DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15173#0233
CHAP. VIII.
MODE OF CROSSING.
215
miles and a half an hour. This river is called Ji-
hoon and Amoo by the Asiatics.
The mode in which we passed the Oxus was sin-
gular, and, I believe, peculiar to this part of the
country. We were drawn by a pair of horses, who
were yoked to the boat, on each bow, by a rope
fixed to the hair of the mane. The bridle is then
put on as if the horse were to be mounted; the boat
is pushed into the stream, and, without any other
assistance than the horses, is ferried directly across
the most rapid channel. A man on board holds the
reins of each horse, and allows them to play loosely
in the mouth, urging him to swim ; and, thus guided,
he advances without difficulty. There is not an oar
to aid in impelling the boat; and the only assistance
from those on board consists in manoeuvring a rude
rounded pole at the stern, to prevent the vessel
from wheeling in the current, and to give both horses
clear water to swim. They sometimes use four
horses ; and in that case, two are fixed at the stern.
These horses require no preparatory training, since
they indiscriminately yoke all that cross the river.
One of the boats was dragged over by the aid of
two of our jaded ponies; and the vessel which at-
tempted to follow us without them, was carried so
far down the stream as to detain us a whole day on
the banks, till it could be brought up to the camp
of our caravan. By this ingenious mode, we crossed
a river nearly half a mile wide, and running at the
rate of three miles and a half an hour, in fifteen
minutes of actual sailing ; but there was some deten-
tion from having to thread our way among the sand-
p 4
MODE OF CROSSING.
215
miles and a half an hour. This river is called Ji-
hoon and Amoo by the Asiatics.
The mode in which we passed the Oxus was sin-
gular, and, I believe, peculiar to this part of the
country. We were drawn by a pair of horses, who
were yoked to the boat, on each bow, by a rope
fixed to the hair of the mane. The bridle is then
put on as if the horse were to be mounted; the boat
is pushed into the stream, and, without any other
assistance than the horses, is ferried directly across
the most rapid channel. A man on board holds the
reins of each horse, and allows them to play loosely
in the mouth, urging him to swim ; and, thus guided,
he advances without difficulty. There is not an oar
to aid in impelling the boat; and the only assistance
from those on board consists in manoeuvring a rude
rounded pole at the stern, to prevent the vessel
from wheeling in the current, and to give both horses
clear water to swim. They sometimes use four
horses ; and in that case, two are fixed at the stern.
These horses require no preparatory training, since
they indiscriminately yoke all that cross the river.
One of the boats was dragged over by the aid of
two of our jaded ponies; and the vessel which at-
tempted to follow us without them, was carried so
far down the stream as to detain us a whole day on
the banks, till it could be brought up to the camp
of our caravan. By this ingenious mode, we crossed
a river nearly half a mile wide, and running at the
rate of three miles and a half an hour, in fifteen
minutes of actual sailing ; but there was some deten-
tion from having to thread our way among the sand-
p 4