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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

THE AUL OF ULUG-ART.   29

becomes broader and the lower slopes of the mountains more and more covered with earth and detritus. Both to the north and south the valley is bounded by mighty mountain ridges covered with snow, from which short and steep side-valleys enter.

A little beyond half way we have three valleys in front of us. The one to the left or S. W. is Kichik-Buru-kos; the one in the middle Ulug-art, coming from the pass of that name ; and the one to the right or N. W. comes from Ayag-art, Yainan-sara, Chiingan and Chicheklik. The brook from Kichik-Buru-käs is dark grey, nearly black, whilst that of the two other valleys is yellowish grey. As the water earlier in the day had been clear, it obviously had rained in the course of the day. Mighty terraces are seen in all three valleys. In the background of the Yaman-sara valley, high snowy mountains were to be seen.

A very heavy rain mixed with hail and snow began, and continued the rest of the day. The lower aul of Ulug--art, at which we camped, was situated on the top of the right side terrace which was very high and steep, affording a splendid view of the valley and its brook gradually rising after the rain. The whole landsape was now white from snow and hail.

The aul consisted of two kara-ui or tents; one inhabited by Kipchaks, the other by Naimans. They only pass the summer here; in the winter they, and all other Kirgizes of the region, go down to places where the valleys open into the plain. In the direction of the pass, six tents were said still to be pitched. In the winter it is impossible to live here on account of the great amount of snow. The summer has a kind of regular valley-wind blowing at day-time from the pass, and during the night from the plain.

At Kichik-Buru-kös three tents were pitched, and at Chong-Buru-kos near Urugumd there were four. In the Yaman-sara valley they estimated twelve or thirteen tents of the Ndiman tribe. Through the Yalnan-sara valley a road leads up to Chicheklik and Ayag-art. The latter was said to be very comfortable and easy; it leads to the Alai valley, whereas the Ulug-art leads to Sarikol.

As the snowfall continued, the Kirgizes said that the Ulug-arf might become closed for the season. The road of Yarnan-sara could be used in this case. But the pass Chicheklik in its upper reaches was said to be very difficult even for men on foot. So far as I could make out, this pass has to be crossed before one comes to the Ayag--art. Chinzgan is a yeilak and valley on the road to Ayag=art.

However, a Kirgiz warned us regarding Ayag --art, as the valley going down from its western side joins the Markan-su, which, in case of sunshine, becomes very swollen, and has to be crossed five times. Also it has a very strong current. The

importance of Ulug-art lies in its possibility in the summer when other passes leading to Markan-su and Gez-darya may be difficult. Finally a Kirgiz promised to take us over Ulug-art, and we therefore, July i 6th, rode a little bit up to the Uhler