LADLAD 197
Sarco-. Zn(C 3 H 5 3 ).2H 8 O. Soluble in 17 parts of cold water. (CH 3 )(CH) is called ethylidene, to distinguish it from "ethylene" which is (CILXCIL).
2. Paralactic or Sarcolactic Acid. – This acid was discovered by Berzelius in the juices of flesh. It is almost identical with ordinary lactic, but differs from it in this that it (and its salts) turn the plane of polarized light, and also in this that the sarcolactates in general are more readily soluble than ordinary lactates, and contain different proportions of crystal water from these. Thus, for instance, we have for the zinc salts
Ordinary. Zu(C 3 H 5 3 )2-3H 2 O. Soluble in 60 parts of cold and in 6 parts of boiling water. The isomerism of the two acids used to be explained by assuming that the sarco-acid contained ethylene in lieu of the ethylidene of the ordinary acid, thus : (OH) (CIL) (CIL) COOH, i.e., that the OH and COOH were attached to different carbon atoms. But this has been proved by Erlenmeyer to be a mistake. The sarco-acid has precisely the same struc ture as ordinary lactic acid. It is a case of absolute (i.e., of unexplained) isomerism. 3. Hydracrylic Acid. From glyceric acid by the action of hydriodic acid we obtain /3-iodopropionic, which, when treated with water and oxide of silver, exchanges its iodine for OH : I. ILC CIL COOH gives (OH) . ILC CIL COOH, which is hydracrylic, an ethylene-lactic acid. That this really is so was proved by Erlenmeyer, who obtained it by the action of water ( -f HC1) on undoubted ethylenc- oyanhydrine (OH) (C.,H 4 ) (ON). As suggested by the formula, it differs markedly in its reactions from the two more properly so-called lactic acids.
All lactic acids, when heated with hydriodic acid in sealed- up tubes, pass ultimately into (the same) propionic acid, (CH 3 ) (CH 2 ) COOH. (w. D.)
LADÁK AND BALTI. The name Ladák (pronounced in Tibetan Lata) belongs primarily to the broad valley of the upper Indus in West Tibet, but includes several sur rounding districts in political connexion with it; the present limits are between 75 40 and 80 30 E. long., and between 32 25 and 36 N. lat. It is bounded N. by the Kuen- lun range and the slopes of the Karakorum, N.W. and W. by the Mussulman, state of Balti or Little Tibet, S.W. by Kashmir, S. by British Himalayan territory, and E. by the Chinese Tibetan provinces of Ngari and Rudók.[1] The whole region lies very high, the valleys of Rukshu in the south-east being 15,000 feet, and the Indus near Lé 11,000 feet, while the average height of the surrounding ranges is 19,000 feet. The proportion of arable and even possible pasture land to barren rock and gravel is very small.
The natural features of the country may be best explained by reference to two native terms, under one or other of which every part is included, viz., changtang, i.e., "northern, or high plain," where the amount of level ground is considerable, and the hills proportionally further apart; and rong, i.e., "deep valley," where the contrary condition prevails. The former predominates in the east, diminishing gradually westwards. There, although the vast alluvial deposits which once filled the valley to a remarkably uniform height of about 15,000 feet have left their traces on the mountain sides, they have undergone immense denudation, and their debris now forms secondary deposits, flat bottoms, or shelving slopes, the only spots available for cultivation or pasture. These masses of alluvium are often found either metamorphosed to a sub-crystalline rock still showing the composition of the strata, or simply consolidated by lime.
Grand scenery is exceptional, for the valleys are confined, and from the higher points the view is generally of a con fused mass of brown or yellow absolutely barren hills, of no great apparent height. The parallelism characteristic of the Himalayan ranges continues here, the direction being north-west and south-east. A central range divides the Indus valley, here 4 to 8 miles wide, from that of its north branch the Shayok, which with its fertile tributary valley of Nubra is again bounded on the north by the Karakorum. This central ridge is mostly syenitic gneiss, and north-east from it are found, successively, Silurian slates, Carboniferous shales, and Triassic limestones, the gneiss recurring at the Turkestan frontier. The Indus lies along the line which separates the crystalline rocks from the Eocene sandstones and shales of the lower range of hills on the left bank, the lofty mountains behind them consisting of parallel bands of rocks from Silurian to Cretaceous.[2]
There are several lakes in the east districts at about 14,000 feet. They have evidently been of much greater extent, and connected with the river systems of the country, but they are now mostly without outlet, saline, and in process of desiccation.
The climate is intensely dry, practically rainless, the little snow which falls soon disappearing:[3] above a certain height no dew is deposited. The alternations of temperature are great; the sun's direct rays are hotter than in the Indian plains,[4] while the afternoon winds are piercingly cold; except in summer it freezes every night, even in the lower districts, and nightly throughout the year at 15,000 feet.
Vegetation therefore is confined to valleys and sheltered spots, where a stunted growth of tamarisk and Myricaria, Hippophae and Elæagnus, furze, and the roots of burtsi, a salsolaceous plant, supply the traveller with much-needed firewood. The trees are the pencil cedar (Juniperus excelsa), the poplar and willow (both extensively planted, the latter sometimes wild), apple, mulberry, apricot, and walnut. Agriculture depends on irrigation, which is skilfully managed, the principal products being wheat, common and naked barley (from which the returns are usually small), millet, buckwheat, pease, beans, and turnips. Lucerne and prangos (an umbelliferous plant) are used as fodder.
Among domestic animals are the famous shawl goat, two kinds of sheep, of which the larger (huniya) is used for carrying burthens, and is a principal source of wealth, the yak, and the dso, a valuable hybrid between the yak and common cow. Among wild animals are the kyang or wild ass, ibex, markhor, antelope, Ovis Poli, marmot, hare, and other Tibetan fauna.
The capital, Lé (population 4000), lies 4 miles from the river on the right bank, 11,540 feet above the sea, at the southern base of a spur from the central range, – a terraced slope, with scattered hamlets, extending thence to the Indus. It contains the palace of the old gyalpos, an imposing structure seven stories high, and a wide bazaar where polo is played. It is surrounded by poplar plantations, with manis[5] and ch'hordtens[6] beyond. The houses
- ↑ Geographically the east boundary is a mountain ridge some way within Chinese territory, which, running north, is the watershed between East and West Tibet, and from the north part of which the Indus, from the south the Sutlej, take their rise.
- ↑ Here, in the Zanskar, as the name implies, copper is found.
- ↑ The average height of the snow-line is about 19,000 feet.
- ↑ Gerard records 158° in Rupshu, i.e., only 27° below boiling point at that altitude.
- ↑ "Mani," a long stone wall, several feet wide, running along the roadside, covered with louse stones deposited by the passers-by, inscribed with the prayer or ejaculation, "Om mani padme hom."
- ↑ "Ch'hordten," the monumental tomb of a lama.
