1856.] Narrative of the Travels of Khwajah Ahmud Shah. 351 



with a letter from the Khan of Kokan, and I remained for about 

 another month, making arrangements for my onward journey as I 

 had to go without a kufilah. 



Kashgurh is a considerable town surrounded by a fortified wall 

 and supplied with water from running streams. To prevent an 

 euemy during the time of hostilities from cutting off the supply, 

 there is an extensive tank inside the town, large enough to keep the 

 people supplied ; one man holds the special office of keeper of the 

 tank ; the town is surrounded by numerous gardens, and tanks, and 

 private residences. The Chinese fort is distant from the town 

 about three koss in the direction of Tarkund. The builder of this 

 fort was severely rebuked for building it in the direction of Tarkund 

 in place of towards the frontier. The climate of Kashgurh is salu- 

 brious and fruits plentiful. The people have great intercourse with 

 the Kokanese, and they are very similar to the latter in their man- 

 ners and customs. The boundary of the Chinese territory extends 

 to one march beyond Kashgurh on the Osh road. 



On the 18th December I left Kashgurh, and after twenty-eight 

 days' march through a mountainous, difficult wild country inhabited 

 by wandering tribes, I reached Osh in the Kokan territory. I 

 carried all my provisions, &c. upon five mules. There are no great 

 streams to cross on this route, but about half way you cross over 

 the Temkhdewan mountain, which is the most difficult portion of 

 the road. 



Osh is a small city near a hill called the Tukhti Snliman, on the 

 top of which is erected a musjid. In this hill there is a large cavern 

 which can only be entered by a man on all fours ; in the midst of it 

 water is found in a sort of tank. From the summit of the Tukhti 

 Suliman, you have a commanding view over all the city which 

 is at the foot of it. It is a dry hill without any vegetation upon it. 

 The climate of this place is salubrious. From Osh it is two marches 

 to Moorghela, another small city with an extensive bazar, and many 

 hummams, schools, and seraies, a plentiful supply of water and 

 numerous gardens ; it is situated in the midst of a well cultivated 

 country. From Moorghela to Kokan Khas there are two roads, the 

 one over a " murali" or desert, and the other through a cultivated 

 tract. It is distant two days journey, I arrived at Kokan on 

 the . 



