It Is Satisfactory To Have Elicited This Further
Proof Of The General Accuracy Of The Great Traveller's Account Of His
Journey Through Central Asia."
The Itinerary of Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon (Sirikol, the Pamirs and
Wakhan, ch.
Vi. of Forsyth's Mission to Yarkund in 1873) runs thus:
"Left Kashgar (21st March), Yangi-Hissar, Kaskasu Pass, descent to Chihil
Gumbaz (forty Domes), where the road branches off to Yarkand (110 miles),
Torut Pass, Tangi-Tar (defile), 'to the foot of a great elevated slope
leading to the Chichiklik Pass, plain, and lake (14,700 feet), below the
Yambulak and Kok-Moinok Passes, which are used later in the season on the
road between Yangi-Hissar and Sirikol, to avoid the Tangi-Tar and Shindi
defiles. As the season advances, these passes become free from snow, while
the defiles are rendered dangerous and difficult by the rush of the
melting snow torrents. From the Chichiklik plain we proceeded down the
Shindi ravine, over an extremely bad stony road, to the Sirikol River, up
the banks of which we travelled to Tashkurgan, reaching it on the tenth
day from Yangi-Hissar. The total distance is 125 miles.' Then Tashkurgan
(ancient name Varshidi): 'the open part of the Sirikol Valley extends
from about 8 miles below Tashkurgan to apparently a very considerable
distance towards the Kunjut mountain range;' left Tashkurgan for Wakhan
(2nd April, 1873); leave Sirikol Valley, enter the Shindan defile, reach
the Aktash Valley, follow the Aktash stream (called Aksu by the Kirghiz)
through the Little Pamir to the Ghazkul (Little Pamir) Lake or Barkat
Yassin, from which it takes its rise, four days from Tashkurgan.
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