1834.] Route of the Vsbek Pilgrims. 379 



II. — Note of a Pilgrimage undertaken by an Usbek and his two Sons from 

 Khokend or Kokan, in Tartary, through Russia, fyc. to Mecca. Obtained 

 in conversation with the parties, by W. H. Wathen, Esq. fyc. 

 About fourteen years ago, A.D.I 820. our father had a house and small 

 estate in the city of Kokan: this he sold for four hundred gold pieces, (a 

 tila of Kokan is equal to ^.bout eight rupees,) or rather more than three 

 thousand rupees, and having determined to abandon worldly cares, and 

 commence a religious life, he took leave of all his friends and relations, 

 and proceeded on a journey, with the view of performing a pilgrimage 

 to the sacred cities of Mecca and Medina. We went from Kokan to 

 Tashkend, which is eight days journey of a caravan : this is a large 

 city, enclosed with a wall, and had been lately taken by our king from 

 Yunis Khoja's sons ; their father had held it as a fief from our 

 government. At Tashkend we waited some days, until the caravan 

 for Russia took its departure : the caravan consisted of about 50 or 60 

 persons, mostly Bokhara and Tashkend people. From Tashkend we 

 then proceeded to a fortified town, called Turkistan, of rather smaller 

 consequence than Tashkend. Leaving this city, we arrived in about ten 

 days at a small place named Sozak. After this, we saw no more fixed 

 habitations, until we had entered the Russian territory. The country 

 consisted of immense Steppes of pasture land, the grass growing to 

 a prodigious height, and it was occupied by hordes of Kuzzaks, who 

 dwelt in small black tents, and ranged about from place to place. 

 After passing through the hordes of Kuzzaks subject to our sovereign, 

 we arrived at the river called the Kuk-Su, and on crossing it 

 found the country occupied by Kuzzaks, dependent on the Russian 

 king, (A.'k Padshah, or White King.) We then arrived at a small place 

 called Shumi : here the Russians collected a toll from the people 

 of the caravan ; but on being told we were pilgrims, they left us alone ; 

 the caravan dispersed at Shumi. We staid at this town two months, 

 and lodged with a Nogai Tartar. We were two months on our journey 

 from Tashkend to the Russian territory. We hired three kibitkas 

 from the Nogais, and went in fifteen days to Omsk, which is a lar^e 

 fortified town. The Russian soldiers, dressed like yours, stopped 

 us at the gates, but on being told we were pilgrims, allowed us to pass. 

 We staid ten days there with a Nogai. We got a passport in the 

 Russian language, from a great man, whom they called General; he had 

 long festoons of gold hanging from his shoulders, and was dressed in 

 black (dark-green). We left Omsk, and after passing through many 

 places, the names of which we do not remember, we arrived at a very 

 large and ancient city, called Kazan. We were allowed to pass at the 

 gates on shewing the passport we had obtained at Omsk. We travel- 

 2 c 2 



