24 
PASS OF KOUTEL NAKSHI KHANAH. 
the pass we had traversed; and continuing our route unmolested, 
we gradually ascended to nearly the highest ground in this part 
of the empire, through a succession of romantic glens, embanked 
with low rocky hills. Eight miles of this winding path brought 
us to the high walls of a very extensive caravansary, called Kari- 
law, but we did not halt there; and eight more, housed us in 
one of less dimensions, close to the village of Degger-doo, or 
Dey-girdoo, which stands quite in the cleft of the valley, or 
rather in a deep hollow embattled with towering and broken 
cliffs. It was half-past twelve at night before we arrived at the 
gate of our menzil; and the lateness of the hour in so high a 
region, brought on intensity of cold, to which for some time we 
had not been accustomed. The thermometer stood at 60°. 
From the temperature of the place, the harvest is so backward, 
that corn, which grows here in very scanty crops, is yet perfectly 
green ; and the small quantity of fruit produced is also far from 
ripe. However, there was no dearth of provisions ; and having 
been lodged comfortably, we left our little caravansary much 
refreshed the next evening at four o’clock, taking a direction 
north 20° west. The road was tolerably good, but sinuous, 
and generally shut up between dwarfish hills, immediately backed 
by high and craggy mountains. Having followed this winding 
track for a distance of four farsangs, we found ourselves, if not 
perfectly benighted, at least involved in almost total darkness ; 
the black over-shadowing rocks entirely excluding any remaining 
gleams of day. At this juncture, we came to a pass called that 
of Koutel Nakshi-Khanah, defended by a tower, which is now a 
station for the Rhaddary. The district around had as ill a name 
as any we had travelled ; and accordingly we were furnished with 
a body of musqueteers to attend us to the valley of Yezdikast; 
