1885.] Major W. E. Gowan— 0?i the ''Pamir:' 113 



are the Koktcha and the Ak-Sarai. The Koktcha is made up of two 

 streams, the Vardoj and the Jirm, which unite at the Shash-pul bridge 

 above the Faizabad passage. The Jirm is a river of greater volume than 

 the Vardoj, Within the valleys of its upper course are the provinces of 

 Kuran, Anjuman, and Parian, which are dependencies of the Jirm pro- 

 vince. The Bamian stream is held to be the main source of the Ak- 

 Sarai, and this enlarged by many feeders flows into it from the Ak- Rabat 

 pass and other neighbouring gorges. At Zokhak, in the north-east end 

 of the Bamian valley, the Bamian stream is joined by another of almost 

 equal size, which descends by the wild Pimari defile from the Hajigak 

 pass. From here the stream turns northward and receives from the 

 west the waters of the Saigan and Kamard. Near Dorhi, 85 miles 

 north-east of Zokhak in a direct line, the Inderab enters it. The latter 

 river, which collects the waters of the main range of the Hindu Kush, 

 parallel to which it flows for more than a degree's length, must bear a 

 great volume of water to either the Ak-Sarai or the Surkhab. 



"Westward of the Ak-Sarai flow the Dehas and Khuhu rivers, but 

 they do not reach the Oxns, because their waters are diverted into 

 various canals. Both take their rise in the Hinda Kush and flow 

 northward. 



Political divisions. 



In recent times not a single European traveller has visited Balkh, 

 Khuhu, and Kundaz, or Kataghan. The following information regard- 

 ing these towns has been furnished by old travellers. 



Badakshan has a length of about 200 miles from Wakhan on the 

 east to Talikhan on the west, and its width from Yan-Kila on the north 

 to the Hindu Kush on the south is aboat 150 miles. Its most important 

 political dependencies are : in the centre, 1, Faizabad or Jirin ; 2, 

 Daraim ; 3, Shahr i-Buzur ; 4, Grumbaz : on the west, 5, Farakhar ; 

 6, Kishm ; 7, Rustak : on the east, 8, Roshan ; 9, Shighnan ; 10, 

 Ishkashmi ; 11, Wakhan: on the sonth-east, 12. Zaibak ; 13, Maijan : 

 on the north, 14, Ragh ; 15, Danu ; 16, Asiab. All these are depen- 

 dencies of Badakshan and are ruled by kinsmen of the Mir or by his 

 hereditary vassals. They are obliged to furnish their suzerain with war 

 resources in case of need, and they pay some a very small tribute and 

 8ome none at all. Within their respective territory their power is very 

 limited, and they are also called Mirs. 



The first circle mentioned that of Faizabad comprises the following 

 subdivisions : 1, Faizabad ; 2, Yaftal ; 3, Argu ; 4, Shewa. The chief towa 

 of this circle is Faizabad. Yaf *al and Shewa are fertile and thickly popu- 

 lated localities. The inhabitants of the former are Tajiks, and from 



