372 On the U'sbek State of Kolcan, [Aug. 



are stationed, besides a small amount of pay. The use of infantry is 

 unknown. The Khan is said in cases of emergency to be able to bring 

 50,000 horse into the field. 



Most of the inhabitants of this kingdom, with the exception of the 

 Cossac hordes, on the borders of Russia and the Karghiz, towards 

 Kashgar, are U'sbeks, who cultivate the ground themselves. In some 

 parts there are Tajiks*, or people of Persian extraction, who speak 

 that language, and are as serfs to the U'sbek lords, whose estates 

 they cultivate. 



Kokan, the capital, is said to be a very large and populous city, it is 

 not surrounded by a wall ; its population is reported to exceed that of 

 Bokhara, and it is said to contain one hundred colleges and five hun- 

 dred mosquesf ; the number of its inhabitants is rated at 100,000 ; it has 

 many beautiful orchards, and is situated upon two small rivers, called 

 the Aksai and the Karasai, which fall into the Sihun or Jaxartes, 

 near Kojend. It contains a large colony of Jews ; about twenty Hindus, 

 and many Cashmerians ; no Armenians ; but there are some Noghai 

 Tartars from Russia, especially one, who is a watch-maker. 



The Ulema, or literati, are well read in the Persian classics, and the 

 Persian language is spoken with nearly the same accent as by the 

 Afghans ; the dialect differs much from that now used in Persia, and 

 more resembles that of the 16th century. Many Turki compositions 

 are also read and admired ; the Turki spoken in this 'country, is what 

 is called the JaghataiJ, and differs much from the Turki of Constanti- 

 nople, which however derives its origin from it. 



The climate seems to verge on extremes : — in the winter, great cold 

 prevails, and much snow falls ; in the summer again the heat is 

 oppressive. 



The natives are as bigotted Muhammedans as those of Bokhara. A 

 mohtesib goes round and bastinadoes any one caught smoking tobacco. 



* The word Tajik was first used to distinguish those who had been subject to 

 the Arab rule in contradistinction to the invading Turks. 



•p I suspect my informant of some exaggeration here. 



X The Jaghat£i Turki is the language of Central Asia, from the river Ural to 

 the Oxus,and from the Caspian to Yarkend, (in many of the cities however Persian 

 is generally spoken and understood ;) this refined dialect of the ancient Turki was 

 called Jaghatai, from having been much polished and refined during the reign of 

 Jagha'ta'i Kha'n, the son of Chengiz. From this language is derived the language 

 of the Turki of Constantinople, of the Turkmans, and of the Elluat of Turkish 

 origin in Persia, though these dialects differ considerably now from the mother 

 tongue, and in the Usmalu Turki, so much Arabic and Persian has been intro- 

 duced as to render this language very difficult to be understood by the natives 

 of Tar tar y. 



