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0567 Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1
Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1 / Page 567 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000196
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yards steep, then for three miles winding through undulating grassy hills round head
of valley to top of pass 13,000 feet, road good half mile along narrow ridge then steep
zigzag descent of 1,000 feet into Charling valley to Chehil Gumbaz at junction of
two valleys. Grass and water plentiful; fuel scarce.

6. Past Robat (height 9,370 feet), 9 miles.—Road up valley to west for 2½ miles to foot
of Torat Pass; 1¼ mile of ascent; not difficult for laden animals to top of pass,
13,400 feet; long steep descent into narrow valley; road stony and bad; into broad
valley, to south to Past Robat; Kirghiz camp at junction of two valleys; grass, fuel, and
water abundant.

7. Tárbáshi (height 11,515 feet), 8 miles.—Kirghiz four miles up valley to fork. The valley
to the right leads to Tashkurghan by the Yambulak Pass, only used in summer.
Up valley to left for two miles along narrow gorge, among rocks and boulders, the
stream having to be crossed and recrossed more than a dozen times. Many hot springs
in the defile, steep ascent of 400 feet into upper valley, when road again becomes good.
This route can only be used when the stream is low in winter and early spring.

8. Shindi, 17 miles.—Up the valley for eight miles of gentle ascent to the Chichiklik plain,
about 1½ mile in diameter; to south-west is the Kok Moinak Pass, used in spring and
summer, by which Sirikol is reached in 1½ marches; to north is the route by Yambulak
Pass before mentioned. Bending to south a long descent, steep and stony, brings one
to Shindi, where are a few Sarikoli huts.

9. Tashkurghan (height 10,270 feet), 19 miles.—Down valley for four miles to Yárkand
River. From here a road up valley to east leads over the Shindi Dawan to Tarbashi.
Continues up Yárkand River to foot of Tashkurghan. Road good all the way. Grass
and fuel plentiful.

10. Kanshábúr (height 12,980 feet), 17 miles.—Due west from fort into Shingan valley. The
first three miles of narrow defile strewn with boulders, very difficult travelling, after
which valley opens out and road gradually improves. Fuel and grass plentiful.

11. Aktásh (height 12,600 feet), 18 miles.—Up valley to right, and after a mile up fork to
left to foot of Nezatash Pass 15,000 feet. Three miles of gentle ascent, last 300
yards to top steep. Descend into valley running north-west along this for eight miles,
over low spur into broad Aktash valley running south. Grass and fuel plentiful.

12. Gház Kul, or lake of Little Pamir (height 13,200 feet), 46 miles.—Down Aktash valley
to south into Little Pamir due west, travelling excellent the whole way. Grass and fuel
plentiful everywhere. Camp by lake. At six miles from the lake is Kabr-i-Bozai,
deserted Kirghiz huts, opposite which is road leading to Kunjúd by Tagdúng-bash
Pamir, over Kujroi Pass.

13. Langar (height 12,530 feet), 25 miles.—Continue due west; at 10 miles Pamir narrows
into rocky valley, and travelling becomes difficult; road winding along face of
hill with many small ascents and descents. At Langar deserted village; fuel and
grass plentiful. Opposite Langar is road leading to Kunjoot by Bykurra Pass,
closed three months in the year. This is the road generally used between Wakhan
and Kunjúa.

14. Sarhadd (height 11,150 feet), 24 miles.—Down main valley, travelling bad; road much
encumbered with boulders, and there are two steep ascents and three steep descents,
very trying to animals. The stream has to be crossed many times, and the road in
consequence of melting snow becomes impassable after 1st May. From Sarhadd road
leads to south to Yassin and Chitrál by Baroghil, Darkot, and Ishkaman Passes.
Sarhadd is the frontier village of Wakhan.

15. Kila Panja, 55 miles.—Down valley to foot, road good for laden animals villages at
intervals the whole way; grass and fuel plentiful. By the village of Yur, 18 miles
from Sarhadd, is a summer road into Mastuj. At Yost, 38 miles from Sarhadd, is a
road leading into Chitrál said to be only practicable to men on foot.

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