Memoir of William Watts McNair | Page 7

we had engaged, and the following morning we bade
adieu to Rahmatullah Khan, and started for Mirga, elevation 8,400 feet.
Though the distance from Mirga to Ashreth is not more than ten miles,
yet it took us almost as many hours to accomplish it. From Mirga to the
Lowarai Kotal (elevation 10,450 feet) the route lay over snow. It is
quite true what has formerly been related of the number of cairns on
this pass, marking the burial of Mahommedan travellers who have been
killed by the Kafir banditti, who cross the Kunar river and attack
travellers on the road. Travellers as they pass throw stones upon those
cairns, a method universal among the Pathans in such cases. But many
bodies were still visible in various stages of decay and imperfectly
covered. There is no habitation for about six miles on either side of the
pass, and it is only when information reaches a village that they send
out to cover the remains of the true believer. The only village between
the pass and the Kunar river is Ashreth. The people of this village pay
tribute to Dir as well as Chitral, and this tribute is rendered in the form
of escort to travellers ascending the pass. But the people themselves are

Shias and recently converted Kafirs, and are known to be in league with
the Kafir banditti, giving notice to the latter of the approach of
travellers rather than rendering effective aid against them. Fortunately
the ascent was easy and gradual. The descent is steeper, and in parts
very trying. We had to cross and recross the frozen stream several times,
owing to the sides of the hill rising almost perpendicularly from its base.
To add to our difficulties, we had to pick our way over deep snow
(even in May), not only over branches, but tolerably large sized trunks
of trees that had been uprooted. I was told that during the winter
months a regular hurricane blows up this valley, carrying everything
before it. The Pass (Kotal) forms the northern boundary of Dir territory.
Ashreth to Chitral (5,151 feet) was done by us in three marches. It is at
the head of the Shushai Valley that the village of Madalash lies, the
inhabitants of which are alluded to by Major Biddulph, in his "Tribes of
the Hindu Kush," as being a clan speaking amongst themselves the
Persian tongue. They keep entirely to themselves, and enjoy certain
privileges denied to their surrounding neighbours, and from what I
learnt are credited as having come, over a couple of hundred years ago,
from across the Hindu Kush, viâ the Dura Pass.
Between Daroshp and Chitral the passage by the river contracts to a
narrow gorge, over which a wall was built more than two centuries ago
to resist an attempted invasion by the troops of Jehangir. Up to this
point the Mogul force are said to have brought their elephants, but
finding it here impracticable to pass they turned back: this force came
over the Lowarai Pass. The ascent from Jalalabad is impracticable,
because the river runs in various places between Asmar and Chigar
Serai in almost impassable gorges.
It was late in the evening when we arrived at Chitral, but as the
Badshah was not feeling very well, beyond the usual salutations
exchanged with Hosein Shah and Sahib Gul, all introductions were
deferred till the following morning.
The following morning, before presenting ourselves to Aman ul Mulk,
we sent him the following presents, viz., a Waziri horse, two revolvers,
a pair of binoculars, several pieces of chintz and linen, twenty pounds

of tea, sugar, salt, and several pairs of shoes of Peshawar manufacture,
as well as trinkets for his zenana. After the preliminary and formal
inquiries as to our health, the Mehter Sahib, or Badshah, alluded to the
rumours regarding me, and wound up by saying that as he was a friend
to the British, and his country at their disposal, I was at liberty to go
about and do as I pleased, provided none of my followers accompanied
me. Fortunately, our Indian Government think differently, and judge
his character more correctly. This was not exactly what we had
expected, but rather than be thwarted in the one object I had come for, a
consent was given to his proposal; but before we had fairly got back to
our quarters, a message was sent us, saying that the passes into
Kafiristan were not open just then; our reply was that in that case we
should return immediately to India. He then sent for Sahib Gul, and
eventually it was decided that I should defer my visit to the Kafirs till
some of their leading men should arrive, and ad interim I might pay a
visit to the Dura Pass. No European had