The Roof of the World: Being a Narrative of a Journey Over the High Plateau of Tibet to the Russian Frontier and the Oxus Sources on PamirEdmonston and Douglas, 1876 - 172 pages |
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accompanied Affghans Aksu Aktash valley Alif Beg Aman-ul-Mulk Amír animals appeared Artush Atalik Badakhshan camels camp Captain Biddulph Captain Trotter carried Chinese Chitral crossed Dadkhwah distance east Eastern Turkistan feet flows Futteh Ali Shah governor grass ground halt head hills horns horses Hussun Shah ibex India inhabitants journey KALMAK Karakoram Karakoram pass Karakul Karakul lake Kashghar KASHGHAR ARMY Kashmir Khan Khokand Khoten Kila Panja Kirghiz Kizil Art KUMDAN GLACIER Kunjut Ladak Langar Maralbashi miles Mirza Mission mountain Muhammad Neza Tash Nubra Ovis poli Oxus party pass plain ponies range reached Remu glacier riding river road Robat robes route Russian Sanju Sarhadd sent Shahidulla sheep Shiah Shighnan Shyok Sirikol Sirikol valley slopes snow Stoliczka stream summer Tagharma Taghdungbash Tashkurgan Terek Tian Shan Tibet told travelled village Wakhan Wakhis Wali wild winter yaks Yakub Yangi-Hissar Yarkand Yarkand river Yuzbashi
Popular passages
Page 2 - The favourite amusement of the Botis, both of Ladak and of Balti, is Polo, in which all parties from the highest to the lowest can take a part. I saw the game played at Mulbil, in a field 400 yards long and eighty yards broad, which was walled round for the purpose; with a stone dyke. There were twenty players on each side, all mounted on ponies and armed with sticks about four feet long, and bent at the lower end. One player took the ball and advanced alone into the middle of the field...
Page 3 - chaogan," but it is now completely forgotten. The old chaogan grounds still exist in every large town in the Punjab hills ; in Bilaspur, Nadon, Shujanpur, Kangra, Haripur, and Chamba, where the goal-stones are still standing. The game is repeatedly mentioned by Baber, but after his time it gradually became obsolete. It was introduced by the...
Page 3 - Eastern etiquette; at chaogan in AD 1210.* The Pathan kings of India still continued to join in the game down to the time of Sikander Lodi, in AD 1498, when ' one day, •while the king and his court were playing at chaogan, the bat of Haibat Khan Shirwani by accident came in contact with the head of Suliman, the son of Darya Khan Lodi, -who received a severe blow. This was resented on the spot by Khizr Khan, the brother of Suliman, who, galloping up to Haibat Khan, struck him violently over the...
Page 3 - one day, while the king and his court were playing at chaogan, the bat of Haibat Khan Shirwani by accident came in contact with the head of Suliman, the son of Darya Khan Lodi, who received a severe blow. This was resented on the spot by Khizr Khan, the brother of Suliman, who, galloping up to Haibat Khan, struck him violently over the skulL In a few minutes both sides joined in the quarrel, and the field was in uproar and confusion. Mahmud Khan Lodi and Khan Khauan Lodi interposing, endeavoured...
Page 158 - Pamir from one of our intelligent guides, who said in explanation — ' In former days, when this part was inhabited by Kirghiz, as is shown by the ruins of their villages and burial-grounds, the valley was not all called Pamir, as it is now. It was known by its village names, as is the country beyond Sirikol, which being now occupied by Kirghiz is not known by one name, but partly as Charling, Bas Robat, etc. If deserted it would be Pamir.
Page 3 - The goals were formed of two upright stones, placed about twenty-five to thirty feet apart. When the ball was driven through a goal, one of the successful party was obliged to dismount and pick it up, for, if the opposite party should have driven it back before it was picked up, the goal did not count. The game consisted in winning a certain number of goals, either five, seven, or nine. Numerous musicians were in attendance, who made a most lively din whenever a goal was won, and the noise was increased...
Page 3 - He goals, either fire, seven, or nine. Numerous musicians were in attendance, who made a most lively din whenever a goal •was won; and the noise was increased by the cheers of the successful party. " The game is a very spirited one, and well calculated for the display of bold and active horsemanship.* Accidental blows occur frequently, but the poor ponies are the principal sufferers. The game was once common in India under the name of Ckaogcin, but it is now completely forgotten.
Page 157 - ... mountain chains, between which lie elevated valleys, open and gently sloping towards the east, but narrow and confined, with a rapid fall towards the west. The waters which run in all, with the exception of the eastern flow from the...
Page 24 - Ibs. on each sheep. Beyond this I took no care of them, and they simply took their chance. A great part of the route was over rough and stony ground, but only one sheep broke down, though many of them showed signs of footsoreness at times. The loads, secured by breast and breech ropes, ride well, sinking into the fleece, and not being liable to shift. On fair ground, where they travelled with a broad front, they marched at the rate of one and three-quarter...
Page 24 - Not only were their loads liable to become damaged, but the weight of water hanging in their fleeces, and on several occasions freezing, greatly impeded progress. On the days on which they had no grass, they had literally nothing to eat, as they refused grain, not being accustomed to it. One man was sufficient to manage the lot, and two men, I should say, could easily drive and manage an hundred.