DISHONEST NATIVES PUNISHED. 143
matter were reported to him. They told me he was certainly guilty and would be severely beaten if reported to the Chow-Kuan, whereupon I ordered Raju and Abdul Karim to hold the delinquent, while I deliberately administered twelve hard strokes on his bare back with my stirrup leather. A similar case was that of the Yuz Bashi of Oshbeldu, who had defrauded several villagers, asserting that I had not paid for the supplies I had received. It seemed to me that this offender was worthy of being dealt with at Yarkand by the Chow-Kuan, but the news of the summary justice there meted out to the Yuz Bashi of Tir, inclined the men of Oshbeldu to mercy, and at their earnest entreaty, I myself administered a firm but moderate castigation to the fraudulent calumniator.
Having no confidence in the information given us concerning the frequented routes, I resolved to go and examine the country as far as Kosarab, though Dalbir Rai and I were still unfit for work. The ford between Taklay and Aytash presented no difficulty as the river there is very broad, and on February 23rd was very low. In the day's march from Aytash to Kosarab the river had to be forded twice, but more troublesome than the fords were a sharp corner which the camels had difficulty in turning, and a couple of rocky ascents up which the baggage had to be carried by men from Kosarab. Coal, iron, and, I was told, copper, are found at this village,
but there is little enterprise, and the minerals are scarcely worked. Further than this point we found it impossible
to advance. The narrow valley was bounded by pre-
cipitous mountains ; the track, which only reached to Yajek, was frequently too narrow and steep for baggage
animals, and we were precluded from trying the opposite bank by the river, which was too deep and swift to be forded.
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