An Immortal Trek. 



the eighteenth century they were settled on the Volga under 

 Russian jurisdiction, but in 1771 took place the migration of 

 all the Kalmuks there established (to the number of nearly half a 

 million) to Dzungaria and the Thian Shan districts of Chinese 

 Turkistan, a trek immortalised by De Quincey in his " Fhght 

 of a Tartar Tribe." This celebrated journey, surpassing that 

 of the great Boer trek from Cape Colony in 1836 to the country 

 north of the Orange and Vaal Rivers, occupied a period of eight 

 months, during which the Kalmuks suffered many vicissitudes 

 through the hostility of Kirghiz and Russians whose territories 

 they were traversing. Towards the close of the year in question 

 they reached the province of Dzungaria, then recently conquered 

 and depopulated by the Chinese. Here they were in hopes of 

 finding a permanent place of settlement and of forming an 

 independent kingdom. In this they were disappointed, for the 

 Chinese had taken over the country ; so but two alternatives 

 presented themselves, either they must become subject to China 

 or turn back on to the Kirghiz and Russians, hard upon their trail. 

 They preferred to remain under Chinese domination and were 

 accordingly permitted to settle in the Kunges and Tekkes 

 Valleys, where ample pasturage was obtainable for their immense 

 herds of cattle and horses. 



Those Kalmuks within the boundaries of the Chinese Empire 

 pay an annual tribute in kine to the authorities, and also furnish 

 the mounted levies established along the border and in the 

 western part of the Tekkes Valley. For purposes of adminis- 

 tration they are divided into sections, presided over by officials, 

 who are responsible for judicial and military affairs in con- 

 nection therewith, the higher grades of those in the Hi Valley 

 being nominated from New Kulja, the headquarters of the 

 \'iceroy. 



The supreme head of both the Kalmuk and Kazak tribes- 

 men of this portion of the Celestial dominions is the Governor- 

 General, or Chang Jung, who resides at Suidun, twenty-four 

 miles west of Kulja. This official is a ^Manchu of high rank, 



179 N 2 



