild animals in all directions. The caravans take a straight course, guiding their march by the salient features of the country. The route is as follows: from Tonkir along the northern shore of Koko-nor, and across Tsaidam, to the Burkhan range, a journey of fifteen or sixteen days; to the Murui-ussu, ten days; ascending the course of this river, ten days more; across the Tang-la range to the Tibetan village of Napchu, five days; and thence to Lhassa, twelve days. The camels are usually left behind at Napchu, on account of the steepness of the mountains, and the journey is continued on yaks. The Mongols, however, assured us that it was possible to
- ↑ The Dungan insurrection put a stop to the pilgrimages from Northern Mongolia for eleven years, during which time caravans proceeded only from Koko-nor and Tsaidam, and this not every year.
- ↑ There are only two halting-places; one in Tsaidam at the foot of the Burkhan Buddha, and the other on the bank of the Murui-ussu.
