613 



SONGARIA. 



SONGARIA. 



mountains, which in summer supply abundant means of watering the 

 soiL It is stated that the Chinese and Mongols who have been trans- 

 planted to this country have made considerable progress in cultivating 

 the ground, and that it is rather populous. But the cultivable and 

 cultivated space is not of great width, as the rivers at a distance of 

 20 or 30 miles from the base of the mountains arrive at the lowest 

 depression of the basins, and there form the three above-mentioned 

 lakes, which are surrounded by extensive swamps. We have no 

 information respecting the country to the north side of the lakes, nor 

 respecting the extent of the lakes themselves. 



North of the basins of the lakes of Ajar and Khulussntai are 

 several smaller basins, and a larger one which is drained by the river 

 Uruughu, which falls into a large lake called Kusilbauh, or KhaaeUxuh. 

 We are entirely unacquainted with the natural capacities of this 

 region, and only know that the greater part of the Turgut Mongols, 

 who left Russia in 1771 and 1772, were settled in these parts, whence 

 we may infer that it is more fit for pasture than agricultural purposes. 



The basin of the Lake Kisilbash liea south-east of the basin of the 

 river Irtdh, which occupies that extensive tract of country which is 

 south of the Egtag, or Great Altai, and north of the chain of the 

 Tiirbaiatai Mountains, and is closed on the west by the low ridge of 

 the Kheirek Mountains. This extensive basin was explored by com- 

 mand of Peter the Great. The expedition sailed to the Lake of 

 Zauatiy, from which the river issues. The lake is about 70 miles 

 long and 10 miles wide, and abounds in fish. The banks are swampy 

 and overgrown with cane* and reeds. The river Irtish, which 

 originates in the Egtag Altai, enters the lake at iti eastern extremity, 

 after a course of about 250 mile*. It may be navigated to * consider- 

 able distance by large river barge*. The country about the lake was, 

 when first visited, in possession of the Songares, and no part of the 

 basin at that time seemed to be cultivated. At present, some tribes 

 of Khirghis Cossaka are found in these part*, and they occupy this 

 country exclusively, with the exception of a few Chinese and Mand- 

 hoos, who are established along the boundary-line of Siberia. In 

 the eastern districts of the basin however some tribes of the Songares 

 hare maintained their footing. Nearly all of them lead a wandering 

 life, and some live by the produce of the chace. The Russians, who 

 dwell farther north on the banks of the Irtish, with the permission of 

 the Chinese authorities carry on an extensive fishery in the river 

 below its efflux from the lake, and a few of them advance even across 

 the lake to the upper course of the river. 



Between the Tarbagatai Mountains on the north, and the Ala-tau 

 range on the south, ii the basin of Lake Alai-tU and of the river 

 EuiyL The lake is (aid to extend more than 60 miles east and west, 

 and about half that length north and south. The course of the river 

 does not much exceed 100 miles. The level part of the baain has a 

 oil consisting of gravel, and consequently of little fertility, but at 

 the base of the mountains and along the rivers there are many fertile 

 tract* of considerable extent, which are cultivated with care by the 

 Khirghis Coataku, who came after the Songares had left the country. 



In the Lake Alakul there is a lofty island called Aral-tube, which 

 is an extinct volcano. Two other extinct volcanoes occur in the 

 Thian-ahan Mountains, the western called Pe-ahan, near S3' E. long., 

 and the eastern called Hotsheou, north of Turfan, near 90 B. long. 

 Along the northern declivity of the Thian-ahan Mountain* there are 

 several tract* which are covered with volcanic products, and on which 

 sal ammoniac and sulphur abound. It seems therefore that here, 

 nearly in the centre of Alia, and at a distance of from 1000 to 

 1800 miles from the sea, an extensive volcanic system has once been 

 in action, and the earthquakes, which even in modern time* have 

 been felt in thi* country, show that this powerful cause is still in 

 operation. 



Climate. A* thi* country is placed between two great desert", 

 which are no lew distinguished by great heat in summer, than by 

 erere cold in winter, we may suppose, in the absence of all positive 

 information on the subject, that Songaria partakes of both in a con- 

 siderable degree. Rain, which is so rare in the deserts, doe* not 

 appear to be abundant in Songaria, a* we must infer from the circum- 

 stance that where the ground is cultivated irrigation is practised ; in 

 winter however snow falls in considerable quantities. 



Production*. Wheat, barley, and millet are cultivated, but rice 

 only in the southern district*, especially on the banks of the 111 

 Tobacco is very extensively grown, and vegetables abound. There 

 are excellent melons of several kinds. The lower declivities of the 

 mountains are covered with trees, but the greater part of the country 

 is destitute of them. The most common trees are pines, mountain- 

 ash, poplars, willows, lime-trees, and birch. 



The herds of the wandering tribe* consist of horses, camels, cattle, 

 and sheep. Deer, argali, and wild hogs are extremely numerous, 

 Most of the lake* abound in fish. The fish taken by the Russians 

 are chiefly sterlets, sturgeons, white salmon, StUmo JlumaiUu, and 

 ffattui lota. 



