112 Major W. E. Gowan— On the ''Pamir:' [AtTG,, 



receives two considerable affluents on its left bank, the Shewa and 

 the Yacbew. Along the latter lies a mucb-frequented road from Sbigh- 

 nan, over tbe Sliewa Pamir to Faizabad. On its right bank the Pianja 

 receives one very large river, the Suchan, which is formed by the 

 junction of two large equal streams, the Shah-Dara and the Ghund. 

 The Suchan enters a few miles south of Bar-Pianja. The valley 

 here opens out to a width of about 4 miles and contains a good deal of 

 well cultivated land and pasturage. Two and a half miles beyond 

 Darband the Murghab enters the Pianja. The valley of the Pianja, 

 which at Darband is very narrow, rapidly widens after the Murghab 

 has entered it until the breadth is about 5 miles. The frequent 

 inundations of the Murghab interfere with cultivation. This river, 

 though generally called the Murghab, is also known by the name of the 

 Darya-i-Bartang, which is the name also of the district through which it 

 flows. Between Waznud and Bar-Roshan the Pa-i-Khoja valley enters 

 that of the Pianja from the south. The road to Kila-Khumb, the chief 

 town of Darwaz, along the river is very difficult and impassable for 

 pack-horses, the valley being very narrow and the banks of the river very 

 precipitous. The most important of the affluents of the Pianja is the 

 Kitchi Surkh-ab or Baljuan Daria, which is called Kitchi or Little to 

 distinguish it from the greater Surkh-ab or Wakhsh. It waters the 

 Baljuan valley and takes its rise in the mountains to the north of the 

 Baljuan Begship where it is made up of many streams. 



The Amu-Daria by receiving the waters of the Surkhab or Wakhsh 

 receives also the following affluents : 1. Kafir-nihan, which is made up 

 of several mountain streams. The rise, however, of this river is usually 

 taken to be the Roment Daria, which issues from the snowy masses of the 

 Hissar chain. In the basin of the Kafir-nihan there are five considerable 

 towns : Faizabad, Kafir-nihan, Doshamba, Hissar and Kobadian. 2. The 

 Surkhan, which is made up of several rivulets that flow from the moun- 

 tains surrounding the wide valley of the Surkhan river. Within this 

 valley are situated the towns of Kara- Tag, Regar, Ssar-i-Iui, Ssar-i-Osio, 

 Yurtchi, and Denan. The population of the valley is chiefly confined to 

 its northern portion where the abundance of mountain streams make 

 it possible to irrigate the soil without any very great expenditure of 

 labour. 3. The Shir-abad- Daria, which at the town of Darband is 

 called the Darband-Daria. It is fordable everywhere and indeed does 

 not reach the Amu-Daria every year, because its waters are diverted 

 by means of canals over the hamlets of the Shir-abad Begship. Hence 

 its supply is not always sufficient for the steady and yearly irrigation 

 of the whole locality. 



The most important tributaries of the Amu-Daria on the south 



