Through the Rapids. 



stream and would afford some hold should one be lucky enough 

 to reach them. The width was about thirty feet and occupied only 

 a comparatively short time to negotiate, but in that space of 

 time how much exciting incident is crowded when struggling in 

 the grip of a mountain torrent the force and speed of which must 

 be experienced to be adequately realised. 



Standing on our side of the ravine it seemed impossible to 

 gain the opposite bank, but I determined to try, so Nadir and 

 myself went forward and with the aid of the yaks, without whose 

 assistance little could be done, did battle with the raging cataract, 

 edging across as opportunity offered and getting deluged with 

 water. The others followed our example and, arrived on the 

 other side, Giyani soon had the camp pitched, whilst Piro, in- 

 defatigable as ever, busied himself with preparations for a well- 

 earned supper. It was not an ideal spot for a camp but the best 

 under the circumstances. 



On both sides the ravine rose in a solid wall exceeding a 

 height of 1,500 feet, whilst both up and down stream the same 

 prospect of rugged grandeur met the gaze. The noise of the river 

 as it thundered through these sombre canyons was deafening, 

 and to make oneself heard at all needed a stentorian voice. 



The best time for trekking is the early part of the day before the 

 sun is up, as later, when the warm rays have acted on the snow, 

 the rise of water is much greater and fording consequently out of 

 the question. During the night the snow on the higher ground 

 freezes hard, the volume of water being thereby restricted, 

 but by noon the upper surface commences to thaw, every side 

 nullah and gully becoming a feeder to the main stream and 

 assisting to turn it into a flood tide against which all the 

 efforts of man are vain. We therefore rose at dawn the next 

 day to the music of the waters as they raced onwards to the 

 Yarkand Valley, and, having breakfasted, loaded up the yaks 

 and proceeded on our way. 



It was another brilhantly fine day with the sun shining 

 through a cloudless sky, just such a day as would bring the 



89 