The mineral* which are mentioned are sal-ammoniac, sulphur, salt, 

 iron, and coal The last two minerals are found in abundance a few 

 miles west of Kuldsha, 



MtabilunU. The Khirghis Cogsaks possess the western districts 

 line* the downfall of the empire of the Songares. In the other part* 

 of Songaria the different nations of the 016th or Kalmucks form the 



bulk of the population. The most numerous are the Turgut, or 

 rather Toorgoot, who emigrated from Russia in 1771 and 1772, and 

 were then estimated to amount to about 80,000 families. The two 

 united nations of the 016th proper and the Songares are dispersed 

 over the whole country, and among them are settled the nations 

 which, since 1757, have been sent there by the court of Peking, the 

 Tshagar Mongols, the Mandshoos, and tho Chinese themselves. The 

 Mandshoos and Chinese are engaged in agriculture, commerce, trade, 

 or employed by government The Tshagars are soldiers and agricultu- 

 rists, and chiefly live in the military colonies. The majority of the 

 other tribes live on the produce of their herds, but many of them 

 apply themselves to agriculture. 



Divitiota and Toww. The eastern districts, or those which extend 

 along the northern base of the Thian-shan Mountains, have been 

 incorporated into the province of Kansi, which constitutes an Integra 

 part of China proper. The western districts are united under a 

 provincial government, established at Kuldsha on the Hi, and con- 

 stitute the government of Hi. These two parts together are also 

 known under the name of T/iian-ghan Pelu, or the North Road of 

 Thian-shan, as the great road from Peking to the north-western 

 boundary of the Chinese empire traverses them in their length. The 

 northern districts, that is, the basin of the rivers Irtish and Urung-hu, 

 and some smaller basins, constitute a part of the government of Kuobdo, 

 or Gobdo, the greater portion of which lies east of the Egtag Altai. 



That part which belongs to the province of Kansi contains the 

 towns of Barkol and Oorum-tsi. Barlcol, called by the Chinese Tshin- 

 i-fu, is near the eastern extremity of the Thian-shau Mountains, 

 north of Hami ; it is a fortress with a considerable garrison, and it has 

 some commerce on account of the great road passing through it. 

 The country in which it is built seems to be very elevated, as it U 

 stated that snow sometimes occurs in July. Oorum-tsi, or l'rum-tn, 

 which lies about 250 miles farther west, near the base of some offsets 

 of the Bogdo Oola, in a very fertile district, consist of two towns, 

 Old and New Oorum-tsi, which are about two miles from one another. 

 They are well built, with wide streets. The military colony originally 

 established at these places consisted of $000 families. The town has 

 a large population, and is considered to be the most thriving and 

 industrious place in Songaria. The Chinese have established several 

 manufactures and schools. The Chinese name of Oorum-tsi is Ty- 

 hua-choo. It is a town of the second class, the capital of the western 

 district of Kansi. It carries on a considerable trade with Kuldsha 

 and Tarbagatai 



The capital of the government of Hi is Kuldsha, or Gouldsha, called 

 also Hi and Km a, and by the Chinese Hoei-yuan-shing. It stands 

 about a mile from the banks of the river Hi, and is inclosed with a 

 wall built of hewn stone 18 feet high. It contains about 10,000 houses 

 and 50,000 inhabitants, and is the seat of the provincial government, 

 and of the military administration of the army, which is posted along 

 the western boundary of the Chinese empire. It carries on a con- 

 siderable trade with Oorum-tsi and Signan in Shensi, and also with 

 Kashgar in Chinese Turkistan, and with Tarbagatai. About 9 miles 

 N. from Kuldsha is Kathmir, or Kashmir-hurt, a modern town with 

 3000 houses, mostly inhabited by Chinese settlers, who are very 

 industrious. Tarbayatai, called by the Khirghis Cossaks Toogootshuk, 

 and by the Chinese Soui-shing-ching, is situated not far from the 

 southern base of the Tarbagatai Mountains, and is fortified. It con- 

 tains about 600 houses, and 5000 inhabitants, of whom 2500 belong to 

 the garrison. It carries on a considerable commerce with the KhirghU 

 Cossaks, and has some trade with Kuldsha, Oorum-tsi, and Khobdo. 



That part of Songaria which belongs to the government of Khobdo 

 appears to be almost entirely occupied by wandering tribes, and culti- 

 vation is hardly known. There are neither towns nor villages. 



Commerce. The town of Kuldsha is the centre of a considerable 

 commerce with China. The most active branches seem to be the 

 trade with China proper, and with the town of Aksoo in Chinese 

 Turkistan ; that with Semipalatinskaya in Siberia is less important 

 The principal imports are Chinese manufactures, which are consumed 

 by the Cliinese and Mandshoo families established in Songaria. Some 

 of these articles, especially chinaware, are sold to tlie nomadic tribes. 



The road from Kuldsha to Aksoo in Chinese Turkistan runs 

 directly south, and crosses the Thian-shan Mountains a considerable 

 distance east of the town of Aksoo. On the summit of the range a 

 space 10 miles wide is covered with snow. The principal imports 

 from Aksoo are cotton stufl\ made in the place or imported from 

 Kashgar and Khoten. By this route also a few of the manufactures 

 of Hindustan are brought to Kuldsha, especially muslins of indiffer- 

 ent qualities ; some stuffs, half silk and half cotton ; and several kinds 

 of calicoes. 



The road from Kuldsha to Semipalatinskaya separates from the road 

 to China proper at the foot of the Tokty Mountains running north- 

 wards to Tarbagatai, and from this place it continues north, passing 

 along the western banks of Lake Zaiaang, until it enters Russia, where 

 it turns north-west to Semipalatinskaya. The Russians import only 

 cattle and sheep ; and this they are permitted to do not as Russians 

 but as subjects of some khan of the KhirghU Cossaks. They are 

 paid in cotton stuffs of Aksoo, Kashgar, and Khoten. 



Government. The government of this province is on a military 

 footing. The commauder-in-chief of the troops is also inveited with 



