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
( 433 )
yards steep, then for three miles winding through undulating grassy hills round head of valley to top of pass 13,000 feet, road good half mile along narrow ridge then steep zigzag descent of 1,000 feet into Charling valley to Chehil Gumbaz at junction of two valleys. Grass and water plentiful ; fuel scarce.
Past Rabat (height 9,370 feet), 9 miles.—Road up valley to west for 21 miles to foot of Torat Pass ; 12 mile of ascent; not difficult for laden animals to top of pass, 13,400 feet ; long steep descent into narrow valley; road stony and bad; into broad valley, to south to Past Robat ; Kirghiz camp at junction of two valleys ; grass, fuel, and water abundant.
Târbâshi (height 11,515 feet), 8 miles.—Kirghiz four miles up valley to fork. The valley to the right leads to Tashkurghan by the Yambulak Pass, only used in summer. Up valley to left for two miles along narrow gorge, among rocks and boulders, the stream having to be crossed and recrossed more than a dozen times. Many hot springs in the defile, steep ascent of 400 feet into upper valley, when road again becomes good. This route can only be used when the stream is low in winter and early spring.
Shindi, 17 miles.—Up the valley for eight miles of gentle ascent to the Chichiklik plain, about 12 mile in diameter ; to south-west is the Kok Moinak Pass, used in spring and summer, by which Sirikol is reached in 11 marches ; to north is the route by Yambulak Pass before mentioned. Bending to south a long descent, steep and stony, brings one to Shindi, where are a few Sarikoli huts.
Tashkurghan (height 10,270 feet), 19 miles.—Down valley for four miles to Yârkand River. From here a road up valley to east leads over the Shindi Dawan to Tarbashi. Continues up Yarkand River to foot of Tashkurghan. Road good all the way. Grass and fuel plentiful.
Kanshâbizr (height 12,980 feet), 17 miles.—Due west from fort into Shingan valley. The first three miles of narrow defile strewn with boulders, very difficult- travelling, after which valley opens out and road gradually improves. Fuel and grass plentiful.
Aktâsh (height 12,600 feet), 18 miles.—Up valley to right, and after a mile up fork to left to foot of Nezatash Pass 15,000 feet. Three miles of gentle ascent, last 300 yards to top steep. Descend into valley running north-west along this for eight miles, over low spur into broad Aktash valley running south. Grass and fuel plentiful.
GlAz Kul, or lake of Little Patnir (height 13,200 feet), 46 miles.—Down Aktash valley to south into Little Pamir due west, travelling excellent the whole way. Grass and fuel plentiful everywhere. Camp by lake. At six miles from the lake is Kabr-i-Bozai, deserted Kirghiz huts, opposite which is road leading to Kunjnd by Tagdling-bash Pamir, over Kujroi Pass.
Langar (height 12,530 feet), 25 miles.—Continue due west ; at 10 miles Pamir narrows into rocky valley, and travelling becomes difficult ; road winding along face of hill with many small ascents and descents. At Langar deserted village ; fuel and grass plentiful. Opposite Langar is road leading to Kunjoot by Bykurra Pass, closed three months in the year. This is the road generally used between Wakhan and Kunjûa.
Sarhadd (height 11,150 feet), 24 miles.—Down main valley, travelling bad ; road much encumbered with boulders, and there are two steep ascents and three steep descents, very trying to animals. The stream has to be • crossed many times, and the road in consequence of melting snow becomes impassable after 1st May. From Sarhadd road leads to south to Yassin and Chitral by Baroghil, Darkot, and Isbkaman Passes. Sarhadd is the frontier village of Wakhan.
Kila Panja, 55 miles.—Down valley to foot, road good for laden animals villages at intervals the whole way ; grass and fuel plentiful. By the village of Yur, 18 miles from Sarhadd, is a summer road into Mastuj. At Vost, 38 miles from Sarhadd, is â road leading into Chitral said to be only practicable to men on foot.
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