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0021 Southern Tibet : vol.9
Southern Tibet : vol.9 / Page 21 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000263
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THE GEZ-DARYA.   5

fort of Gez-kurgan. At 6 o'clock we crossed the river on Kara-moinak-köpriu, and two hours later reached Köuruk-karaul, which obviously is the same as the Kuruk of Dr. SCHULTZ.

In the night of April 29th the minimum temperature was + 4.0°. A short distance below Köuruk-karaul we had a very difficult passage of the Gez-darya, which nearly cost the life of a pony. Light eastern breeze brought impenetrable yellow dust-fog up in the valley. The valley, which had been broad some distance, again becomes narrow. An hour later we crossed the river at an easy ford, and then again twice.

At Konalya-tokai, a place with bush vegetation, the river is very narrow and wild, forming a series of rapids; it is here crossed on a dangerous bridge 17 steps in length. The valley then becomes broader and its ground more comfortable. The mountains on the sides are steep and picturesque. In the midst of the valley a detached rock crops out. There is much vegetation ; of grass, bushes, poplars and willows. From the belts of sand and gravel at the sides one gets an impression of the violence and force of the river during the highwater season. It is now divided into several branches, which often have to be crossed. The wind comes from the east and the mist conceals everything except the immediate vicinity. Human beings were nowhere seen. Only at Ui-tagh, where we passed the night, some Chinese soldiers were taking their rest in the karaul-kliaueh.

In the night the temperature did not fall below + 5.6°. The dust-haze continued and obviously came from the east, for in this direction nothing was to be seen of the higher parts of the mountains whilst to the west the view reached farther. Leaving Ui-tagh-kurgan we passed three small miserable bridges during the first half hour. We met a caravan of 87 camels loaded with forage for Bulung-kul and led by Chinese soldiers. The valley becomes broader, its floor " is sand and red clay with steppe vegetation.

At our last crossing of the Gez-darya the river flows in two branches, the first 13 m. broad and with 5 cub. m.; the second, 74 m. broad and with 3 3 cub. m. per second. After this passage the river is lost sight of to our left or west. The hills decrease in height and diverge. Passing through Tash-malik we ride between gardens, groves, fields and canals the entire way to Sargon. Here trees are planted on both sides of the road. Beyond Sargon we cross a level grass steppe. We camped in the large village of Terem.

On May I st we rode through the large gardens of Ortek or Orkesh, and

through the bazar of the little village of Tokusak. Having passed some more villages and cultivation, and having without the slightest difficulty crossed the Kisil-su, we reached Kashgar in the evening. The altitude at Bulung-kul being 3,405 m. and at Kaska-, ar 1,304 m., the descent is in all 2,101 m. and the distance being i 40 km., the rate of fall, as an average for the whole road, is as I: 66.6.