flucharia. 



Division. 



(Srneral 

 aspect. 



Rivers. 



B U C 



rary subjects, to return to the shores of the Bos- 

 ' phorus, and the enjoyments of Asiatic luxury. In 

 the centre of the town are the bazars, which con- 

 sist of several rows of open shops, protected from 

 the mid-day sun by a roof of timber frame. Here 

 the mechanics are employed, and a great variety of 

 wares exhibited. As the environs of Bucharest 

 abound in corn and wine, and excellent pasturage, 

 its principal trade consists in the exportation of pro- 

 visions to Constantinople. The inhabitants are chief- 

 ly Christians ; but their houses, manners, and dress, 

 resemble much those of their Turkish masters. This 

 town has been subject at different times to the Rus- 

 sians, the Austrians, and the Turks ; and was deli- 

 vered up to the latter power at the. peace of Sis- 

 tova, on the 4th of August 1791, under whose do- 

 minion it has since remained. It is nearly 50 miles 

 S.E. of Tergovitz, and 250 N.N.W. from Constan- 

 tinople. Population, 60,000. N. Lat. 44 SO'; 

 E. Long. 25 51'. See An Itinerary from London 

 to Constantinople, p. 53, in Philip's toll, of Voyages, 

 &c. vol. i. (p) 



BUCHARIA (GREAT), or BOKHARIA, a coun- 

 try of Asia, and part of Independent Tartary, is 

 bounded on the north by the river Sirr and the 

 mountains of Argjun ; on the west by Kharism, Cho- 

 rasan, and the desert of Margiana ; on the south by 

 the Gaur and Hindoo Koh mountains, which sepa- 

 rate it from Persia and Hindostan ; and by the chain 

 of Belur Tag, which separates it from little Bucha- 

 ria, on the east. It lies between 35 and 43 of N. 

 Lat. and 59 and 73 of E. Long, and is supposed 

 to comprehend the Sogdiana and Bactria of the an- 

 cients, with their dependencies; The northern part 

 of it, also, corresponds with the Maweralnahr of 

 the Arabians, which signifies the country beyond the 

 river, and is the same with the ancient Transoxana. 

 Bucharia contains the kingdoms of Samarcand, Balk, 

 and Bucharia properly so called ; each having a town 

 of the same name, except Bucharia, whose capital 

 is Buchara, from which the country takes its name. 

 There are, however, other divisions, many of which, 

 though included in these kingdoms, are subject to 

 separate governments. Towards the north, are the 

 provinces of Fergana, Osrushna, and Sogd; towards 

 the east, Vash, Kotlan, and Kilan ; and on the south, 

 Gaur, and Tokarestan. Of these, Fergana is sub- 

 ject to the Kirguses, and Gaur to the king of Can- 

 dahar. This country presents an agreeable variety 

 of hill and dale. The mountains are lofty and ex- 

 tensive, and the plains are plentifully watered by 

 the Amu and the Sirr, with their tributary streams. 



The Amu, or Jihon, the ajicient Oxus, has its 

 source in the Belur mountains, and directs its course 

 towards the south-west passes by Badakshan and 

 Termed, after receiving numerous streams from the 

 mountains of Ak-Tau, on the north, and Hindoo 

 Koh on the south. When it leaves the latter city, 

 it turns towards the north-west, and being joined by 

 the Dehash, Sogd, Morgab, and Kizil Daria, it falls 

 into the sea of Aral, after a course of nearly 900 miles. 



The Srrr, or 3 ash, sometimes called the Sihon, 

 rises in the mountains of Terek Daban, or northern 

 part of the Belur chain, and taking nearly the same 

 direction as the Amu, washes the cities of Andegan, 



18 B U C 



Cojend, Tashkund, and Tuncat ; and then traversing Buchatia. 

 the desert of Burzuk, it falls into the eastern side */ 

 of the Aral. During its course, which is about 350 

 miles, it receives many tributary rivers ; and it is 

 supposed by some that it is joined by the great river 

 Sarasu from the north ; but so imperfect ig the geo- 

 graphy of this country, that the direct course of 

 that river is yet unknown. Great Bucharia is the 

 best cultivated and most populous region of Inde- 

 pendent Tartary. It is inhabited by three distinct 

 nations ; the Buchars, who were its original inhabi- 

 tants ; the Moguls, who established themselves here 

 under Zagatai, the second son of Zengis Khan ; and 

 the Usbeck Tartars, who are now its actual mas- 

 ters. 



The Buchars are a quiet and inoffensive race, com- Manner* 

 posing the principal population of the towns and cities, and cus--' 

 and employing themselves entirely in trade and coin- t0 * 18 pf the 

 merce. They never interfere with war, but content ln ^ a ^* 

 themselves with conscientiously paying the taxes for its a 

 support ; on which account they are despised by the 

 Tartars, and treated aa a debased and pusillanimous 

 people. They are, however, far superior to the 

 Tartars in manners and appearance. They are, in 



general, tall, elegant, and well made, with black 

 air, and an open lively countenance. The women 

 aie also well shaped, with fine complexions and beau- 

 tiful features. Their garments correspond with their 

 peaceful dispositions ; a long calico robe, reaching 

 to the calf of their leg, over which they wear a vest 

 of quilted silk, and tied round the middle with a 

 silk crape girdle or sash ; trowsers, with light boots 

 like Persian buskins, and a turban, or round cloth 

 bonnet, bordered with fur, constitute their dress in 

 summer. In winter, they are covered with a long 

 cloth gown, lined and trimmed with fur. The robes 

 of the women are full and loose ; their bonnets small 

 and coloured ; and their hair hangs in long tresses, 

 and is decorated with ribbons and jewels. The Us- 

 beck and Mogul Tartars, on the other hand, are 

 clothed for war. Their dress is short, and adapted 

 for exercise. They are the most robust and warlike 

 of all the Tartars, and are continually engaged in 

 hostilities with the Persians. The dart, the arrow, 

 and the spear, were formerly most formidable wea- 

 pons in their hands, but they are now accustomed 

 to the use of fire arms. They, however, still wear 

 coats of mail, and sometimes a shield, to defend 

 themselves from the sabre. Their wives are equally 

 brave and hardy. They often follow their husbands 

 to the field of battle, and undauntedly mix in the 

 slaughter. Their food consists of boiled rice and 

 horse-flesh, and their usual beverage is kiimiss and 

 arak, which are both extracted from mares milk. 

 The summer is spent in predatory excursions, or in 

 wandering over the country, pitching their tents 

 wherever the herbage is most luxuriant; and in win- 

 ter, they retire to the towns and cities. Such of 

 them as are employed in agriculture, live in vil- 

 lages and hamlets. The Tartars are governed by 

 khans, whose power is despotic. The chief of 

 these are the khan of Balk on the south, and 

 the khans of Samarcand and Buchara on the 

 north. The authority of the latter, however, 

 was, according to Haway, confined, in 1741, to 



