Page:England & Russia in Central Asia,Vol-I.djvu/143

123 KTJSSTAN EOADS TO INDIA. 123 fourteen thousand feet liigli. From Tashkurgan to Sarliadd, in Waklian, there are two alternative routes, that by the Karachaukar pass, and that by Ongur and the course of the Oxus. The former is the one more generally used, and passes over a considerable portion of the Little Pamir. From Sarhadd — the neighbour- ing heights are eleven thousand feet — the Baroghil pass — twelve thousand feet — is under twenty miles distant. The distance from Yarkand to Sarhadd is three hundred and thirty miles. By the Terek pass Osh is therefore distant from Baroghil six hundred and fifty-five miles. Baroghil itself, by Mastuj and the Kunar valley, is two hundred and eighty miles away from Jellalabad ; the alternative route via Yassin into Cashmere, where there are capital roads up to ten thousand feet, entails a journey of four hundred and fifty miles until British territory is reached imme- diately south of Jummoo. The occupation of the three passes, Baroghil, Karambar, and Darkot, would close this entrance to all invaders, and this has very wisely been carried out through the medium of the Maharajah of Cashmere. The left-hand route to the south-east of Yarkand is an excellent road as far as Kiria. From that place, partly by the old Chinese road leading into Tibet, and partly by routes that are wholly unexplored, it would be hoped that Ruduk close in on the Indian frontier might be reached. It is not possible to give accurately the distances of this line of march, but Kiria is four hundred miles from Yarkand, and Ruduk is probably about three hundred and fifty more. There can be