Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1 / Page 380 (Color Image)

0380	Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1

and the Tibiz, the last and southern of these it is whose waters surround the head of, and afterwards
mingle with, the river of Yangí-Hissár. There is also no doubt that the waters of the northern
branches mingle with, if indeed they are not identical with, the Yámunyár river (also called
Tasgún, Khánarik, Oi Kubok, and a host of other names). The latter river issues from or
near the smaller of the two Lakes Kárákúl (of which more hereafter) and passes from the
hills near the villages of Tash-bálig and Opal. The whole of the country south of Káshghar
is cut up by one net-work of canals mingled in such confusion that nothing but a careful
survey can lead to a clear comprehension of them* and moreover day by day they alter,
and I have often seen one canal (in appearance more like a large river than anything else) eating
its way rapidly through the soft soil into another one. These changes are constantly going on,
and a map constructed now would be of but little value fifty years hence.

After leaving the village of Sugat the road follows for nine miles, along the edge of a
water-course through a stony plain, a narrow border of green showing signs of a scant
cultivation. This brings us to our first halting-place, the good-sized village of Ighiz-yar, two
miles short of which we pass on the left a conspicuous isolated conical hill with a zyarat
(tomb) at top. Before reaching the village a few low hills come in sight on the west, being
the ends of the low spurs coming down from the Kizil Art mountains, the first portion of
these mountains that we had seen since leaving Káshghar. With our usual ill luck, from the
day of our departure, the characteristic Eastern Turkestan haze entirely obscured all view of
the lofty mountains on the west, preventing the possibility of forming any opinion as to the
shape and direction of the spurs from the main ridge. From Káshghar on a clear day we have
often seen the outlines of these hills standing out against the sky, but the distance, to the crest
of the range, 70 miles, was much too great to permit the intervening ranges or spurs being
visible. I often longed to make a nearer acquaintance with them, but no opportunity ever
occurred for doing so. Fortunately on the upward journey to Káshghar, the Pundit, who
followed some days behind us, had some clear days, and was able to fix very satisfactorily the
positions of several of the peaks of the main range.

On the second day we marched in a south-west direction, for 18 miles, to Aktala (white
plain). The first four miles were up a gently rising stony plain, almost entirely destitute of
vegetation, and extending to the entrance of the Kinkol valley, which runs between two spurs
of which we had caught a glimpse the previous day. At a distance of two miles up the
valley the road passes the foot of an old extensive fortification called "Khatt (lower) Karáwul"
constructed by the Chinese on the left bank of the river, to defend themselves against incursions
from the Kirghiz maranders from the Pámírs and the Alai. It is built on a commanding
position running along a spur which nearly closes up the entrance of the valley. A garrison
consisting of only a few sepoys, attests the fact that the Amír's rule has reduced these tribes
to order and obedience. Two miles further up is Kichik (small) Karáwul, where a road along
an open ravine on the left bank leads direct vid Opal to Káshghar, and a Kirghiz footpath
along a ravine on the opposite side leads to Yárkand.

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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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