1885.] Major W. E. Gowan— On tlie " Tdmirr US' 



Tajik Sliiahs and Lave distinct local dialects, though in the principal 

 places they also speak Persian. The Turks are richer than the Tajiks, 

 and excel them in bravery, in aptitude for war, and in capacity for 

 trade. Of the eastern provinces of Badakshan recent information has 

 been given by members of the Forsyth Embassy. 



Wakhan extends from the highlands of the Pianja and along the 

 valley of the same river, from Zan to Ishkashmi. The Great and the 

 Little Pamir belong to Wakhan, whilst the Ak-Tash river constitutes the 

 well-recognised boundary between it and Kashgaria. Both Pamirs 

 were thickly populated by Kirghiz and were in former years subject 

 to Wakhan, but they are now unoccupied, the constant feuds between 

 the Shighnans, the Wakhans, the Kirghiz of the Alai, and the Kanjadis 

 having rendered the country quite unsafe. Wakhan was formerly 

 divided into three districts of 100 houses each, which were therefore 

 called sads or " hundreds :" 1, Sad-i-kila Vost or Sarbadd, extending 

 from Langar to Hissar ; 2, Sad-i-Pianja, from Hissar to Khandut ; 3, 

 Sad-i-Khandut, from Khandut to Sad Ishtragh. To these three sads 

 was afterwards added a fourth, that of Sad Ishtragh which, it would 

 seem, only became a portion of Wakhan in recent times. It lies 

 between Khandut and Ishkashmi. 



Ishkashmi and the neighbouring circle of Zaibak are under the same 

 rule. The present territory of Ishkashmi extends for about 16 miles to 

 the north of the village of the same name, which now contains about 

 forty houses. 



The Gharan country extends along both banks of the Oxus for 

 about 24 miles. It was once rich and populous. The ruins of large 

 villages to be seen on both banks of the river testify to the bad rale 

 of former Badakshan potentates. The fields adjoining such abandoned 

 villages are still cultivated by the inhabitants of the neighbouring 

 Badakshan circles of K-agh and Sar-Gholam. Both the circles are dis- 

 tant about a day's journey from the river and lie on the far side of the 

 mountain chain which runs parallel with the left bank of the Oxus. In 

 Gharan are famous ruby mines, and the country is distinguished for its 

 cattle and fruit. 



Shighnan extends from Kuguz-Parin to the Tower of Darband on 

 the Roshan frontier. It is richer than Wakhan or any of the other 

 parts of Badakshan. Villages abound on both banks of the river 

 between Kuguz-Parin and the Darband Tower, and all are surrounded 

 with gardens and well-tilled fields. Bar-Pianja, the capital of Shigh- 

 nan, stands on the left bank of the river. In it and its suburbs there are 

 about 1500 houses. Two days' journey from Bar-Pianja on the river 

 Shah-Dara is the large fort of Ratch. This is the residence of the 

 Governor or Hakim of the Shah-Dara circle. 



