662 Memoir on Chinese Tartary and Khoten. [Dec. 



Population and Language. — The native population of the country 

 is Usbek, divided, as before stated, into two distinct classes, the Ak 

 Tak, and Kura Tak. The language generally spoken is the Jaghatai 

 Turld, which the Kalmuks also understand. This is probably the 

 purest dialect of the Turki language, there being less admixture of 

 Arabic and Persian, than in any of the others. A collection of a 

 few common words will be found annexed to this memoir, which 

 will show its great affinity to the other branches of that widely diffused 

 tongue. 



Chinese Troops. — The military force stationed by the Chinese in 

 their provinces, is said to amount to between twenty and thirty 

 thousand men. 



Nature of the Government. — The Chinese government is repre- 

 sented to be very unpopular, at the present time, throughout these 

 countries. There seems to be nothing in its system calculated to 

 conciliate, or productive of advantages tending to reconcile the people 

 to subjection to foreigners. The feeling of dislike, with which the 

 Chinese are regarded, has been latterly much increased, in conse- 

 quence of their carrying on vast works of fortification, and building 

 walled towns, by the forced labour of the natives. The Musalman 

 princes, chiefs, &c. are said to occupy, by the natives who had passed 

 through India, nearly the same political position under the Chinese 

 residents, or Umbauns, and stand in the same relation to them, as 

 they supposed the Nawabs, Rajas, &c. of this country do to the 

 residents of the English government, the Chinese interfering little 

 in the direct management of the people, and leaving to the native 

 princes the administration of the government and laws. The 

 revenue, however, is realized entirely by the Chinese, the princes, 

 &c. having large landed assignments. 



English in India. — It is known at Ydrlcand, that India is governed 

 by a nation of Europe (Feringis) ; and, it is said, that the Chinese 

 entertain a high notion of the power of the English, which they view 

 with feelings of apprehension, connected with an idea, that is preva- 

 lent in the country, of its being destined to fall into their hands. 



Chinese Tartary accessible to European travellers. — It is said, that 

 provided a person would dress as a native, allow his beard to grow, 

 and accompany pilgrims on their return from Mecca, there would 

 not be much difficulty in penetrating into Chinese Tartary ; but that 

 the easiest way would be by way of Kokan and Kashgar, as large 

 kafilas of merchants pass that way. The person must, however, be 

 able to speak Turki, as very few of the natives of the country under- 

 stand Persian ; whereas, in the Kokan country, in Independent Tartary, 



