AFGHANISTAN

65

At its southern extremity (after circling round the
head of the Tagdumbash Pamir, which diverts it from its
meridional strike) the Sarikol system unites with the giant
chain of Muztagh on the east, separating China from the
sphere of Indian influence, and merges into the Hindu
Kush range on the west. The axis of the Hindu Kush
now becomes the Afghan boundary, which, striking off in
a westerly direction, and separating the head waters of
the Oxus from those of the Indus, follows an uneven trend
for about 100 miles to a point where it overlooks Kala
Panja on the Upper Oxus. Thence the main range changes
its general direction to south-west, and for 300 miles
more follows a much indented and most irregular course
to the neighbourhood of Bamiin, where it terminates in
the Koh-i-Baba mountain system. Thus the Hindu Kush
mountain chain (so called from the fact that a Hindu force
was lost in the attempt to cross into Turkestan by a pass
north of Kabul, now known as the Hindu Kush, or
““dead Hindu” —also known as the Kaoshan), has a total
length of about 400 miles, and throughout this distance
forms the main watershed between the Oxus and the
Indus. It is riddled with passes, the altitude of which
varies between 12,500 and 19,000 feet, but it is a remarkable
 fact that this gigantic watershed, cradled amongst
the highest mountains of the world, claims but one single
peak of special prominence. The Sad Istragh (overlooking
the Panja River) is, as far as we know, the highest on the
watershed. Its summit is 24,170 feet above sea-level.
But this is comparatively insignificant when compared to
the magnificent array of snow-capped sentinels which
guard the upper reaches of the Indus tributaries on the
great spurs which are thrown off southwards. Although
not much higher than Sad Istragh (Tirach Mir, overlooking
 Chitral is 25,400, and Rakapushi, between Hunza and
Gilgit, 25,500 feet), they form by their comparative isolation
 and relative altitude to surrounding peaks and ridges,
as well as by the grandeur of their outlines, a group of
such magnificence as is only to be found again around
Everest on the north-east frontier of India. The main axis
"