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0371 Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1
Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1 / Page 371 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000196
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( 257 )

considerable supplies of water, and often issuing from the open plains at long distances from the
mountains, may account in great measure, if not fully, for the water thus lost in its early infancy.

On the 20th, our march lay in a south-east direction, following the circuitous course of the Sogôn through some low hills, for about 15 miles, to Ayok Sogôn (foot of the Sogôn),, a Kirghiz encampment situate at the east of another small plain, covered with grass and jungle and the abode of numerous Kirghiz. This camp is near the direct road from Kâshghar to Ush Tûrfân, and it was here arranged that Dr. Stoliczka and myself should leave the main party, and push on in the direction of rash `l'nrfân; as far as the limited time and commissariat at our

disposal would permit.   It was stipulated however that we were not to go beyond the limits

of the Artysh district.

The marches from Kâshghar to Ush are as follows :-

Miles.

Kâshgar

~11tyn Artysh

 

22

 

Kalti Ailak

 

22

 

Kyr Bulak

 

33

 

Jai Tiipa

 

20

 

Ui Bulak

 

27

 

Tigarek

 

17

 

Akchi

 

19

Cross the Belowti Pass between Tigarek and iikchi.

Kuyok Tokai

 

22

 

Safr Bai

 

22

Road from Safr Bai to Bedul Pass across the head of

Karâwul

 

22

the Naryn River to the Zauku Pass, and thence by

Ush Tûrfân

 

16

Karâkul to Issighkul.

 

Total

...   242

 

From Jai Tupa to rash there is said to be an alternative road—

Jai Tûpa.

Pichan.

Piklik, over Pass to Guljâr Bâshi. Kâshghar Tokai. Kotan Serik.

Iish Türfan

Leaving Ayok Sog6n after an early breakfast on the 21st, we passed for a mile over the plain in a south-east direction, and struck the main road ; then, turning east went up a ravine, through some hills across a low pass (5,670 feet), and found ourselves on the western edge of another of these large characteristic level plains, 15 miles across from north to south, where we entered it, and extending away eastward further than we could see. It was bounded on the north by our old acquaintance, the Chakmâk range, and is probably a continuation of the Tlighamati valley, which apparently narrowed considerably to the east of our camp at Bash Sogôn. The main range was here following a more northerly direction than when we had last seen it, but the peaks were involved in snow and clouds, from which they never emerged during the whole of our trip. On the north, at a distance of about 15 miles, was the Kirghiz village of Karghil, the only habitation visible. Shortly after entering the plain we passed through what proved to be the commencement of a very large forest, composed almost exclusively of poplar trees (toghrak), and a small shrub called " balghun." The poplars were stunted in growth, and although evidently in a natural state, they bore the appearance of having been pollarded. As timber I should not think the wood would be of much value, but it would furnish Kâshghar with a plentiful supply of firewood, when the more convenient stocks in its neighbourhood have been exhausted.

Passing along in a north-east direction, a low range of hills at a distance of about three miles bounded the plain on the south. At about 12 miles from our last camp, still traversing forest, we passed on our left the camping ground of Kyr Bulak—inhabited in the summer by Kirghiz, but now untenanted onwards we pushed our way over a most monotonous flat, and through the bare bleak stems of trees, until after six miles, we came to a slightly rising ground

This road is somewhat longer than the other, and strikes the Kokshal River a few miles east of Akchi. _}

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