File:Ruins of desert Cathay - personal narrative of explorations in Central Asia and westernmost China (1912) (14596392210).jpg

Identifier: ruinsofdesertcat01stei (find matches)
Title: Ruins of desert Cathay : personal narrative of explorations in Central Asia and westernmost China
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Stein, Aurel, Sir, 1862-1943 Archaeological Survey of India
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Publisher: London : Macmillan
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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Kurban, were disposed toattribute the former abandonment of these lands to the increasing cold brought about by the advance ofthe glaciers. And the latter, indeed, began to play fromhere onwards a very prominent part in the landscape.Just opposite to Abdullah - lasht a huge river of ice,known as Shayos, was pushing its dark snout almostdown to the river-bank. Even without this chill neigh-bour the climate of Shuyist, about 10,500 feet abovesea, was bound to be cold, though barley and oats wouldgrow well. But whether or not this part of the MastujValley has been afTected by important climatic changesduring the last twelve hundred years, there remains theinteresting fact that the main cause now leading to thereoccupation of this tract where cultivation had ceased forcenturies, was the incipient pressure of the population, adirect result of the British pacification of the country. Another equally extensive glacier, stretching downfrom a peak over 21,000 feet high, faced us from the south
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CH. V FIRST VIEW OF HINDUKUSH 51 when we pitched camp in the jungle-covered little plainof Kankhun-kuch. Just before reaching it I had sightedthe glittering crest - line of the main Hindukush range,which forms the watershed towards the Oxus, and had feltelated by the thought that the Pamirs were now drawingso near. CHAPTER VI ON THE DARKOT PASS From Kankhun-kuch only two marches remained to theBaroghil Pass, that remarkable saddle in the Hindukushrange which at a height of only 12,400 feet gives access to the uppermost Oxus. But before I could cross it therewas another task to be accomplished, upon which I had setmy heart in the face of manifest difficulties. The DarkotPass, which leads over the glacier-crowned great rangesouth of the highest part of the Yarkhun Valley, at anelevation of about 15,400 feet, did not lie on my route.Yet from the first I had decided to visit it; for the recordpreserved in the Tang Annals of the memorable exploitby which the Chinese general Kao Hsien-chih i

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