THE ISFAIRAN VALLEY 107 
Was a Sart ; the latter a Kirghiz. Both wore 
khalais (coats) of dark blue cloth, white turbans, belts o 
chased silver, and scimitars swinging in silver mounte 
scabbards. At their heels rode a numerous cavalcade ol 
attendants. These dignitaries escorted me to the village, 
where a large crowd had assembled to witness my entry 
and enjoy the rare pleasure of a real tamashah (spectacle . 
After dastarkkaii (refreshments) had been offere rounc , 
the caravan started again, escorted by the troop o orse 
men. 
1 he valley of the Isfai'ran grew more sharply conwured 
as we advanced, and narrowed at the end to a width ot 
only a few hundred yards. At the same time the pat^ 
ascended, following in part the bed of the stream , *- 
in places it ran along the face of steep, we nigi 
precipitous slopes. The river has cut a deep channel 
through the coarse-grained conglomerates, and its waters, 
dark green in colour, but clear as crystal, danced mern y 
along among the boulders. 
A few hours’ ride brought us to our second a tin.^ 
station, Austan. There the volastnoi of the place hac got 
ready for us a comfortable yurt (tent) of white kashnia 
(thick Kirghiz felt), decorated on the outside with broad 
strips of coloured cloth, and furnished inside with vn'f, 
carpets and— a crackling fire. Having rigged up a tempo- 
rary meteorological observatory, and piled the^ agga^^e 
outside the tent, the men tethered and fed their iotscs, 
and then gathered round a fire in the open air. Here 
Rehim Bai got the first opportunity to exhibit his s 'i as 
cook. By the time I had completed my observations day- 
light had gone, and I set about arranging my bed for the 
’^ight, not a very irksome task however, seeing that the 
bed consisted simply of a piece of sacking stretched upon 
two poles, the ends of which rested on a couple of yakhtans 
(boxes). 
The next day was dedicated to rest. The Kiighiz 
kishlak (winter village) of Austan, numbering about a 
hundred uy (tents), lay about three-quarters of a mi e 
higher up the valley, surrounded by clumps of stunted 
