1876.] H. C. Marsh— Description of a trip to the Qilgit Valley. 127 



in ordinary times, to hold the place. The fort is on the hanks of the river 

 100 feet ahove it, and depends on the river for water, a covered way 

 leading down to it. The other day an earthquake shook down one of its 

 bastions, which was being repaired during my stay. The highest bastion 

 commands the river on both banks and the whole plain. A few of our shells 

 would soon demolish the whole affair. 



The difference of level of this river in the hot and the cold weather is 

 fully 20 feet. It contains few if any fish, and the sand is not washed for 

 gold as is the stream coming from Hunza and Nagyr, which contains quan- 

 tities of the precious metal. The snows melting in July and August on the 

 Pamir and highlands of Yassin, raise it to its highest level ; in winter it 

 can be waded across at most parts, up to the junction of the Nagyr 

 stream, at the village of Dyor, a short way below the fort, from which point 

 till it joins the Indus it is too deep. No boats are used on the river, nor are 

 rafts brought down its floods. Only one bridge of twig ropes crosses at 

 Gilgit, the opposite or left bank not being as well inhabited as its right. 



There are many who speak Persian among the Gilgitis ; some Yassinis 

 are met with, as a Vakil and ten men are detained here and changed from 

 time to time. These are guarantees for good behaviour, which shows that 

 Kashmir exercises a certain amount of influence out of its own immediate 

 boundaries, as the Eajas of Hunza and Nagyr also send Vakils, but no 

 Kashmiri is allowed to live in either Yassin or Kunjut, as Hunza and 

 Nagyr are called, although they are separate and independent states. 



I have daily large presents of fruit brought to me by my poor patients, 

 grapes of three sorts, white, yellow, and red ; apples of two sorts ; water- 

 melons large and sweet, long in shape, also cucumbers and figs, the fruits now 

 m season. In the evenings, I have large audiences, visitors coming from 

 far and near, to talk. I do not think the people are such bigoted Muham- 

 madans, as in our North-West frontier, and a Medical Missionary who 

 understood the dialects spoken, would have a fair chance of being listened 

 to patiently. These people are very ignorant, though a few learn the Koran 

 by heart, both men and women. 



Manufactures are very rude, a coarse cotton cloth, about fifteen inches 

 broad, and quite plain, also a stuff of wool. Wooden platters, bowls, and spoons, 

 very bad soft knife blades, no guns or swords, or leather articles. Boots, or 

 Pabus, made like moccasins, are of raw hide, and are used only in dry weather, 

 and a description of long stockings made by women of coloured wool like a 

 bag without a heel ; some of the patterns are pretty and effective. All well- 

 to-do persons wear these, but like most articles they are made for home use 

 only, few being obtainable in the market. The head dress of the people is 

 not a turban, but a broad topped cap made like a bag, its edge being rolled 

 up, so as to form a thick brim, which can be pulled down over the ears and 

 neck in cold weather. 

 R 



