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THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE GEZ-DARYA, 1894.

After a minimum temperature of —8.6° in the night, we left Bulung-kul April 27th, and began to descend from 3,405 m. gradually the whole way down to KashgaY, Due north we had the beautiful peak of Karagul, 6/545 m. high, according to the map of SCHULTZ. We had to pass swampy ground and many pools full of water-plants; to our left were sand-dunes, climbing up the slopes of the hills. At 3 o'clock p. m. we passed Tar-óashi, or the »Beginning of the Narrow Passage», where the Gezdarya begins to break through the.-KashgaY ,. Range. Here is a little fort with a garrison of a few Chinese soldiers and some native karaulchis. To the west and N. W. is the open plain stretching to Chaker-agil Lake. Turning _ to the right we entered the narrow passage, where the Gez-darya had a breadth of about r 2 m. and a depth of 0.3 m., the half-clear water forming rapids. The valley is bounded by steep naked rocks, and its floor is full of gravel. The erosion terraces seemed to consist chiefly of gneiss. To the E. S. E. a magnificent peak was seen, obviously belonging to the Cliarkum Range which .. is an eastern ramification of the Kashgar Range. We camped at Üch-ka fta, a rabid (or- robed) or halting-place consisting of three clay huts of the shape of bee-hives. Dense fog filled the valley in the evening.

Here the minimum temperature was only at —o.'°. April 28th we continued. The valley is narrow and wild, the plateau-land has been succeeded by very accentuated relief.

After a ride of 2 km. the road goes down to the right bank of . the river which has to be crossed here. I estimated its breadth at 25 m., the average depth at 0.3 and the velocity at about 2 m. per second, which would give a volume of about i 5 cub. m. per second. • The bed was full of blocks and boulders. At . highwater seasons one prefers to use a very harrow and dangerous path along _ the side of a nearly perpendicular mountain on . the _ right bank. It is like a cornice and has a parapet of poles and osier, but is so steep that it seems enigmatic how a pony may climb it.

A second ford was easy, as the river was broad and shallow; this place is only a few hundred meters from the first passage. A little . lower down the third passage is effected by the help of a very picturesque wooden bridge, which has been built across an enormous block in the middle of the river..' There are heaps of blocks and boulders everywhere. From the east, thick fog again came up the valley. A second bridge was well built at a narrow place, and a third one was called Gög-agen-köfriu. A little tributary from the S. E. had comparatively clear water and was crossed on a little wooden bridge. The erosion terraces of pebble and shingle are everywhere developed. Only the nearest part of the valley was visible, on account of the fog.

At Chong-/ash-bulak there is some bush-vegetation. The road here runs along the base of .a ; vertical terrace which partly had fallen down and looked very dangerous

at" places. At 4 o'clock p, m, we passed Gez-óàshi-köpiu, a bridge near the little

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I Vide photograph Vol. I, p. 233_ of my personal narrative Through Asia.