Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 249 (Color Image)

0249	Among the Celestials : vol.1

CHAP. VIII.] RAS KAM. 207

Both on this journey and another which I

made down this valley in 1889 I found the

remains of old smelting furnaces in several

places, and was informed that copper was the

mineral extracted. In the Bazardarra valley,

on the right bank of the Yarkand River, there

are said to be traces of gold. The Kanjuti

raids were the cause of the country becoming

depopulated, and now that these have been

effectually stopped by the British Government

we may expect to see Raskam in future years

again spring into life.

One march below Karash-tarim the valley

narrowed considerably, and high cliffs con-

stantly approached the river, making it neces-

sary for us to cross and recross it frequently.

At length the stream became confined in a

gorge, called the Khoja Mohamed gorge, and

was here shut in between cliffs of enormous

height and nearly perpendicular. Through this

gorge the river rushed with tremendous force,

and, as it was quite unfordable, we were brought

to a standstill. We unloaded the ponies, and

every man of us set to work to make a road

round the base of the cliff by throwing rocks

and boulders into the river, and so building up

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