IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Southern Tibet : vol.7 |
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Citation Information
THE SOURCE OF THE YARKAND RIVER.
269
east. It should be noticed that Hayward did not reach the very source of the Karakash-darya, but ascertained where the river carne from.
Hayward distinguishes between the Western Kwen-lun which is west of the Kara-kash valley (north of Shahidullah), and the Eastern Kwen-lun which is east of the same valley.
On November 26th, Hayward started westwards to the Kirgis-davan (I 7,09J), from the top of which he could see the summits of Eastern Kwen-lun, as well as the Western Kwen-lun, the Kara-korum and the Mus-tagh. The Upper Yarkanddarya flowed in a longitudinal valley between the two principal ranges. The river came from the S. E. and then turned to the west. He describes the view as a grand scene of enormous mountains, snowy peaks and glaciers. On the northern side of the Western Kwen-lun rises Tisnaf, which he believes joins the Yarkand-darya. From the Mus-tagh Pass in the Kara-korum Range another river joins the Yarkand-darya.
The highest peak of Western Kwen - lun he gives as 22,374 feet high. He gives a picturesque description of the Kara-korum Range as seen from the north. »It is a stupendous mass of mountains, and glaciers are seen to the north as well.»
Having reached the farthest point down the Yarkand River, he returned up the valley and ascended a steep spur of the Kwen-lun. Five hours' hard climbing
took him up to a commanding station.
Far away to the south and south-west stretched the high peaks and glaciers of the Karakoram and Murtâgh Range, some of whose loftiest summits attain the height of from 25,000 to 28,000 feet above the sea. One peak situated to the east of the Murtâgh Pass, reaches the stupendous elevation of 28,278 feet above sea-level, and is one of the highest mountains in the world. Beyond where the river sweeps out west, the snowy peaks above the Kunjoot country were in sight towards Sarikol. East and west extended the whole chain of the Kwen Luen and the Kilian Mountains, the last range to be crossed before the steppes and plains of Turkistan are reached, while immediately below lay the confined ravine up which the road ascends to the Yangi Pass, now full in sight beneath me. The extent of view of the main Kara-koram or Murtâgh Chain comprised a length of 200 miles, stretching from near the Karakoram Pass to the head of the Tashkurgân territory north of Hunza and Nagar.
After some important excursions he went up the Yarkand River. »On the afternoon of the 8th December I reached the source of the Yarkand River.» It was surrounded by high snowy peaks and glaciers. The place was 16,656 feet high, and a few miles to the N. W. of the Kara-korum Pass.
He gives this very sound definition :'
The Karakoram Chain here (west of the Karakoram Pass) loses the great altitude to which it attains in that portion of the range lying between the Murtagh Pass and the source of the Yarkand River; and from here eastward, to beyond the Karakoram pass, is much broken .... The main range continues eastward beyond the Karakoram pass
I Ibidem, p. 6o.
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