The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-07
Exploring an Unknown River.

II y
exploring and survey work in central
Asia. We are in a position TO furnish
some particulars Of Captain Deasy's va
rious journeys and OF the results which
he has obtained, says the London Times
Captain Deasy left Srinigar early in
September, 1891. with The object of fol-
lowing the Yarkand River from the west
end Of Raskam northward, and carefully
surveying its hitherto Une1pI0red stretch
es, and as much of the adjacent country
as possible. He travelled by way OF
Gilghit, Hunza, and the Taghdumbash
Pamir. Captain Deasy has taken the
precaution of obtaining a passport from
the Tsung-li- Yamen. and through Mr.
George Mccartney. who IS the British
representative at kashgar. had informed
the Taotai, or Governor, Of Sinchiang of
his intention to travel to Yarkand by
way of the valley OF the Yarkand River
Public orders had been sent 10 the chief
Chinese official at Tashkurghan that ey-
cry assistance was TO be rendered to Cap
tain Deasy, but, as is so frequently the
case with Chinese officials, secret orders
or precisely contrary effect accompanied
the public orders. and Captain Deasy
found that the local officials not only
rendered him no assistance, but obstruct-
ed him by every means in their power.
Finding II impossible to descend the val
ley, ne determined to ascend it. After
ascending the valley for some distance,
Captain Deasy was compelled TO abandon
his journey, and 10 MAKE directly for
Yarkand. He had, however, repeatedly
crossed the deep and rapid Yarkand Riv-
er, and some idea OF the difficulties
which he and his assistant, Ram Singh,
a trained surveyor, whose services were
placed at his disposal by the Indian gov
4
cred from the fact that their camping
grounds were often at an elevation of
5000 feet, and that they We're exposed
to keen and biting winds with the Their
mometer often below zero
After resting for some weeks at Yark-
and, to enable Ram Singh to recover from
an attack of dysentery, Captain Deasy
set out again for the unsurveyed stretch
of the Yarkand River, but owing to
heavy fall of snow, he was unable to
cross the Khandar Pass, and was obliged
to make a retrograde movement u Kd-
sarah. On reaching this place he found
that all the ice had disappeared from the
river and that the banks were so pre-
cipitous that even experienced hill climb
ers could only ascend them in one or two
places. 1t is only in mid-winter, when
the river is frozen over. that il is pos
siole to travel through that part Of the
valley of the Yarkand River lying be-
tween the west end of Raskam and Ko-
sarah. Captain Deasy again returned to
Yarkand, where it was found necessary
to give the baggage animals rest of
some weeks When they had sufficiently
recovered he set out along the line of
cases to Khotan, and thence to Polu,
with the intention of thoroughly eXDlOr-
gin the country south of the Kuen Lua
RI no SftH-sl I'd of no IN
lowed by RoboroYsky. and of ascertain
ing if there were any direct practicable
route from Polu other than that leading
towards Ladahk in the direction of cen
trail Thibet. He was anxious also 10
establish a trigonometrical value for the
longitudes of the principal places visited,
either direct from points fixed by the
great trigOnOmetrical survey of India, or
from peaks whose cO-ordinates he had
himself determined by triangulation dur
ing mis- previous journey in 1896. He was
also DESTROYS of connecting the topograph-
ical work of his present journey with
that which had been carried out under
his supervision two years before, and of
accurately determining the heights of as
many as possible OF the magnificent
snow-clad mountains which abound in
northwestern Tibet and Aksai Chin.
Polu is situated within the jurisdiction
of the Amban of keria, who proved to
be an obstructionist of the first water.
He insisted. both verbally and IN writing,
that Aksai Chin was Chinese territory,
and did not belong to Tibet. He de
clined to allow Captain Deasy to travel
by the direct route through the Polu
Gorge, assigning as his reason that the
French traveller, NJ. Dutreuli de Rhins,
who had been murdered hundreds of
had M
since then il had been closed to every one
But in spite of the obstructive tactics of
the local officials. Captain Deasy sue
ceeded in carrying out HIS program and
brought the triangulation across the high
Kuen Lun Range to within few miles
of Polu The area of country surveyed
was not very large. but the co-ordinates
Of about ninety peaks were determined,
and the source of the Khotan River dis
covered. The return journey to Polu
from Aksai Chin was made BY the direct
route, and the caravan then returned to
Yarkand in order to rest the men and
animals before making another attempt
to reach the unknown part of the Aark-
and River.
This last attempt was successful, not
lwithstanding a repetition of the usual
tactics on the part of the Chinese author
tiles The Amban Of Yarkand, after in
speeding the passport given to Captain
Deasy by the Tsung-li-Tamen detailed a
petty Official to accompany the exped-
ton; but no sooner had It left Yarkaud
thar he dispatched a letter 10 the Beg
Of Sarikol informing him that British
traveller was supposed to be wandering
about in the mountains without any pass
port, and warning the Bek TO keep
sharp lookout and to report on the mys-
tori krlz Tor'g af1fz 10 =.
appears to be that the Chinese were Ut
terIy unable TO understand why any one
should travel about. at great personal
inconvenience, IN q most difficult country,
among high and PERCEPTIONS mountains
and through the exceedingly narrow and
deep intervening valleys. The Talks.
who inhaoit the country commonly. but
eroneously. called Marion Pamir. and
their kiBsmen in the neighboring valleys.
acting no doubt under instruct 3ns. de-
clined 10 give any information about the
direct route leading towards the west end
Of Raskam. They also declined 70 fnr-
nisn guides, and hoped. DO doubt that
Captain Deazy would return 10 karkand
IN this. however. they were mistaken.
The country consisted Of high and pEecig-
uous mountains. separating extremely
narrow valleys some II these valleys
are cultivated, out IL others the dense
Jungle makes II almost impossible f1r
the baggage animals 20 force q passage
Frozen streams added 10 tae difficulties
OF the Journey, and fl ore valley nun1eT-
Gus Ice steps had 10 be cut before the
animals could pass. As matter q fact.
the refusal OF the Talks "a render any
assistance while adding 20 the difficulties
Of Captain Beasyz journey immensely 10
creased the value y the work done. he
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