INDEPENDENT TARTARY 



SITUATION AND EXTENT. 

 Mifes. Degrees. Bij. Miies. 



Length 1500 > . C 31 and 52 North latitude.? rmnm 



ti ni fic nf between -2,. , „ n ^ . .., > 500,000 

 Breadth 850 5 £ 55 and 70 East longitude. 3 



Boundaries. ...These are, on the east, the mountains of Belur, 

 which separate this part of Tartary from Little Bucharia, now sub- 

 jected by the Chinese ; on the south, the mountains of Gaur, which 

 divide it from Persia ; and the provinces of Candahar and Cabul, in 

 Hindoostan ; on the west, the Caspian sea, the river Ural or Yaik, 

 and the Uralian mountains ; and on the north, the Russian dominions 

 in Asia. 



Divisions. ...Independent Tartary consists of extensive tracts in- 

 habited by the Kirguses or Kirguisian Tartars ; the country of Kha- 

 rism, and Great Bucharia, inhabited by the Usbec Tartars. Great 

 Bucharia is divided into the provinces of Fergana, Sogd, Vash, Kot- 

 tan, Balk, Gaur, and Kilan. 



Mountains, lakes, rivers. ...The principal mountains of this 

 country are the Belur Tag, the ancient Imaus, and the mountains of 

 Argjun and of Gaur. The most considerable lakes are that of Aral, 

 about 200 miles in length and 70 in breadth ; and that of Balcash, 

 140 miles long and 70 broad. The chief rivers are the Amu or 

 Gihoon, the ancient Oxus; and the Sir or Sihoon, the ancient lax- 

 artes. The former rises in the mountains of Belur, and falls into the 

 lake of Aral, after a course of about 900 miles ; the latter rises among 

 the same mountains, and falls into the same lake, after a course of 

 about 550 miles. 



Metals, minerals. ...Several parts of this country contain gold, 

 silver, iron, copper, vitriol and sal ammoniac. Rich quarries of lapis 

 lazuli abound in Great Bucharia, and several kinds of valuable stones, 

 particularly rubies, are found here ; but the natives have neither skill 

 nor industry to derive much advantage from the mineral riches of this 

 country. 



Climate, soil, produce.. ..The climate appears to be extremely 

 temperate and salubrious ; and the soil, in the southern parts at least, 

 very productive, the grass, it is said, sometimes growing there to 

 above the height of a man. Rice and other kinds of grain, as also ex- 

 quisite melons, pears, and apples, are among the productions of Great 

 Bucharia. 



