130 ATKINSON'S JOURNEY THROUGH PASSES [Feb. 28, 1859. 



guarding the pass. These rocks divided the gorge, which branched 

 off to the south and east : looking up the southern branch, the eye 

 rested on the snowy crests near the source of the Ac-tu, and up the 

 other were seen the dazzling peaks in which the Bascan has its 

 source, while near me shrubs and flowers were hanging from the 

 clefts, showing that spring was adorning these rugged foims with 

 all her beauty. The whole space around the base of these rocks 

 was filled with living animals, prominent among which I discovered 

 the curved neck and shaggy head of the camel above the horses 

 and oxen, while the goats and sheep were climbing almost inacces- 

 sible rocks in search of food. 



Two of the sons of my hostess offered to provide horses, and 

 accompany me part of the way, hoping to see our rifles used. I 

 found great difficulty in obtaining a guide ; the dangers that lay 

 in the route I purposed taking were so great that the only man 

 who knew the country refused to go with me ; but on showing as a 

 reward a flask of gunpowder and a few balls, his eyes sparkled with 

 delight, and his objections vanished. All arrangements for our 

 ascent having been completed, and a party sent back with our 

 horses to the great water course, we left the Aoul, and turning 

 towards the southern branch of the pass, we rode up to the base of 

 the basaltic cliffs, whence the view down the gorge was savagely 

 grand. 



While looking on this scene I could not avoid contrasting the 

 puny efforts of man with these stupendous works of nature. How 

 marvellously small the pyramids and temples of the Egyptians, and 

 the great works of the Romans, would appear if placed at the foot 

 of these towers of basalt; or near the shelving masses of trap, 

 forming mighty stairs leading into the great recesses of the moun- 

 tains, which in some parts are riven asunder, and horrible chasms 

 seem to penetrate far towards their centre ! 



Our little band consisted of the two young chiefs, the old guide, 

 three Kirghis, myself, and my two men. 



After riding two hours, sometimes between high precipices, at 

 others rocky slopes, we arrived at a part of the pass so abrupt that 

 we could not ascend on horseback. Even on foot, we found it no 

 easy matter to scramble up. At last we reached a small level space, 

 about twenty yards in length and four in width, when a scene lay 

 before us that few could look down upon without a shudder. We 

 were standing on the brink of a precipice, and looking into a fearful 

 chasm, into which no man could descend. The rocks were of dark 

 purple slate, with a few shrubs hanging from the clefts ; yellow and 

 green moss covered the upper ledges, and at the bottom was a small 



