An excavation from
twelve to twenty-four inches deep is made in the soil, and a rude
wall of stones, about one foot high, is built round it, over which
the tent cloth, made in narrow widths of yak's or goat's hair, is
extended by ropes led over forked sticks. There is no ridge pole,
and the centre is supported on short poles, to the projecting tops of
which prayer flags and yaks' tails are attached. The interior,
though dark, is not too dark for weaving, and each tent has its loom,
for the Chang-pas not only weave their coarse woollen clothing and
hair cloth for saddlebags and tents, but rugs of wool dyed in rich
colours made from native roots. The largest tent was twenty feet by
fifteen, but the majority measured only fourteen feet by eight and
ten feet. The height in no case exceeded six feet. In these much
ventilated and scarcely warmed shelters these hardy nomads brave the
tremendous winds and winter rigours of their climate at altitudes
varying from 13,000 to 14,500 feet. Water freezes every night of the
year, and continually there are differences in temperature of 100
degrees between noon and midnight. In addition to the fifty dwelling
tents there was one considerably larger, in which the people store
their wool and goat's hair till the time arrives for taking them to
market.
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