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

is called *Kichik-khan-yoli*. Lower down, near the camp, are two other valleys from
the south, *Khan-yoli* and *Ak-chirak*. All three are said to lead to passes by which
there are roads to *Ak-tash*. This seems to be correct, for on the English map
there is a valley called *Khan-yoli* south of the same range.

We camped at *Keng-shevâr* near a *karaul* of 8 Tajik guards and 2 Chinese
soldiers. During the winter this *karaul* moves lower down to the N. E. in the valley
as the snow makes it impossible to find grazing or fuel. The snow is usullay 2 feet
deep. Sometimes the pass is closed by snow, and numbers of horses get lost on it.
One or two months in the winter it is not used. Instead of it one takes the *Berdesh*
or *Berdesht* road to *Tagharma*. There is a good deal of traffic, as Afghans, Badak-
shanis and Vakhanilks take this road. Here, as at so many other places, S. W.
wind was said to blow in winter. Sometimes the snow is blown away from the
pass by hard winds, but usually the snow is covered with a hard frozen crust.

On September 15th our road proceeds N. N. E. and N. E. for 30 km. to *Tash-
kurgan* where the altitude is 3,152 m. We therefore descend no less than 836 m.,
or at a rate of 1:35.9. The *Lakshak-bel* is thus 1,493 m. above *Tash-kurgan*.

In the morning the whole country was snowed over. Not far below *Keng-
shevâr* the valley becomes gravelly and the road uncomfortable. This place is called
*Kara-korumming-bashi* or »the Beginning of the Black Gravel». At the left side
the rock is gneiss in 40° N. 30° E. At *Kara-korum* one has to cross a scree of
gravel and blocks. Opposite, at the left side, is the little tributary of *Girde-kul*.
Between both, the brook has cut its furrow very deep. The valley is deep and
narrow and sometimes has erosion terraces. The brook carries about 1 cub. m. per
second of water but gradually grows larger. The water is clear as crystal. There
are heaps of gneiss blocks of all varieties; fine-striped green, coarse-striped grey, etc.
At *Yar-utek* from the left we again cross a scree. The gneiss is then striped in
white and black. Pegmatite is common. Then granite appears, generally reddish
and falling steeply to the north.

Here the rocks are nearly perpendicular at both sides and only a narrow
gorge is left between them when fresh fallen blocks are numerous after the earth-
quake. The passage is disagreeable, as one often has to ride under overhanging
blocks which may come down at any moment. Constantly we cross the brook that
meanders between the blocks. Finally the valley opens. At its left side the granite
had a fall of 55° S. 55° E. It was white with small black crystals.

Now we see the *Tash-kurgan* valley in front of us; broad and mighty. In
the distance the fortress is visible. Leaving the *Shinde* valley behind us we still
follow its brook, which by and by divides into several branches and into ariks or
irrigation canals going to the fields of wheat, barley, etc., between which the road
runs. We camped near the fort on the top of the left erosion terrace.