1857.] Kokdn and other places in Central Asia. 261 



In cases where any doubt may arise respecting the goods beino- 

 more or less than specified in the pass, the trouble these revenue 

 authorities give is most vexatious ; nevertheless, should any article 

 mentioned in a pass be lost or stolen on the road they are prompt 

 in recovering it. On such a circumstance occurring the conductor 

 of the Karawan must report it at the nearest Custom-house, giving 

 a description of the goods whatever they may be. The authorities 

 have a stated time for the decision of such matters, aud in case the 

 articles are not recovered within the prescribed period, some com- 

 pensation is allowed, but in kind, not in money. 



On a Karawan or Kafilah reaching the city, or any other place in 

 the Khan's dominions, where duties are leviable, the conductor 

 must report his arrival at the chief Custom-house, stating all parti- 

 culars, from whence he has come, together with the value, and 

 description of goods he may have brought. On this an officer 

 proceeds to inspect the merchandize, and on goods of superior 

 quality five per cent, on the value is levied, and on commoner 

 descriptions half the above rate. 



The city of Tashkend is subject to Kokau, and lies ten stages or 

 manzils to the north-west. It was once a very large and rich city, 

 but is now gone to decay. The numerous ruins of mosques and 

 other buildings shows what its former extent must have been. 



The city of Kashghar lies south-east from Kokau, and is distant 

 from it ten manzils for Karawan camels. It belongs to Chinese 

 Tartary, is populous, and contains about 50,000 inhabitants. It is 

 surrounded by a fortified wall, which is very strong and lofty, 

 and said to be very ancient. The citadel, which is within 

 the enceinte, occupies an area of about two miles, and is gar- 

 risoned by 2,500 soldiers, with several pieces of artillery. An 

 army of Chinese troops is also stationed here as being a fron- 

 tier city. It formerly amounted to 10 or 12,000 men, but 

 lately the force has been considerably augmented, and at present 

 is computed at 30,000 men. The chief cause of this increase, 

 however, appears to be for the purpose of overawing the Muham- 

 madans, who constitute the majority of the inhabitants. Some 

 time previously they created a serious disturbance, in which a great 

 number of Chinese were killed and an immense amount of property 



2 M 



