IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
( 429 )
Dehra Kompâs (height 17,890 feet), 19 miles.—Road runs nearly due north up a gentle ascent for about 5 miles, road fair, then for several miles of good road across the west edge of the Ling-zi-thang plains; crosses several easy open ravines draining eastwards descends into and crosses a branch of the Karakash river and camp at foot of a low pass ; very little water to be obtained by digging ; and no grass or wood.
Shinglung or Dunglung (height 17,030 feet), 18 miles.—Across pass, and down a ravine for 51 miles into Karakash river, where plenty of boortsee and water, but no grass. Road follows river, which after 3 miles turns up sharp in a northerly direction, road good, but stony ; boortsee abundant.
Kiziljilga (height 16,360 feet), 141 miles.—Bad stony road down bed of Karakash River for the first mile, then between about two or three miles of ice bed have to be traversed, the bed extending right across the ravine, here about 4 mile in breadth ; road very slippery and difficult for laden animals. Near camp passage of Karakash difficult (in October) owing to admixture of ice and water. Fuel (boortsee), grass and water, within reach of camp down Karakash River.
Chungtash or Chung Tash (height 15,740 feet), 231 miles.—Road down Karakash River generally good but stony and bad in the latter portion. Camp badly situated, as there is neither wood nor grass both of which might have been had at Khushk Maidan, a few miles further back. Camp under a big rock near where the bed of the Karakash is very much narrowed by precipitous hills coming down near the river bank.
Shorjilga, 14 miles.—Road for two miles down Karakash, which takes another sudden curve to the north-east, the road goes up a tributary stream containing nearly as much water as the Karakash itself. Road bad for two or three miles owing to the number of times the frozen stream has to be crossed and recrossed, it then passes over a tolerably level plain up to a gorge at the mouth of which is Shoorjilga. In October there was no water there and camp had to be pitched half mile up the gorge at a place where the river water disappears into the ground ; not a stick of wood or blade of grass.
Kârittigh (height 16,890 feet), 9 miles.—Up ravine for several miles, snow and ice nearly the whole way and road bad; short but sharp descent from Karatagh Pass (17,710 feet) into large flat open plain, covered with several inches of snow. Lake frozen over, but water obtained by making hole in ice ; plenty of boortsee, but no grass visible.
Akta.gh (height 15,590 feet), 221 miles.—Road the whole way good, over a level plain, which was entirely covered by snow. About half way at east foot of low double-topped hill is a place called Tamba* sometimes used as a camping ground. Ak-tagh is at the junction of the Karakoram and Changchenmo Routes.
Chibra 10 miles.—Road crosses stream and goes up ravine, steady ascent with fair but stony road. No grass or wood at camp.
Suget (height 12,970 feet), 18 miles.—Up ravine to top of Suget Pass (17,600 feet), 4 miles. Steady ascent and road good. Descent steep through the snow down zigzag, then straight down ravine for eight miles due north. Road stony, but descent gentle. Road then turns eastward and soon leaves the nullah, which has a very rapid fall ; an alternative road goes right down the nullah in which there is plenty of wood and grass, abundance of both at camp.
Shahidula (height 1,780 feet), 8 miles.—The road descends to Karakash River (two miles) and follows the river to camp, crossing it twice en route. Passage somewhat difficult. Plenty of wood and grass a few miles up the Karakash River. Shahidula is the same as Station No. 12 of Route I.
* On this march we lost our road and had perforce to halt at Tamba, where we found boortsee ; melted snow served for water, which is not procurable here in summer.
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