1856.] Narrative of the Travels of Khwaj ah Ahmud Shah. 347 



no water has been carried along for the animals, horses on arriving 

 at Akhtab drink so ninch that they die ; the road traverses a pass 

 through the Akhtab mountains, through which there are two roads, 

 theKullian and the Kookrai. On theKookrai road, water and fuel are 

 procurable, but this road is difficult in the summer, as it winds along 

 the beds of torrents, at that season swollen by the melting of the 

 snow. The people of Kunjoot, robbers by trade, infest this road 

 during the winter, but it is free from them during the summer months. 

 On account of these banditti, Jcuflahs frequently go round by the 

 Kullian route, which is longer and more difficult, besides being 

 dangerous from the continual moving of glaciers. It takes some six 

 or seven days to get through the Kullian, after which four days' march 

 brings you to Kurgulluk, a large place contaiuing a bazar, and well 

 populated. Here every thing is procurable, being brought from 

 Yarkund. 



From Kurgulluk to Yarkund it is three marches through a plain 

 cultivated country, irrigated from hill streams. About half way 

 you cross the Yarkund river, which, duriug winter is frozen and 

 crossed on the ice. At present, there is a ferry with oue boat. 

 This of no great breadth, but is very rapid. The country is studded 

 with numerous villages. 



I reached Yarkund on the 17th February and remained there 

 and in its vicinity for three months, during which period I was 

 making enquiries regarding Mr. Wyburd, and sent a man for the 

 same purpose to Aksoo distant eighteen marches. At every stage 

 on the road there are buildings called Wurtung ; where the autho- 

 rities have men from the city to carry daks from Yarkund to Aksoo, 

 and from Aksoo to China, to Biejun (Pekin). To this place it is six 

 months' regular journey, but the dak arrives at Pekin in twenty 

 days, an answer arriving to a message from Yarkund in forty; 

 daily communications are passing between the two places. The 

 dak men are mounted on their own animals ; for the performance 

 of this service they are exempted from taxation. 



Halfway to Aksoo, nine marches from Yarkund, the Chinese 

 have built a new city called Inyshuhr (the new town) which is 

 situated on the Kashgur river, here four roads meet, viz., one from 



2 z 2 



