230 KASHGAR TO THE KARAART PAMIR. 



Not wishing- to overdrive the ponies at first, I 

 put up there, and got a very good room. 



Our start was rather retarded in the morning, 

 owing to the heavy rain that had fallen through- 

 out the night. Fortunately for us, as we had con- 

 stantly to ford the river Uluart, the summer floods 

 had not begun, and there was no very great diffi- 

 culty. The road was a good flat one, and in excel- 

 lent repair. Gradually the defile began to con- 

 tract, the spurs on either side rising more and 

 more precipitously. As the morning mists cleared 

 off, occasional peeps were visible of the great 

 snow-peaks of the Tagherma Mustagh range which 

 we were to cross, and here and there before us 

 were patches of fine forests. Bridges now became 

 frequent, which were evidently kept up with some 

 trouble, as they were all in good condition. 



Following a zigzag course for about ten miles, 

 we came to a jungly flat, where the guide advised 

 a halt, grass and fuel being unobtainable for some 

 considerable distance ahead ; and as heavy omin- 

 ous clouds were collecting on the mountains, and 

 sundry claps of thunder warned us we were going 

 to catch it, I was not sorry, and only just got my 

 tent up in time, when down came the rain in 

 perfect torrents. In a very few moments thou- 



