Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 128

116
THE INDIAN ARTIQUARY
[JUNE, 1917
where the Indus makes its sharp bend to the south. Access to this famous defile, where the bed of the mighty river is reported to contract into an exceedingly narrow rift, is closed by independent tribal territory. Even from afar European eyes saw it now for the first time. How I wished that a Pakhtun Wali's expansionist policy might open the route some day for exploring those Indus gorges, where the old Chinese pilgrims made their way south by the dreaded rock galleries “ of the hanging chains."!
The descent to the Tangir River over cliffs and vast slopes of rock débris was a trying experience ; but the valley itself proved remarkably open and fertile. Fruit trees and vines were more plentiful than in Darel, and the mosquitoes a little less fierce. The population is scattered in clusters of hamlets, and showed a manly bearing. Of those fortified villages, in which the Darel people seem to have always sought shelter since early times, I could trace no ruins here. I had a very pleasant reception at Jaglot, where Paktun Wali had established his original stronghold, and where his family ordinarily resides. The original modest structure which he occupied as a refuge from Chitral had witnessed a memorable siege by the powerful Gabarkhel tribesmen who hold the upper portion of Tangir, and who then vainly tried to rid themselves of their ambitious exile-guest. Their defeat marked the first stage in Pakhtun Wali's rise to power. The old animosities seemed to be still smouldering here, and as we moved up the valley, our ever-watchful escort took special care to safeguard us from any attempt of Pakhtun Wali's old foes, or the fanatical talib-ilms," or religious students, gathered in numbers round a famous Mullah at the mosque of Kami.
In the great forest belt at the head of the Satil branch of the valley hundreds of Patnans from Upper Swat and the independent tracts lower down the Indus were engaged in cutting the magnificent timber, an important source of revenue to Raja Pakhtun Wali. The timber is made to float down the Indus under arrangements with Kakakhel traders, who owing to the sanctity enjoyed by their clan, are able to exploit this business in tracts otherwise far too risky. Here we were joined by Mian Shahzada, the uncle of Afrazgul, my Kakakhel surveyor, who for years had been in charge of these operations, and whose opportune intercession had helped to overcome the Raja's original scruples about our passage. Shahzada had charged himself with the responsibility of keeping all fanatical characters in these woodcutters' camps out of mischief, and by his effective help amply earned the recommendation I could give him to the district authorities of his far-off home on the Peshawar border.
All arrangements worked smoothly to the end, and when on August 21 we safely reached the Sheobat Pass, over 14,000 feet in height, on the range which forms the watershed between the Indus and the Gilgit river drainage, it was with regret that I left behind Pakhtun Wali's fascinating doininion, from which we had just "lifted the Purdah." I was sorry to bid farewell to our hardy escort of outlaws, after meeting the large posse of respectable Gilgit levies which had waited on the other side of the pass to take charge of us. It was amusing to watch the ill-disguised expression of distrust with which the latter viewed our quondam protectors, some of them well ismembered, no doubt, from their old raids and similar exploits. The ample and richly deserved rewards I gave to Pakhtun Wali's men however, sufficed to efface any unpleasant reciprocal feelings.
In order to reach the big Yasin Valley through which our northward route was to lead we had firat to gain the Gups post on the Gilgit River. The mountains to the south of the