58 ASIA 



dreary landscape of the tracts bordering on the Caspian 

 and covering most of the low Ust-Urt plateau between 

 that sea and the Aral, where, however, conditions are made 

 worse by the unfavourable nature of the soil, which, 

 besides being salt and destitute of moisture, often con- 

 tains poisonous substances. 



Through the deserts of Turan, the Amu, and the Syr 

 Darias stretch two thin lines of oases. The other rivers 

 lose themselves in the sands, after breaking up into 

 fertile swamps. 



Along the southern and eastern margins of Turan 

 extends a belt of terraces, foot-hills, and alluvial tracts, 

 whose naturally fertile soil derives moisture not only 

 from the vicinity of the highlands, but also from their 

 snow-fed rivers: in fact, this belt owes its existence 

 wholly to the mountain streams. It is lined with little 

 oases along the foot of the Khorassan ranges and ex- 

 pands in the valleys of the Heri-Rud, Murghab, Amu, 

 Zerafshan, Syr, and Chu. A good soil and a sufficiency 

 of water, notwithstanding the extreme but not hostile 

 climate, put those rich valleys in striking contrast with 

 the forbidding solitudes of Turan proper. The land of 

 Fergana bears comparison with the plains of Lombardy, 

 and the upper valley of the Amu is still broader and 

 richer. In the past, these border-lands were prosperous 

 and each drop of water was carefully appropriated ; each 

 of the valleys mentioned was a centre of civilization. 

 Powerful empires in Fergana, Sogdiana, Bactria, and 

 Wergian, with splendid cities such as Kria, furthest 

 Alexandria, Samarkand, Bactra (modern Balkh), Merv, 

 and Herat have left imposing ruins ; but the increasing 

 dryness of the climate, coupled with invasions of the 

 nomad shepherds from the desert, gradually extended 

 the limits of Turan. To this day, however, portions of 



