DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36956#0144
The octroi for the 'suspended crossings'
In the chapter devoted to historical traditions, Andrews mentions a flat
stone laid on the path down the which made a ringing sound
when trodden on. For this reason it was called ba? (drum stone).
Here, octroi was formerly charged in favour of the 'Raja of Tangir': half
of the goods of all those coming or going were extolled, so he was
informed.
The meaning of this octroi became clear, when at Dassu I contacted one
of the Pakistani officers who had supervised the construction of the
Karakorum Highway. Formerly, there had been only one track along the
Indus through the last gorges, sometimes high up on the rocky slopes,
and coming down to the riverside in other places. Ladders and ropes
were therefore fixed at dangerous places. The population of Sazin kept
them in good condition by regular maintenance, so an octroi was well
deserved. In 1979 many soldiers died during the exploration. Previously,
this path was only used in winter when the much easier passes were
closed by snowfall and avalanches. But winter was the time when the
villagers of Kamila and Jalkot were free to carry out trade with the
North. I conclude that the 'suspended crossing' described by Chinese
pilgrims and ambassadors in the first millennium A.D. must have been
situated here (Jettmar 1987b).
128
In the chapter devoted to historical traditions, Andrews mentions a flat
stone laid on the path down the which made a ringing sound
when trodden on. For this reason it was called ba? (drum stone).
Here, octroi was formerly charged in favour of the 'Raja of Tangir': half
of the goods of all those coming or going were extolled, so he was
informed.
The meaning of this octroi became clear, when at Dassu I contacted one
of the Pakistani officers who had supervised the construction of the
Karakorum Highway. Formerly, there had been only one track along the
Indus through the last gorges, sometimes high up on the rocky slopes,
and coming down to the riverside in other places. Ladders and ropes
were therefore fixed at dangerous places. The population of Sazin kept
them in good condition by regular maintenance, so an octroi was well
deserved. In 1979 many soldiers died during the exploration. Previously,
this path was only used in winter when the much easier passes were
closed by snowfall and avalanches. But winter was the time when the
villagers of Kamila and Jalkot were free to carry out trade with the
North. I conclude that the 'suspended crossing' described by Chinese
pilgrims and ambassadors in the first millennium A.D. must have been
situated here (Jettmar 1987b).
128