Ruins of Desert Cathay6 - Pathan and Gujar carriers collected at Kolandi, above Dir; Dir levies on flanks - The local carriers were recruited in each valley to carry Stein's gear to the top of the next pass where the next carriers would take over - the levies were part of the armed guard Stein was assigned for protection during is time in Dir. Dir is now very close to the border with Afghanistan, separated by one narrow mountain range. From there going north one crosses the Lowarai pass into Chitral, which is a long valley trending north-east just south of the Wakhan Corridor.