702 
THROUGH ASIA 
we crossed the little mountain-stream, whose blue, limpid 
water gurgled along between the boulders of gneiss. At 
length we came to the end of the gneiss. It was suc- 
ceeded by granite. The gorge of Shindeh opened out 
like a trumpet upon the broad trough -like valley of 
Taghdumbash. The mountain-stream was divided into 
several branches, so that its water might be led off to 
irrigate the cultivated fields. We again pitched our tent 
a short distance from the fortress of Tash-kurgan. 
We had now crossed the first of the g-reat meridional 
mountain-ranges, which like bastions fence in the Pamir 
plateaus on the east. On September i6th we crossed the 
second by the pass of Sarghak. We had considerable 
difificulty in procuring a guide. The Tajiks excused 
themselves on the plea, that they must look after their 
fields ; but the truth was they dreaded the wrath of Mi 
Darin, if it should become knowm that they had guided 
a European through such a strategically important pass. 
At last we discovered a man who agreed to go with us 
on foot ; but before we reached the summit of the pass 
he lagged behind, and we never .saw anything more of 
liim. 
We crossed over the valley of Taghdumbash between 
the scattered fields and houses. The river possessed only 
one-third the volume it had when 1 measured it some six 
weeks earlier, and the water had become perfectly clear. 
On the east side of the valley we struck into a narrow 
gorge, which rose steeply, and was dry along the bottom. 
The predominating rock throughout the whole of that 
day’s journey was micaceous schist. We climbed up the 
mountain-side along a steep, narrow ribbon of a path, 
which was exceedingly trying to both men and horses. 
In some places the rocks were so smooth we were obliged 
to roughen them with the pick-axe to enable the horses 
to get a proper foothold. Upon reaching the top of the 
.spur — an undulating series of rounded eminences — we saw 
the valley of Taghdumbash, with its winding river and its 
green and yellow fields, far, far below our feet. Once 
more the landscape underwent a complete change. All 
