Memoir of William Watts McNair | Page 8

hitherto been along this route,
and thinking some information might be collected, and notes on the
geography of the route taken, I agreed, though affecting disgust, and
started on the 13th of May for Shali.
Andarthi was our next halting place; the fort commands the entrance
into the Arkari Valley; at the head of the valley are the three passes,
Agzam, Khartiza, and Nuksan, over the Hindu Kush, leading into
Badakshan, and a little below the Ozur Valley, which takes its rise from
the Tirach Mir Mountain, whose elevation is deduced trigonometrically
by Colonel Tanner to be 25,426 feet, presenting a magnificent view.
The dorsal ridge of the Hindu Kush has here a mean elevation of some
16,000 feet, and this great mountain of Tirach Mir stands on a
southward spur from the main range from which it towers up thus
9,000 feet above the latter. The head of the Dura Pass, which leads to
Zebak and Ishkashim, is a little over 14,000 feet, the ascent being very
gradual and quite feasible for laden animals; but owing to the people of
Munjan and the Kafirs in the Bogosta Valley, traders prefer the route
viâ the Nuksan Pass, which, as its name denotes, is much more difficult.
Neither pass is open for more than three months in the year.

In this valley between Daroshp and Gobor, I noticed several detached
oval ponds, evidently artificial, which I was told were constructed for
catching wild geese and ducks during their annual flight to India just
before the winter sets in, i.e., about the middle of October. The plan
adopted, though rude, is unique in its way, and is this:--By the aid of
narrow dug trenches, water from the running stream is let into the
ponds and turned off when full; the pond is surrounded by a stone wall
high enough to allow a man, when crouching, to be unobserved; over
and across one-half or less of this pond a rough trellis-work of thin
willow branches is put up: the birds on alighting are gradually driven
under this canopy, and a sudden rush is made by those on the watch.
Hundreds in this manner are daily caught during the season. The flesh
is eaten, and from the down on their breasts coarse overcoats and
gloves are made, known as margaloon. This method of trapping is
borrowed from the Kafirs.
A short distance beyond the village of Daroshp are some mineral
springs that are visited by invalids from Badakshan.
Having satisfied myself on my return from the Kotal by a visit up the
Bogosta Valley that the descent into the Arnawai was not practicable
for some weeks to come, I returned to Chitral on the 22nd of May.
Some Kafirs had come in, and amongst them one who had just a year
ago taken in to Kamdesh a Pathan Christian evangelist, who had
unfortunately given out that he was sent by the Indian Government, and
that his masters would, if he gave a favourable report of them, come to
terms with the Kafirs, so as to secure them in future against
Mahommedan inroads. My visit occurred inopportunely with regard to
this statement of the evangelist, and although I stated that his utterances
were false, the Kafir would have it that I had come on behalf of the
Government, and that the Chief of Chitral had persuaded me into
giving him the arms and sums of money I had brought for them. This
Kafir next wanted me to pledge myself to aid their sect against Asmar,
and on my refusing left my quarters in a pet, but returned after a couple
of hours, saying that I might accompany him as doctor, and attend an
aged relative of his.

Kafirstan embraces an area of 5,000 square miles, bounded on the north
by the Hindu Kush Mountains, on the south by the Kunar range; for its
western limit it has the Alishang with its tributary the Alingar; its
eastern boundary is not nearly so well defined, but taken roughly, may
be expressed as the Kunar river from its junction with the Kabul to
where the former receives the waters of the Kalashgum at the village of
Ain; thence following up this last tributary to its source, a line drawn
from that point to the Dura Pass is well within the mark. I may also
include a small section occupying a tract north-west of the
above-named pass, and subject to Munjan. There are three main tribes,
viz., Ramgals, Vaigals, and Bashgals, corresponding with the three
principal valleys in their tract of country; the last-named occupy the
Arnawai Darra, and are divided into five clans, Kamdesh, Keshtoz,
Mungals, Weranis, and Ludhechis. The Keshtoz, Mungals, and Weranis
pay a nominal tribute in kind to the ruler of Chitral, but not so the other