348 



northern extremity of this desert is bounded hy ttas 

 Caspian, for nearly two hundred miles in extent, 

 from west to east. This part of the sea, into which no 

 rivers are discharged, is subject to perpetual inroads 

 from the deserts, by the sand, that is driven in tor- 

 rents by the south easterly winds, and deposited on its 

 shores. 



Through, or rather across this desert, the river 

 Oxus once directed its course, and discharged itself 

 into a gulf, upon the eastern side of the Caspian sea, 

 near \liukisl ik. It continued to pursue this course 

 until the year 1640, tf hen it assumed a different route, 

 since which, its ancient bed has been filled up. 



" The southern and principal branch of the Oxus," 

 (says Mr. Rennell,} which ran into the south east part 

 of the Caspian, has deserted its bed; and according to 

 JUbnlgazi Khan, the tract it ran through, from the con- 

 dition of fertile and well planted fields, is become a 

 sandy desert."* 



Whence, I would again ask, came these changes, 

 but by the operation of the winds upon the sandy de- 

 serts ? There are, 1 believe, no tides in the Caspian 

 sea, to produce this effect : nor are there any rivers 

 which are discharged into this sea at the northern ex- 

 tremity of this great desert, to cause its retreat. Nei-r 

 ther are we willing to admit that this gain of the land 

 was occasioned by tne sand washed, or thrown up by 

 the waves ; since in that case, as the winds blow in ail 



* K*nneil's Herod, p. 533. 



