262 Kokdn and other places in Central Asia. [No. 4. 



plundered. A strong body of celestial troops was sent to quell this 

 revolt, and the faithful were severely punished. 



The residence of the governor, who is styled Umban, is called the 

 Gul Bagh, distant about two miles from the city, between which a 

 portion of the troops are encamped. 



The city gates are closed from sunset to sunrise, as is the custom 

 throughout Northern China. Each soldier of the city police, which 

 is a well organized body of men, is provided with two pieces of 

 wood called a cliang, and at the termination of each watch of about 

 three hours, he produces a sound by striking them together in a 

 peculiar manner, and afterwards calls out the hour of the night or 

 day. These soldiers go by the general name of Hallatts. 



The country is very productive, and the city, the houses of which 

 are regularly laid out, is surrounded by numerous gardens. There 

 are six gates which are defended by cannon, and a number of 

 mosques. The chief fiscal authority is vested in a Muhammadan 

 who bears the title of Hakim Beg. 



The people are a lively comely race, and the women are remark- 

 ably handsome. Merchants may take temporary wives, as in Persia, 

 by enteriug into a contract for a specific sum during the period of 

 their sojourn in the country. The Kashgharis are also great wine- 

 bibbers, and are very old women in their fondness for a " dish 

 of tea." 



The lands depend in a great measure on rain for irrigation, but 

 artificial irrigation is also extensively adopted, and this, from the 

 number of streams running through the country, is by no means 

 difficult. Snow lies on the ground in winter to the depth of two, 

 and sometimes three feet, but never for more than a few days 

 together. 



The distance from Kashghar to Tarkand is three manzils, of about 

 seventeen miles each. As the country all along the line of route 

 is highly cultivated and exceedingly populous, the different stages 

 are not prescribed to certain places, as between Kashghar and 

 Kokan. The Yarkiang river, also called the Eergo-u, flows past the 

 city to the north. 



Yarkand, which is the largest city of Moghalistan, has two 

 citadels within its walls, one in which the Muhammadan go- 



