16 Continuation of the Route of Lieut. Burnes [Jan. 
The Oxus is a splendid river, here exhibiting an expanse and volume 
fully equal to our expectations, or its appearance as given in the map; 
but I should say of inferior magnitude compared with the vast extent 
of country of which it is the dram, and where deserts and arid moun- 
tains occupy so large a portion. The Hindi Kush generates but a 
scanty tribute from its snow, and but few supplies are derived from the 
north; the great body of the water coming from the south-east and 
east, where the intersections of the Himalaya define the course of the 
streams to the Indus, and branching northward, give origin to the 
rivers which wash the Chinese frontier of Yarkind and Kashghar, the 
whole of which tract from the limit of Kundur in one direction, and 
Bokhara itself in another, is a blank in geography. It is true the 
sources of the Oxus are pretty well ascertained, and the travels of Meer 
Izzat Oolla have sketched the configurations of the country north-west 
of Ladak; but the height, extent, and nature of the mountains which 
intervene between Leh and Yarkiund, and along the north-west branches 
of the Indus and Hindi Kush, are wholly unknown. 
The stream of the Oxus is muddy, like that of our Indian rivers; but 
confined within marginal banks bearing a stiff vegetation, it hasa more 
regular channel, and rolls with greater rapidity ; where we crossed it, the 
expanse of bed was divided by islands, and the current assumed various 
degrees of size and velocity, the largest with a rate exceeding three miles 
per hour and a depth of 20 feet. As no rain falls in this country, the 
whole mass of water is liquified snow. It is impossible to form a com- 
parative estimate of the actual bulk, but it can scarcely equal the Indus 
at Attok. The ferries are ill supplied with boats, but the boats themselves 
are substantial fabrics, and are built more after the model of our sloops 
than any thing I have seen in India; but the people have no idea of na- 
vigation ; their oars are of the rudest kind, only one or two in a boat, 
but the chief impulse depends upon horses, which are fastened on each 
side of the bow, and, by their exertions to swim, drag the boats across 
the currents. I never heard of sucha practice, and almost doubted it till 
we witnessed the spectacle. There are no fords downwards to its debouche 
in the Aral, but in winter it freezes over in several places, sufficiently 
strong to bear the transit of the kafilas, which is singular in a parallel 
of latitude under 40 degrees, and ata very inconsiderable elevation. 
The bed of the river, where we crossed it, scarce attains the level of 
the Punjab rivers, in the line of our route, as well as we can estimate by 
the boiling point of our thermometers, which are the only means left us. 
Prinsep, in aletter to Burnes, reminds usof this resource (in the absence 
_of barometers), to verify the levels of the Aral and theCaspian ; but this 
