The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume XVI, No. 6 [‎374v] (101/232)

674 ON THE AFGHAN FRONTIER: A RECONNAISSANCE IN SHUGNAN.
490 feet above the river, with abrupt descents and ascents, often across transversal
gullies. On the left side can be seen the enormous Indich Bashur, hemmed in by
precipitous cliffs, from the two clefts of which appear the peaks of the Wakhan
mountains, covered with eternal snows; and below the mountains flows a small
rivulet which falls into the Shakh-Dara. Eight opposite the Indich Bashur, on
the right side of the Shakh-Dara, there is a small kishlag, abandoned by' its
inhabitants, as we were told by the Tajiks, only last year. Having passed the
Indich Bashur, we rode out on to a kind of level platform, where we met a fresh
party of Tajiks, bearing a letter to us from the inhabitants of the lower kishlags,
praying us to hasten. We now pushed on with all the speed which the
difficult path would allow, and at 2 p.m. arrived at the third crossing. This proved
to be the deepest, the water reaching to the saddle-cloths of our horses, besides
which the bed was rough and stony. The breadth of the river here is about
60 feet. Hardly half a mile further on we had to cross again to the right side of
the Shakh-Dara, but this time the ford was the shallowest and most convenient of
all, and the bed quite even and firm. After this the road wends its way between
enormous masses of stone, or on narrow ledges with walls so close to the rock that
our stirrups grated on them as we went along. At last we began to ascend a very
steep gradient on the bare rock, so steep and narrow that in some places steps had
been hewn out and “ balconies ” constructed, i.e. widenings of the path by planks
laid down and hanging over the precipice. We had been told about the fords, but
not a word about this place, which proved to be the most dangerous on the whole
road. In one place the rock wall projects so much over the ledge that our horses
could not pass through, and we were obliged to carefully alight, take off the
loads, and even to unsaddle the horses. Neither my companions nor myself
shall ever forget this awful passage. Several Tajiks from Seij met us here and
helped us carry our luggage. Their agility, diligence, and, above all’, the
stamina they displayed in carrying heavy burdens weighing 144 to 180 pounds
were really wonderful. If it had not been for their help we should have been
delayed here for several hours, but as it was we did it all in about half an hour
A short ride brought us to the mouth of the river Drum, which flows into
the Shakh-Dara. We halted here about 5 p.m. on a small spur jutting between
these two rivers. Our hazardous journey had tired me thoroughly out, not so
much physically, but on account of the strain on the nerves. I therefore postponed
my inspection of the neighbourhood till the following day, and went to rest
We were now approaching the Afghans, and had to be on the qui vive, espe
cially when bivouacked, in order to guard against surprises. We had carefullv
chosen the position for our halt on this account, and having the water on both
sides, and above us the perpendicular rocky banks of the river, 50 to 70 feet hish
we felt quite safe from any night attack. B ’
The only difficulty we were under was through the absence of green fodder
which put us under the necessity of buying hay from the inhabitants of Seij
W l IT 18 T n-? r d War “ J With a Hght Wind blowiD g U P ^6 valley. We
had left our cold altitudes now, we hoped, for good. Towards evening, a band of
excited lajiks brought us the disquieting news that the Afghans were advancing
We had CO th Umn f 8 T 1 ' f Bar ‘f aDja ’ Up the Shakh-Dara and Gund, to meet us!
We had therefore to prepare for the worst.
July 27.-At 7 a.m. we cautiously set out to continue our journey After
having first crossed a rather well-preserved bridge on the right side of the Drum
and afterwards another bridge on the left side of the Shakh-Dara, the road beo^’
to ascend steeply till we at last emerged on to a small stony square place—a
platform 120 to 150 feet above the level of the bridges. Higher and IdgC we