TO FORT PAMIR AND BACK 393 
whilst at one moment we had the opening of the Ak-baital 
valley on the one side of us and at another straight in front 
of us, at vet another time we had to look well about us 
before we could perceive it at all. One moment the fort 
was on our right, shortly afterwards it had moved over to 
the left ; until we were perfectly bewildered. The lapping 
of the water against the banks was barely audible ; for the 
main current glided like oil along its bed, and the boat was 
carried on like an unresisting nutshell by the irresistible 
flood. Once or twice the frail craft scraped against the 
stones at the bottom, but no harm came of it ; and after 
an hour’s exciting work we landed, as wet as a couple of 
water-spaniels, in still water, a good way down the river, 
at a spot where it again widened out for a short distance. 
On the other side of Shah-jan (the King’s Soul), the 
place where the first Russian fort was erected a few years 
ago, 2^ miles below the present fortress, the valley of the 
Murofhab contracts : at the same time the river becomes 
narrower and deeper, and increases in velocity. At that 
point stood a Kirghiz aul of six uys (tents), and there was 
the last safe ford, a passage that is always used by those 
going to the western Pamirs. 
When on August 27th I started for Yeshil-kul, I was 
escorted the whole of the first day’s march (twenty-five 
miles) by Captain Saitseff and a young lieutenant. 'I'he 
Kirghiz misled us at Shah-jan, by advising us to cross the 
river 6|- miles further on, because, they said, the road on 
the right bank was the better, and the flood had gone down. 
When we arrived at the spot which they indicated as a 
safe ford, one of the Kirghiz was sent across first to show' 
the way. But the river was four feet deep in the middle, 
and the man’s horse lost its footing, and was carried down 
stream. Fortunately it managed to touch the bottom 
again, and so reached the other side, but its rider w'as 
dripping wet up to the waist. After one or two more 
Kirghiz had ridden over. Captain Saitseff set his horse at 
the stream, and reached the opposite side in safety, but so 
wet that he deemed it prudent to take off his boots, which 
were full of w'ater, and to strip well-nigh to the skin, and 
