EXPLOEATION IN CHINESE TUKKESTAN. 755 



was obliged to stay behind, overcome by headache and lassitude. Next 

 Ajab Khan, the active Puniali, who had accompanied me as an orderly 

 from Gilgit, fell out, and ultimately only the two splendid men of the 

 "Hunza levies," who had been selected for me by the Mir of Hunza, 

 and had proved most useful as guides, plodded on with me. 



The previous da}", while engaged in phototheodolite work, 1 had 

 sent them ahead to reconnoiter the ridge. Excellent climbers as they 

 are, they had then reached a point apparently about 2,()0<) feet higher 

 up. Their progress was there stopped by a sheer precipice of impass- 

 able rocks descending to what I conclude to be a transverse glacier 

 previously hidden from view, separating the great ridge we followed 

 from the main mass of the northern summit, and communicating north- 

 ward with the Kampar-kishlak glacier. Owing to the threatening 

 aspect of the weather, I had to forego the attempt, which our bodily 

 condition would have otherwise well permitted, of reaching this farthest 

 accessible point of the ridge. I was thus unable to judge with my own 

 eyes of the true mountaineering difficulties that would have to be faced 

 in the event of a S3^stematic effort being made to climb the northern 

 summit from this side. An ample allowance of time, a good Swiss 

 guide or two, and a sufficient number of hardy Hunza mountaineers 

 to carry loads, would seem to me indispensable provisions for such an 

 effort. ^ 



As we descended, the clouds lifted toward the west and revealed a 

 panorama vast and impressive beyond description. It extended prac- 

 tically across the whole breadth of the Pamir region. Far away to 

 the southwest it was bounded by glittering pinnacles, in which I could 

 recognize the mountain giants that guard the approach to the Indus 

 Valley. They had worthy rivals to the north in some towering masses 

 of ice and snow, which I could not fail to identify with Mount Kauf- 

 mann and other great peaks of the trans-Alai range. 



The night, which I passed uncomfortable enough in my tent, pitched 

 with difficulty at an elevation of about 16,500 feet, brought fresh snow 

 with driving gales, and after vainly waiting next day for a cliange, I 

 was forced to descend once more toward Lake Karakul. Before 

 leaving this inhospitable, yet so fascinating, neighborhood, I had the 

 satisfaction to ascertain that the Kirghiz legend of a hoary saint (Fir) 

 mysteriously residing on the inaccessible heights of the great ice moun- 

 tain, still retains distinct features of the "old story" which Iliuen 

 Tsiang heard of the giant Buddist hermit who was seen entranced "on 

 a great mountain covoivd witii brooding vapors.'" evidentl}' identical 

 with Muztagh-Ata. 



On July 23 I started down on to the ])hiins of KashgiU' by tlie route 

 of the Gez deHh>. Owing to the collapse of one of the bridges in this 

 remarkably narrow and difficult gorge, 1 was obliged to make a con- 

 siderable detour, which entailed the crossing" of the huffe Koksel or 



