Innermost Asia : vol.2 / Page 376 (Color Image)

0376	Innermost Asia : vol.2

illustration of the observation well known to students of geography that defiles in valleys often
form more important ethnic and political boundaries than watersheds, when these are crossed by
relatively easy passes and routes.

Easy com- ' As far as local tradition and scanty historical data allow us to go back, the tract comprising
munication the upper Wardōj valley which drains into the Kokcha river of Badakhshān, and the tract of
towards
Wardōj Ishkāshm, extending along the main Oxus where it makes its great bend northward, have always
drainage. formed a separate small hill chiefship or canton, distinct from Badakhshān on the west and from
Wakhān . . . on the east. The reason for the separation of the Zēbak-Ishkāshm tract is that,
whereas the broad spur which descends from the Hindukush towards Ishkāshm and
divides it from the Wardōj drainage is crossed by a remarkably easy saddle, there are in the river
valleys both towards Badakhshān and Wakhān narrow defiles to be passed, which form serious
barriers. The same is the case northward [in Ghārān] . . .²

Ishkāshm ' Ishkāshm-Zēbak as well as Wakhān were ruled as distinct chiefships usually by relatives
a distinct
chiefship. of the Mīrs of Badakhshān, being held on a kind of feudal tenure from the far more important
and powerful principality of Badakhshān. This time-honoured arrangement was duly noted by
Marco Polo when he passed here about 1273–4, on his way to " Vokhān " and the " Pamier ".³
At present the Zēbak tract and the greatest portion of Ishkāshm, being south of the Oxus, are
included in the Afghān province of Badakhshān. . . . Ishkāshm, on the right or northern bank of
the Oxus, is reckoned to extend upwards to the rocky defiles above the village of Namadgut and
downwards to the hamlet of Malwāch, where the gorges of Ghārān are entered.'

Ruined My stay at Namadgut on September 7th and a portion of the following day was devoted to
fortress
below the survey of the ruined fortress situated about a mile and half below the central hamlet of
Namadgut. Namadgut and known as Qala-i-Qa'qa. This name connecting the stronghold with the legendary
hero Qa'qa of Arab tradition suffices to show that genuine local knowledge of its origin has
been lost. It occupies an isolated rocky eminence rising above the right bank of the river and
separated from the foot of the range to the north by an open plateau about half a mile wide, a con-
tinuation of the alluvial terrace of Namadgut. The eminence is formed by two ridges closely
adjoining and both lying in an approximately east to west direction, as seen in the sketch-plan,
Pl. 49. The northern and larger one rises at its eastern extremity to a height of about 400 feet
above the river and about 225 feet above the plateau at its foot. Buttressed there by very precipitous
cliffs the ridge gradually descends westwards, falling off steeply on its northern side, while the
southern side shows a succession of terraces (Fig. 412). The total extent of this ridge is a little
less than half a mile.

Natural The southern ridge, seen in Fig. 412, is shorter than the other but of more uniform steepness.
strength of It is separated from the northern one by a trough-like depression, and at its western extremity
position.
projects somewhat beyond it with rocks forming a kind of natural ravelin. The narrow top of
this ridge attains a height of some 350 feet above the river. The descent to the latter from the
narrow terraces which line the foot of both ridges (Fig. 414) is very precipitous throughout and
in many places rendered impracticable by sheer-faced rocks. The whole eminence is protected
by steep cliffs along the greater part of its perimeter and on one side of this by the deep fosse of the
river, here unfordable at all seasons. It thus forms a position very strong by nature ; in the days
before the invention of fire-arms it might, if adequately defended, have well appeared unassailable.
The care and labour bestowed on its defences by human hands show how much these advantages
were appreciated.

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National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Citation Information

OCR Text

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books