Southern Tibet : vol.7 / Page 62 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

0062	Southern Tibet : vol.7

Yule notes only the Chinese pilgrims, MARCO POLO and GOËS as having
travelled by routes across the Bolor Tagh and the high table-land of Pamir between
Badakhshan and Kashgar. He thinks Marco Polo followed a course running north
from the head of the Oxus valley over the plateau to the latitude of Tashbálig,
before descending into eastern Turkestan. The same way was obviously taken by
the Chinese pilgrims. Goës, according to Yule, probably crossed athwart the Pamir
in the direction of the sources of the Yarkand River, »and passing two or more
of the ridges that buttress the Bolor on the east, to have descended on Yanghi-
Hissar . . .»
It should be remembered that this was written in 1866, when Yule believed
that Eastern Turkestan or »Little Bokhara» was shut in on the west by »the trans-
verse chain of the Bolor, dividing it from Western Turkestan».
The part of Goës' journey that interests us most, begins from Ciarakár, which
Yule identifies with IBN BATUTA'S Charkh, and Cordier with Chārikār, in Afghanistan,
at the mouth of the Ghorband valley, about fourty miles north of Kabul. Then
the description runs: »Ten days later they got to a little town called Paruán, and
this was the last in the Mogul's territories. After five days' repose they proceeded
to cross over very lofty mountains by a journey of twenty days, to the district
called Aingharán, and after fifteen days more they reached Calcia.»
WOOD also mentions the village I-Angheran, which, however, is south of the
mountains, whilst the village of Goës is on the north. Yule suggests that it may
be Ahan-gharán or the »Iron mines». As to Calcia, Yule mentions a people of
Persian race called Ghalchas who dwell in the hill country east of Bokhara, and of
which VALIKHANOFF says: »The Tajiks have dark complexions and hair, whilst fair
people are found among the Ghalcha.» The latter statement agrees with the text
of TRIGAULT: »There is a people here with yellow hair and beard like the people
of the Low Countries, who occupy sundry hamlets about the country.» Then it
runs: »After ten days more they came to a certain place called Gialalabath. Here
are brahmans who exact a toll under a grant made to them by the King of Bruarata
(Bokhara). In fifteen days more they came to Talhan, where they halted for a month,
deterred by the civil wars that were going on; for the roads were said to be unsafe
on account of the rebellion of the people of Calcia.»
Yule regards Talhan as the first terra firma of the narrative since quitting
Parwan, and identifies it with Talikhan, about 50 miles east of Kunduz. It is the
same as Marco Polo's Taican, and Cordier adds that Goës now enters the route of
the Venetian, and believes that he is now marching in his footsteps »until he reaches
the Pass of Chichchiklik, viz. the River Vardoj, the Pass of Ishkashm, the Panja, to
Wakhán; Little Pamir at Bozai-Gumbaz joins with the Pamir-i-Wakhán at the Wa-
khijrui Pass, first explored by Colonel LOCKHART'S Mission. Hence the route lies by

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

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