*\ 



136 H. C. Marsh — Description of a trip to tie Oilgit Valley. [No. 2, 



the surrounding Mils, quite bare, are not so high as lower down. The 

 Singdas spur divides Panyal from Gaokuch. As we approached the Fort, 

 the distant snow-covered hills of Yassin and Pamir came into view. On 

 coming up to the fort, the Dogra sepoys who guard the district, formed up 

 and presented arms to us, a motley group armed with flint-lock smooth bore 

 muskets. My encamping ground, on this 29th July, was a level of green 

 sward, fringed with willow trees, a delightful contrast to the bare rocks and 

 glare of the last few days' journey. Here I was at the end of civilization, 

 and truly glad to have arrived at the object of my desires. The Gaokuch 

 plateau is bounded to the north by high rocky hillocks which descend pre- 

 cipitously to the river. The Fort is built on a large rock, the sketch was 

 taken from the top of one of those overlooking the river, on the top of 

 which I disturbed a flock of urial, or wild sheep. 



The whole valley is about two miles broad, of which the plateau takes 

 up \\ mile, the river and some uncultivated strips on the opposite bank, the 

 rest. This is the ' ultima Thule' of India, or rather of the influence of British 

 Eule. Just beyond Gaokuch, and divided from it by a deep ravine, commence 

 the fields of the extreme frontier village of, Aish, and beyond, about four 

 miles, comes the frontier of Yassin. From both sides of the border a strict 

 watch is kept on the opposite party, no one being allowed to pass without a 

 messenger from either Chief accompanying him. I went with the Eaja to 

 the furthest point possible, and there we found two lads of sixteen, keeping 

 a sharp lookout, their matchlocks resting against the rocks close by, and if 

 we had attempted to go further, the Yassins, though we could not see them, 

 would have been sure to have taken a shot at us. 



Below us was an expanse of river bed about half a mile broad, without a 

 living creature, or fish or fowl being visible. Opposite was the valley of 

 Karambar winding away into the distance, little known or used, and down 

 it was rushing a broad stream of dirty water direct from the snowy heights 

 of the Pamir. It forms its junction with the stream from Yassin at this 

 point, meeting at about right angles. The two streams create a great 

 commotion, when, as now, the snows are melting, filling the whole bed with 

 a shallow flood. * 



On returning to Aish and its fields of golden grain and shady groves, 

 I found under a clump of fine trees a repast laid out in true native style : 

 a basket of hot chapatis baked like "nan", another with a large bowl 

 of fresh curds in which was a wooden spoon. Spreading blankets we all sat 

 down, and had our share of bread with a slice of raw cucumber and salt 

 handed to each of us, the curds were placed in the middle of the party, and 



* At the head of the Karambar is a lake formed by a glacier, which dams up the 

 valley ; when the lake gets too full and heavy, the dam breaks, causing the fearful rush 

 of water which makes the Indus flood. 



