DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31772#0160
108
TRAYELS IN TURKISTAN.
through the “TangiTar” (narrow way), over about the worst
bit of road we met with throughout the journey. The Tangi Tar
is a very narrow defile, with a stream rushing over boulders
and fallen blocks of rock Ilowing through it, and occupying the
roadway to such an extent that in many places its bed is the
only available passage. Holes cut in the wall-like sicles of the
rocky banks, at one particularly confined part, show that in
former times the passage was by means of a supported stage-
way above the water. The attendant Kirghiz also mentioned
this. There are several liot springs in this gorge, temperature
about 116°, ancl there are many at tlie Yambulak (hot spring)
pass in its immediate vicinity. Birch, willow, and gigantic
juniper grow plentifully liere. As the season advances, the
Tangi Tar ancl Shindi defiles become impassable, by the streams
which flow through thern to the east and south from the Chi-
chiklik slopes swelling from the melting of the snow, ancl tlien
the road by the liiglier Yambulak and Ivok Moniok passes is fol-
lowecl. Botli of these passes leacl down to the Chichiklik plain
and small lake, which lie between them in a loop fonned by the
ranges which they traverse.
The snow lay deep and heavy on the Chichiklik slope, and
our horses, stiffened with their hard struggle the previous day
over the sharp rocks and through the half-frozen torrent of the
Tangi Tar, had a toilsome pull up it, followed by a very
troublesome descent through the stony Shindi ravine leading to
the Yarkand or Sirikol river, which we reached on the 28th.
YCe here came upon the first Sirikoli village and cultivation. I
had no difficulty in conversing with the people, all appearing to
have a good knowledge of Persian, which was our medium of
communication. From this we travelled twelve miles in a
TRAYELS IN TURKISTAN.
through the “TangiTar” (narrow way), over about the worst
bit of road we met with throughout the journey. The Tangi Tar
is a very narrow defile, with a stream rushing over boulders
and fallen blocks of rock Ilowing through it, and occupying the
roadway to such an extent that in many places its bed is the
only available passage. Holes cut in the wall-like sicles of the
rocky banks, at one particularly confined part, show that in
former times the passage was by means of a supported stage-
way above the water. The attendant Kirghiz also mentioned
this. There are several liot springs in this gorge, temperature
about 116°, ancl there are many at tlie Yambulak (hot spring)
pass in its immediate vicinity. Birch, willow, and gigantic
juniper grow plentifully liere. As the season advances, the
Tangi Tar ancl Shindi defiles become impassable, by the streams
which flow through thern to the east and south from the Chi-
chiklik slopes swelling from the melting of the snow, ancl tlien
the road by the liiglier Yambulak and Ivok Moniok passes is fol-
lowecl. Botli of these passes leacl down to the Chichiklik plain
and small lake, which lie between them in a loop fonned by the
ranges which they traverse.
The snow lay deep and heavy on the Chichiklik slope, and
our horses, stiffened with their hard struggle the previous day
over the sharp rocks and through the half-frozen torrent of the
Tangi Tar, had a toilsome pull up it, followed by a very
troublesome descent through the stony Shindi ravine leading to
the Yarkand or Sirikol river, which we reached on the 28th.
YCe here came upon the first Sirikoli village and cultivation. I
had no difficulty in conversing with the people, all appearing to
have a good knowledge of Persian, which was our medium of
communication. From this we travelled twelve miles in a