CHAPTER LIV. 
WITH THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN BOUNDARY COMMISSION 
M r. macartney was on his way to Victoria Lake 
(Zor-kul), to join the Boundary Commission, and 
tried to persuade me to go with him. But as I was 
desirous of visiting the sources of the Yarkand-daria, I was 
obliged to decline his invitation. Nevertheless w'e travelled 
some days in company, separating on July 30th at Khojet- 
bai, as we then believed for ever ; for Mr. Macartney was 
under orders to return to India with the Boundary Com- 
mission. Hence his road lay towards the west, up the 
valley of the Taghdumbash-daria ; mine towards the south, 
up the valley of the Khunser-ab. 
Two days more brought me to the northern foot of the 
Hindu-kush Mountains. There I stayed twelve days, 
making short excursions, exploring the valleys of the more 
important head-streams of the Khunser-ab, and climbing 
the pass of Khunser-ab (15,780 feet), whence I looked 
down upon the valley of Kanjut. From the summit of 
the pass to the highest village in Kanjut was only two 
day s-journey. There I observed that the streams from 
one of the glaciers on the pass flowed partly towards 
the Indian Ocean, and partly towards the Yarkand-daria 
and- Lop-nor. 
From the same place I endeavoured, but endeavoured in 
vain, to find a practicable path to the upper Yarkand-daria, 
over the passes of Uprang, Kara-su, and Ilik-su. The 
upper part of the Yarkand-daria is likewise known as 
the Serafshan or Raskan-daria. In every quarter I in- 
quired, I was given the self-same answer : I could readily, 
enough reach the river in the course of a few days, but 
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