Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-12
EXPEDITION ACES
HIGH ASIA PASSES
Pamir Mountains Lie Ahead
of Haardt Auto Party, Now
at GiIgit, India.

Perils Of the Pamir Mountain passes
still face the Citroen -Haardt Asiatic
expedition, which reported by --ssio to
exc Nataonal Geographic Soa@sty that
It had reached Gilgit, British oItnost
Of the remote North India roof OF
the world
Gilgit is q small town of few
hundred natives with a touch of the
West displayed in the British agent s
residence. a handful Of British admin
istration officials and few scattering
articles of Western merchandise IN ltS
shops 1t is about one-third the as
lance the expedition will have to travel
from Srinagar at the southern base OF
the mountains. to KaSflgar. Chlnese
Turbestan. which lies a short distance
beyond the northern base.
First Vehicles Over Trail
The Gilgit population was amazed at
the entry of the two expedition cars
the first wheeled vehicles to traverse
cruel Gilgit trail.
province, are peopled by nlountaineers
who exc q scanty living by cultivating
rock-strewn valley floors almost stripped
+ of their tillable soil by raging Spring
torrents.
Beyond Gilgit, people are fewer and
barren valleys and gorges abound. now
and then a patch of orchards or tiny
farms tended by sturdy mountain tolk
suddenly springs into view. To support
the population In the Pamlrs, every
acre of tillable soil must yield its ulti-
mate every year.
Rougher Going Ahead.
The route is like that south of Gilgit,
- r,f
bar of the expedition, detouring around
landslides and climbing and descend
ing rough zigzagging trails. The farther
north they 20, the rougher the going.
In some places the trail Is squeezed
between valley walls forming deep
canyons. One stretch is blasted from
a precipitous cliff, while another por-
tion is propped by pegs and poles
driven into the facing of cliff. The
Winter trail following the river bed
Is not so difficult as the Summer trail
which winds around lofty cliffs above
the stream, because thawing glaciers
swell the mountain torrents at this time
Of the year.
Mountain Five Miles High.
Rakaposri, thrusting its snowy sum-
nit 255O0 feet high, Is an outstanding
feature of the beyond Gilgit" portion
of the trail, while occasional small vii
lagos that nestle behind rocky clefts
offer amazing studies Of mountain life.
Natives play a modified polo with balls
and mallets carved from tree roots.
Men don WOODEN caps with rolled
edges, long coats, baggy trousers and,
when they can afford them, leather
boots Often the only difference in the
dress of the women Is a shawl head
covering.
Baltit, about 40 miles beyond Gilgit,
lies in one of the few fertile spots along
the way. For nearly 10 miles before
reaching the town the trail passes
through orchards and small farms, but
beyond the town is region almost
devoid Of cultivation. Here it again
zigZags through narrow canyons. Some
portions of the trail may be traversed
only in the early morning because Of
falling glacial ice.
Altitude Of Pass Is $4,000 Feet.
The terminus Of the British telegraph
line from KaShnir is at Misgar about
20 miles from the India-Chinese
Tirkestan border, In the heart Of the
Panirs. Beyond this village the trail is
not as well built or as well kept as
from Kashmir to Kashgar are tele-
grapl1ed to Misgar and then dispatched
by coolies to the Chinese Turkestan
city, a 12-day run.
The Nfintaka Pass, which will usher
the expedition into Chinese Turkestan,
is Is, 1000 feet above sea level-the high
est pass on the Gilgit road. The
glacial ice and snow on Mintaka throw
q binding glare by day. At night the
ice-gripped peaks chill the winds TO
Arctic sharpness.