476 KAMI, OR KUMUL 



Kirghiz shepherds. Karlik Tagh might be described as 

 the meeting-place of three great territorial divisions, 

 Mongolia, Dzungaria, and Turkestan. For, in point of 

 fact, the territory of the Khan actually touches on all 

 these countries. 



This unpretentious oasis has taken an important share 

 in the affairs of Inner Asia owing to its unrivalled position, 

 and for this same reason it has experienced a long and 

 chequered career. 



In the early days, between the ninth and twelfth 

 centuries, Kumul formed a part of the Uigur dominion, 

 and it is probable that the first cultivators, and, indeed, 

 the actual creators of the oasis, were the ancient Uigurs, 

 who, coming in this direction when driven out from 

 Mongolia, made large settlements on both flanks of the 

 Tian Shan in the neighbourhood of the present-day 

 Urumchi and Turf an. In the Kumiuliks we may see the 

 remnant of that ancient race whose migrations, and success 

 as agriculturists, have so materially altered this part of Asia. 



During the Mongol supremacy the oasis fell to the 

 portion left by Jenghis Khan to his son Chagatai ; but 

 there was small mention of Kumul in those days, for it 

 lay to the south of the pasture-zone which formed the 

 main resort of the Mongol hosts. Later, during the 

 period that China held no very strong hold over her 

 far-western dependencies, Dzungaria and Turkestan being 

 in constant revolt, Kumul was more in evidence, for she 

 was frequently in trouble and constantly changing her 

 suzerain. Kumul formed the base of Chinese military 

 operations not only during the crushing of the Dzungar 

 Empire and the Dungan insurrection, but during the 

 suppression of Yakub Beg. 



Kumul is the key to Dzungaria, and is therefore of 



