The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume XVI, No. 6 [‎376r] (104/232)

ON THE AFGHAN FRONTIER: A RECONNAISSANCE IN SHUGNAN. 677
very unattractive, although one meets here and there an exception—as, for instance,
that of Azis-Khan, of which the woodwork is decorated with clumsy though quaint
carvings, and the walls are evenly plastered, with niches for utensils, clothes, etc.
The stables, cowhouses, farmyards, barns for seeds, cellars, etc., generally adjoin
the huts. We could not help especially noticing the very curious buildings called
“ topkhana.” These are old quadrangular towers in which the inhabitants of the
kishlags used to hide from the attacks of the enemy till relief came, or till
the enemy got tired of waiting, or else starved them out. One often notices
these “ topkhanas ” along the Shakh-Dara and Gund rivers. In one place on the
latter there is a strong fortress, Chartym, consisting of seven such towers. The
topkhanas were built generally on sites selected in the least accessible places.
Of course, there was no artillery in those days, and the towers therefore generally
answered their purpose very well. An entrance could only be effected through
a small opening, made in the wall at such a height above the earth that a ladder
had to be used. The defenders were at the top, and could fire at the enemy through
embrasures.
At 8 a.m. we started. After leaving kishlag Sendip the road descends abruptly
to the banks of the Shakh-Dara, and crosses an immense tugai over rather
marshy soil. The trees grow so thickly here that at some places we rode through
long vaults of green formed by the interlacing branches. The tugai ends just
opposite the kishlag Denkent, and the road then gets bad on account of the small
pointed stones with which it is strewn.
A little after one, after passing the kishlag Bar-vo-oz, we approached the kishlag
Vez-dara, where it was resolved to put up for the night. As it was still early, we
determined to leave the baggage train and the foot soldiers with directions for
them to halt near Vez-dara, while we ourselves would go a little further on and
have a look at the fortress Rosh-kala. We had been informed by the Tajiks
that an Afghan detachment of about 120 to 150 foot soldiers and a few cavalry
were stationed here; hence our curiosity. We only got a sight of Rosh-kala at
4 p.m. from a topkhana, after a wearisome ascent, of which we had not dreamt,
having been told that the fortress was “ not far.”
While we were passing the topkhana we heard the ringing notes of a trumpet
from the fortress, sounding quick notes resembling our cavalry signals. This
was followed first by a single volley, and then an irregular fusillade from the
opposite side of the Shakh-Dara. The significant “ping” of bullets splintering
the rocks and stones in our path made us aware of the fact that we were the
objects of these little attentions from the Afghans; but it is somewhat incompre
hensible that, notwithstanding the short distance and the large target we offered,
not one of us was hurt. As we had the stiictest orders to refrain from using our
arms, we resolved to return. We were joined by our foot soldiers at the bottom of
the descent. They had been hastening towards us on hearing the shooting from
Vez-Dara, thinking we had fallen into some ambuscade. On the night of July 28,
our prospects of bringing our reconnaissance to a successful issue were not
brilliant. We were no more than 5 or 6 miles distant from an enemy, number
ing five times our men; and of what their sentiments were toward us we had just
had proofs. The Pamirsky Post, from which we could obtain reinforcements, was
about 180 miles distant, besides which the country was strange to us. We heard
all sorts of contradictory rumours as to the Afghans; and lastly, we had not even
the means for effectively defending our bivouac in case of attack, as we could only
muster twelve foot soldiers and twenty cossacks. However, we did our best, and
arranged officers’ guard, stationed our outlook posts and despatched cossack
patrofs, and also parties of Tajiks to reconnoitre. The Tajiks willingly offered their
No. YI. — December, 1900.] 2 z