Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/248

44 another moment another great wave came down upon us. When at last we came out upon the smooth water below, and looked back up the rapid we had just come down, every one breathed freely again, and the “Thank God” of each was never more sincerely uttered. The manjis salaamed low to Pir Shanasir, to whom they said they owed their lives. Wet through and shivering with cold we walked on briskly to the village of Tandoro on the Shigar River, near which place we had to cross preparatory to a trip up the Basha branch.

Before taking leave of the Braldoh something more as to its trackways may not be out of place. The principal exit from its valley is that to Yarkund over the Mustakh. According to the reports given me, the glacier on the northern side is as long as that on the southern, but in my opinion the journey would be longer, as I do not think that the way lies down its main stream, but that the main body of the ice would be towards the great Peak K 2, with another from the Peaks of Nobŭndi Sobŭndi. About four marches from the Mustakh Pass a track branches off to the westward, up a lateral stream, and over a ridge to the Hūnzè river, by which the Braldoh people have often gone, as being safer than by Nagayr, with the people of which district there are old feuds. It is by this way, at the back of the main Himalayan ranges, that the Hūnzè people, and other robber tribes on that side, proceed when they rob the kafilahs, or bodies of merchants and other travellers, so that this route is now discontinued as a line for commerce, and is only taken by a few Baltis who have settled in Yarkund, and who cross over now and then to see their old friends.

Many years ago the main traffic lay up the Baltoro Glacier, and turned off up a lateral ravine to the left, and so over the Mustakh, some 12 miles, to the east of the pass now in use. This former pass became impracticable owing to the great increase of snow and ice, and Ahmed Shah ordered a search to be made for some other way over, when the present passage was fixed upon. Leaving out of consideration the tracks near the villages and towards the end of Punmah Glacier, the way along its side and across it might, with a little labour, be made practicable for ponies. Even were there more foot-traffic during the summer months than at present, it might be worth while to see to the more difficult places, but at present this line is wholly disused for a month at a time. The few travellers that go this way do not know the places where the deep fissures lie, and hence there is great loss of time in wandering about in search of a proper direction. The ascent over this pass is very gradual the whole way; ponies and yaks have frequently been brought over from Yarkund. The line from Skardo to Yarkund joins that from Leh in Ladak, near Mazzar.