118 
the banks of the lake to the point where 
it receives the river, which is there of 
a great breadth. The whole of the sur- 
rounding country is covered also with 
reeds, aud it is so level, that we never 
could light on the smallest eminence, 
to catch even a partial view of the lake. 
Advancing two days’ journey, we 
reached a bay of the Szir, which might 
be deemed a lake, stretching from NE. 
to SW., thirty-five werstes in length, 
the breadth variable. The banks of 
this bay, bristled like the Szir with 
reeds, are inbahited by Kirguis Tar- 
tars, who live by fishing and agricul- 
ture. They are pretty numerous, but 
very poor, and have scarcely a rag to 
cover them. In March, 1820, they 
were plundered by the Chiwanese, and 
other Kirguis, under the Khan Aman- 
bai. Among these coasters and rang- 
ers of the bay, I saw few that had not 
large scars from the wounds then re- 
ceived, and several had been massacred. 
All related, with grievous lamentations, 
the numberless calamities they were 
then assailed with. 
Their huts are formed of dry reeds, 
placed obliquely, in the roof form, 
most commonly in the midst of the 
reeds, as a. shelter from wind and wea- 
ther. Barley and millet are the only 
grains the sandy soil is susceptible of, 
and the cultivation of these would be 
insecure, if particular care was not 
taken to produce irrigation by canals. 
Our companion, the Sultan. Arun- 
gasi, has assumed, for some years, the 
title of Khan of the Horde of Szir, and 
he is recognized as such by the Bucha- 
rians, though not by the Chiwanese, nor 
by Russia. For his services in accom- 
panying us, he was expecting the sanc- 
tion of this latter power, which alone 
has the right of nominating the Khans 
of the Kirguis. Two other personages 
are aspiring to this dignity. Tschar- 
gasi, whose claim is admitted by Russia, 
and Amanbai, whose tribe extends 
from the river Szir to the frontiers of 
Chiwan. These three competitors are 
on terms of illagreement ; thus Aman- 
bai, assisted by the Chiwanese, has at- 
tacked Arungasi, as before stated, pil- 
laged his lands on the Szir, and mas- 
sacred a number of the Kirguis in his 
dependance. Half of his property is 
lost to Arungasi; one of his brothers, 
with his wife, mother, and other rela- 
tions, have been deprived of their liber- 
ty.. Thirty thousand sheep were car- 
ried off, and Arungasi breathes ven- 
geance. 
Literary Society of Bombay. 
[March], 
In a secret expedition, one of his 
brothers, collecting two or three thou- 
sand Kirguis, surprised certain adhe- 
rents of his enemy, settled between the 
Szir and the Kuwan, put them to flight, 
and gained a considerable booty and 
many prisoners ; among others, the bro- 
ther of Amanbai, with his mother, wife, 
and children. I saw them all in tents, 
where they were guarded by the brother 
of Arungasi. 
Yesterday the Bucharian caravan 
overtook us; it left Oremburg on the 
5th of November, fourteen days after 
us. By this, we learn that the caravan 
of the Chiwanese, which had also de- 
parted from that city, bad been com- 
pletely plundered by the Kirguis of 
Arungasi’s party, and that most of the 
persons who composed it were massa- 
cred. We are now (Dec. 3d,) nine 
hundred werstes, or two. hundred 
leagues, from the point of departure. 
This evening the infantry and artillery 
crossed the Szir’; the rest of the caravan 
will pass to-morrow. 
In a postscript, dated from the banks 
of the Kuwan, Dr. Eversmann says: 
Our passage of the Szir, where it was 
400 paces broad, lasted two hours. The 
ice broke under one camel, which, how- 
ever, was saved, together with his load. 
Arrived on the left bank, we marched 
along it about the space of nine wersts 
across the reeds; then leaving it for a 
south-easterly direction, we reached, 
yesterday, the river Kuwan, which we 
passed this morning early, coasting 
along it the whole day, and we are now 
encamped near it. 
The prisoner, brother of Amanbai, a 
young man of threeand twenty, named 
lakasch, was killed yesterday by his 
conquerors ; at first they discharged a 
pistol at his breast, but this not _provin 
mortal, they rushed upon him, ciaiprok 
him, and cut off his head. The brother 
of Arungasi has taken the wife of 
Iakasch, to replace his own, who is a 
prisoner in the Chiwan. Sueh appears 
to be the usage of the country. 
Subsequent advices report the arri- 
val of the Russian embassy, at the resi- 
dence of the Khan of Bucharia. This 
prince had three wives, one of whom, 
being indisposed, Dr. Eversmann had 
an opportunity of seeing her. He gives 
the following description of .her cos- 
tume: She had on a rich chalatan, i. e. 
a long and wide-spreading robe, worn 
also by the men. Her co#ffure (head- 
dress). consisted of a high bonnet, 
shaped as a truncated cone, and pigold 
anc 
