The Journal of Jin Xin of Xilatang
2.19, eighth day, ninth moon
We have reached the mountain range known as Nanbu Shanqu. Seven days of straight marching brought no increase in general morale, and each day we woke up to see the first peaks of the range still seemingly just as far away as the last. It was only on the eighth that they began to appear larger on the horizon, and even then, only marginally.
We began to feel the mountains' presence five days ago, on the fifteenth day of marching from our last camp. Since then, the shadows they cast have been growing closer, and then deeper, ironcally improving the general mood and relieving tension no end. Qian in particular is positively jubilant! Ahead of us lies the last part of our journey, up a narrow, twisting valley with cliffs and mountains on each side. Yan oversaw the construction of floats on which supplies could be transported at the last camp. Today we discarded them. The river ahead is too treacherous to use them.
2.19, fourteenth day, ninth moon
Four days of straight marching. The river flows back in the direction we came from, with countless rapids and waterfalls. We have given it a wide berth when possible.
We camp here tonight, where the valley bends north, and set off again tomorrow. Little light reaches these deepest valleys.
2.19, eighteenth day, ninth moon
We were delayed today. A wind has risen, and with it a fierce storm. One of the supply carts was caught by the wind, and about a week's worth of food for a thousand people has been lost. Morale has sunk, even with Qian's constant encouragement and speeches. Rations have been tightened.
2.19, fifteenth day, eleventh moon
The storm lasted about eight days. We constructed sturdier shelters by dismantling the tents and using the canvas and upturned supply carts (with the supplies left under the carts, not that much is left). When the storm finally subsided, we emerged. We kept moving.
Scouts ahead have reported sightings of some locals, who speak a language similar to that of the Xiong and
Lun cheshou of the north. The language has more delicate tones than their guttural tongue, and is less related to ours, however: the scouts have recorded some of their speech. I have begun an attempt to decipher it, with the help of Sung - one of my organisers, and a keen academic. They appear to have herds of great shaggy horned beasts. We may be able to approach them for food.
Qian has agreed we can cut across country to avoid having to follow the large bend in the river up ahead. We will follow the valleys that cut through the area, where the locals have been sighted.
2.19, twenty-seventh day, eleventh moon
We encountered the locals roughly halfway through our long march through the mountains. They were, to say the least, extremely surprised to see us. When you have travelled through this country, it's easy to see why. The valleys are deceptively difficult to traverse on foot. The supply carts manage well, and many of the older members of the horde have been put on them, but the sharp stones underfoot cut bare feet and stick through footwear. In addition, there is constantly a steep incline or descent to navigate.
When we met the locals, herders of the animal they call yak, on the ninth day of the hard march, Sung and I had deciphered enough of the language to ask them for food. They were generous, but also more importantly pointed out the way to a small valley, further north-west. When we asked if its name was Zhanggu, one local, to our surprise, began to speak to us in fluent Xilan! It appears some of the Zhangat people, who spoke the Xilan language, had ventured here after their defeat at the hands of Xilaroi and Xiong. They had taught the language to the locals.
The valley, in short, wasn't Zhanggu - or, as the locals called it, Ulyan - but it was the site of a small town of about two thousand, named Yuen. The herder we had talked to showed us the way there, and on the way he told us of the valley we had been looking for.
The Zhangat survivors had gone there. More of these herder people lived there - they called themselves the Dawar - and most of them, thanks to the Zhangat, had some Xilan blood in them. Most had forgotten it, he'd said. But some, thankfully, have longer memories than others.
After that, our journey became much easier. The herder decided he was duty bound to show us through the mountains. Three days later, we emerged at the river.
2.19, twenty-fourth day, twelfth moon
Today, we reached the only safe crossing point downriver of Ulyan/Zhanggu. The trek upriver from Yuen was hard, and most or all uphill. A few people fell.
Nonetheless, we reached a large flat area, where the river is wide and shallow. We've camped here, and have started to move our supplies across the Yueh River. Our native guide, Shuru, estimates it will take seven days.
2.19, third day, thirteenth moon
Shuru's estimate was perfect. Today, we finished moving the final supply cart across the Yueh. Shuru shares in our excitement at being only a week's march away from our destination, but has cautioned us. He says we must stay quiet for this part of the journey. His normally joking demeanour was absent when he mentioned this. Seeing that he was serious, Qian and I questioned him further.
Apparently, this region of the Nanbu Shanqu is infested with hostile tribes.
but I'm just kidding no worries. Or are there?
