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in trade, and therefore many of them are met with in all 

 commercial places. They are known to Europeans by 

 the name of Bokhaiians, as the merchants from Bokhara 

 who visit the fairs of Nishnei Novogorod and other places 

 are Tajicks. They are permitted even to trade in the 

 western provinces of China Proper, in Shensi and Shansi, 

 and some of them visit Kiachta. They conform in their 

 dress and costume to the Turks, but preserve their lan- 

 guage. They are Mohammedans. 



Though Thian Shan Xanlu was subject to the Khalkas 

 Mongols for a considerable length of time, no traces exist 

 of this nation ever having formed settlements in the coun- 

 try. The Olb'th Calmucks, when governed by the Galdan 

 and his successors [So N'G ARIA, vol. xxii., p. 245], occupiedit 

 for a short time, and as they expelled the Khalkas wherever 

 they met them, the total absence of Mongol colonies may be 

 accounted for. There are however in the eastern districts, 

 especially in the town of Kami and its vicinity, a considerable 

 number of Oloth Calmucks, who after the defeat of the Galdan 

 quietly submitted to the sway of the Mantchoos. The number 

 of Chinese is not large. Besides the officers of government, 

 a small number are established in the large commercial 

 towns as merchants ; some of them also exercise other 

 trades ; but. it does not appear that agricultural settlements 

 have been made by them in this country, as in Songaria. 



In the mountains at the north-west corner of Thian Shan 

 Xanlu is a tribe of Kirghis, called the Kara Kir- 

 ghis. and another tribe of that nation is met with in the 

 ranges of the Tartashling. Both are nomadic tribes, occu- 

 py ing during the summer the highest portion of the moun- 

 tain-region with their herds of camels, yak, horses, and 

 sheep, and descending in winter to the lower regions. 



Commerce, Towns, and Manufactures. Nearly 1800 

 years ago a commercial road was established, which tra- 

 verses this country in its length from east to west, and by 

 which the commerce between China and Western Asia has 

 been carried on nearly without interruption. After the 

 downfall of the empire of the Hiongnu under the dynasty 

 of Han, when the dominion of the Chinese extended to the 

 shores of the Caspian Sea, and nearly met the eastern 

 boundary of the Western or Roman empire, this road was 

 iirst used for the purposes of commerce, and silk and other 

 articles were thus brought to Western Asia. This road 

 passes through the countries which lie along the base of 

 the Thjan Shan Mountains. Another road, which has 

 probably been used for an equal length of time, connects 

 I'liian Shan Xanlu and China with the northern parts of 

 India, especially with Cashmir, and is also much used at 

 the present day. As almost all our knowledge of the 

 towns of this country and their manufactures is derived 

 from the accounts of the merchants who have passed along 

 these roads, we shall follow their track in noticing them. 



The caravans of China, bound for the western countries, 

 or Siyii, as they are called there, after leaving the town of 

 Shatsheou ami the gate of Kia-yu-kooan [TANCUT, vol. 

 xxiv., p. 32], pass through the desert of Han-hai and 

 arrive after 20 days' journey at Hami (42 53' N. lat. and 

 !i:r 50' E. long.;. " Hami, or Khamil, as it is called by the 

 natives, is a fortified place, being surrounded by high walls, 

 which enclose a space about two miles and a half in cir- 

 cuit. The town is surrounded by large suburbs, where the 

 caravans stop before they proceed for the west, and is 

 populous. The streets are straight and regular, but the 

 nouses low and built of dried clay. The country which 

 surrounds the town is not distinguished by fertility, but 

 it is cultivated with extraordinary care and industry. 

 C! rapes, melons, and other fruits are sent to China in great 

 quantities. 



About 240 miles west of Hami is Pidshan, a fortress 

 which is nearly two miles in circuit, and near which the 

 caravan road passes. About 60 miles farther is Turfan, a 

 considerable place, which however suffered much in 

 the wars of the last century. Karashar is 290 miles west 

 of Turfan. Its fortress is not large, not exceeding one 

 mile in circuit. The town is rather populous, and built on 

 the banks of the Kaidu river, which is said to be navigable 

 at this place. Its commerce is considerable, but manu- 

 factures are not mentioned, except that the inhabitants ex- 

 <,] in 1 he art of embroidery. Kuril, or Kurungli, is situated 

 on that portion of the Kaidu river which connects the 

 Bostu Xor with Lop Nor, and contains a population of 

 about 4(XK> individuals. The country round the town is 

 P. C., No. 1534. 



very fertile. The town is 50 miles distant from Karashar 

 to the south-west. Bukur or Bugur, nearly 200 miles 

 distant from Kurli, contains 2000 families, or 10.000 in- 

 dividuals, and has a considerable commerce in copper, oil, 

 sheep-skins, butter, and furs, especially lynx-skins. 



