37 



CHAPTER IV. 



JOURNEY TO THE PAMIRS. 



HOSPITALITY OF THE WAKHIS A STIFF CLIMB AN UNEXPECTED 



FRIEND THE RUSSIAN'S CAMP PLAINS OF TURKISTAN 



DISTINGUISHED VISITORS WE LOSE OUR WAY A FERTILE 



VALLEY THE BEG OF KARGALIK A SUCCESSFUL DEAL 



CROSSING THE YARKAND RIVER A NOVEL RAFT-PROPELLER 



THE HAKIM BEG AWAITS OUR ARRIVAL A STATE VISIT 



AN AWKWARD FALL FIRST SIGNS OF OVIS POL! MORE 



INTERVIEWS THE TAGHDUMBASH PAMIR A WOLF IN THE 



WAY CHANGING GROUND. 



PROCEEDING up the same nullah, we came to a 

 camp of Wakhis, or people of Wakhan, a tract of 

 country lying north of Kunjut. Like the Kirghiz, 

 they are nomads, but totally different from them 

 in feature, physique, and character, altogether a 

 much superior race. Several of them had come 

 over from Wakhan and settled in this country, 

 paying tribute to the Chinese, and are, in fact, 

 naturalised Chinese subjects. Their hospitality 



