A Hopeless Task. 



abandonment of such a course. I made great efforts to 

 negotiate this final ford, the one remaining obstacle between me 

 and the Yarkand River, but no creature, animal or otherwise, 

 could have lived in that boiling torrent, roaring and rushing 

 through the gloomy canyons, and striking terror into the hearts of 

 my Kirghiz, whose dismay was intense when I expressed an 

 intention to try it. 



THE GORGES OF THE VARKAND RIVER. 



As mentioned before, if anything on this earth can get 

 through a mountain stream it is a yak, so 1 deemed it advisable 

 to put Bos grunniens to the test before risking our own Hves in 

 such a watery' inferno. We secured a halter round the yak's 

 neck with a good run of line on the end, enabling us to haul him 

 back should he be carried away by the current. We were not 

 long in doubt about this, for no sooner had he taken to the waters 

 than he was instantly swept away, but assisted by the line 



91 