Kutshe, which is 100 miles distant from Bugur, is a 

 large town which is three miles in circumference, and 

 contains a great population, of which 6000 are Turks. 

 The mountains north of the town contain several mines, 

 from which copper, saltpetre and sulphur, and sal ammo- 

 niac, al-e obtained. At this town begins the road which 

 leads across the Thian Shan Mountains to Kuldsha in Hi, 

 by the mountain-pass called Mussur Dabahn. Before it 

 reaches the mountain-pass, it runs through the town of 

 Sailim, which is built in an elevated valley, and near some 

 mines. South-west of Kutshe is the town of Shayar, in a 

 district producing abundance of rice, melons, and fruit. 

 It contains a population of 4000 individuals. 



In the valley of the Aksu Daria are the towns of Aksu 

 and Ushi. Aksu is a large commercial and manufacturing 

 town, which, according to one statement, contains COOO 

 houses, and, according to another, a population of 20,000 

 families. It is not fortified. Its commercial importance 

 is not only derived from its being one of the largest places 

 of depot on the great caravan-road from China, but also 

 from another road, which leads in a north-eastern direc- 

 tion to the mountain-pass of Mussur Dabahn, by which 

 it communicates with Kuldsha, the capital of Hi, and by 

 which it not only receives the produce of that country, 

 but also several articles brought from Russia. [SONGARIA, 

 vol. xxii., p. 245.] Buchanan merchants from -Tobolsk 

 sometimes proceed as far as this place, and it is likewise 

 visited by traders from Khokand, Tashkend, and Bokhara. 

 Its manufactures are numerous, especially those of cotton- 

 stuffs, among which one called bumaseya is in great request 

 in Siberia and Turkistan, and a kind of stuff, half silk and 

 half cotton. Several articles made of leather, especially 

 those of deer-leather, as harness and saddles, which are 

 embossed with great art, are also highly valued, and 

 exported to distant places. There are also some potteries, 

 and many persons are employed in cutting and polishing 

 precious stones. The Chinese garrison, consisting of 3000 

 men, inhabits a separate quarter of the town. Ushi, 

 which lies higher up in the valley of the Aksu Daria, is 

 built in the centre of an extensive country of great fertility, 

 and is stated to contain 10,000 families. This place has a 

 mint, in which copper coin is made, and it appears to carry 

 on a considerable commerce. 



The town of Kashgar is situated in the north-western 

 angle of Thian Shan Nanlu, and at the commencement of 

 the mountain-road which, traversing the chain that con- 

 nects the Thian Shan with the Tartashling, leads to Fer- 

 ghana and the towns of Khokand and Tashkend. This 

 road rftns in a north-north-western direction. At this place 

 also begins the other caravan-road, which, running south- 

 east and passing along the eastern declivity of the Tartash- 

 ling, and passing through the towns of Yarkiang and Kho- 

 tan, leads over the Karakorum Pass to Leh, Gertope, and 

 Cashmir. Besides these two lines of communication and 

 the great caravan-road to China, a fourth road, commenc- 

 ing at Kashgar, runs north-east over the Thian Shan Moun- 

 tains by the Rowat Pass, and, skirting the western shorn 

 of Lake Issekol, leads to Kuldsha and the banks of the 

 Irtish river. This last road appears to be much frequented 

 by Russian merchants. The advantages derived from all 

 these roads concentrating at Kashgar render this town one 

 of the most commercial in the interior of Asia. It is said 

 to contain 15,000 houses, and a population of 80,000 indi- 

 viduals. In the Chinese geography the population is said 

 to consist of 16,000 persons paying a capitation-tax, which 

 would carry it to rather more than is stated by Russian 

 travellers. The Turkish and Bucharian merchants of Kash- 

 gar visit the countries north of Hindustan, Bokhara, and 

 Tobolsk ; and numbers of merchants who are settled in the 

 neighbouring independent states are always found in the 

 town. All those who are of Turkish origin have free 

 access to it ; but the entry of Europeans is prevented by 

 the Chinese authorities. In the middle of the town is a 

 large square, from which four extensive bazars brinch oft'. 

 The Chinese garrison consists of 8000 men, wh i are sta- 

 tioned here to repress any invasion from the side of Kho- 

 kand, and are quartered in a strong fortress, which is con 



VOL. XXIV. 3 B 



