CHAPTER II 



THE FRONTIER DISTRICT OF ASTOR 



Boundaries of the district— The Astor river — The valley — General aspect of 

 the country— The people of Astor— The Dards — Their repugnance to 

 the cow — Government of the Dard nation — Forts of Astor and Biinji — 

 Civil administration — The game animals of Astor — The markhor — The 

 ibex — The urin — The brown bear — Localities frequented by game. 



The district of Astor comprises the main and side valleys 

 of the river of that name which takes its rise on the 

 water-parting line dividing it from Giires in the Krish- 

 ganga valley. The course of the river is from south- 

 east to north-west, and its length is about ninety miles. 

 From the Daskirim Pass, above its western source, to its 

 junction with the Indus below Piamghat, it has a fall of 

 9274 feet, or an average of more than one hundred feet 

 per mile. The descent of the waters for the first 

 two-thirds of the river is not so abrupt as the fall in the 

 last portion of its course, from Astor to the Indus, The 

 passing traveller will be often reminded of this difference 

 on his downward journey. The frantic dash of the 

 waters within their pent-up course, their deafening roar 

 during the whole distance to Eamghat, suggest the blind 

 career of a herd of mighty beasts rushing to their 

 destruction. 



The general aspect of the country is dreary in the 



