1839. j Lieut, Irwin s Memoir of Afghanistan. 751 



Kashkar is remarkable for its uniformity and levelness. It is named 

 Pamer, which in the Toorkee of Yarkund signifies " the plain." It 

 appears to be drained west, and probably into the Jaxartes chiefly. 

 The road to Yarkund extends across it for about 60 miles or less, but 

 hi length it is said to be double. It is bounded to the south-west 

 by the mountains above Keerategin, and to the north-west by those 

 near the heads of the Jaxartes. Both are of the Belur chain, which is 

 in fact to be considered as the steep termination of that broad upland 

 tract which extends from the longitude of 69° to that of 93° east. 



F. In this view of the subject Hindookoosh would be considered 

 as a branch sent from this broad tract still further west. This lofty 

 mountain has also its inferior branches spreading in many directions. 

 A very considerable branch appears to extend from the Belur where 

 in its greatest height it gives source to the Ox us and Jaxartes, and 

 proceeding first west and afterwards south-west, separates Keerategin, 

 Wukheeka, and Durwuz, which are drained into the upper Oxus, from 

 Kohun and other places drained into the Jaxartes, as also from some 

 part of the middle of Toorkistan, the waters of which hold their course 

 to the Oxus in its inferior progress. I presume that all the hills of 

 Toorkistan between those great rivers are to be traced to the Belur. 

 That inferior range only called Aktaw, and which lies between Sa- 

 markand and the Jaxartes, seems distinct and insulated. With res- 

 pect to the hills in the Kuzzak and Kirghiz countries beyond the 

 Jaxartes, I know not what is their exact situation or direction. The 

 former people* indeed inhabit a tract generally level on the right of 

 the lower Jaxartes. The Kirghizes pasture the Pamer, but have lower 

 and more hilly grounds to the north-west. Geographers mention under 

 the name of Alak, a range which joins to the Belur and continues in 

 the same direction, that is towards the north, dividing the great and 

 little Bucharias of some authors, here called independent and Chinese 

 Toorkistan. Between Hokun, a city to the left of the Jaxartes in its 

 upper course, and Yarkund in Chinese Toorkistan, one route at least 

 leads over a high mountain, and in the latter country all the waters 

 run to easterly instead of westerly points. The Alak range contains 

 some of the sources of the Jaxartes, and in a higher latitude is said to 

 originate the Neelum which, like the Jaxartes, runs to a westerly 

 point. On the other side arises the Kizlsoo, or river of Kashghur and 

 Yarkund, which, however, seems to be fed also from the grand tract of 

 uplands already mentioned to the south, and from a chain of moun- 

 tains far to the north, which geographers lay down from east to west 

 and call the Altaian chain. Their latitude may be supposed to be 46°,. 



