264 KoTcdn and other places in Central Asia. [No. 4. 



Makdn-i-Sarwar jMugar, or the " dwelling of Sarwar the magician." 

 Showers of rain, and snow storms are of daily occurrence in this 

 vicinity. 



Yilih or Ileh contains about 8,000 houses and 40.000 inhabitants, 

 consisting of Chinese and Muhammadans in about equal numbers, 

 whose quarters are quite separated from each other. 



The chief authority of the province is styled the Jan Jang or 

 Governor- General, who resides at Kowrah or Kowreh, one stage 

 from Yilih. It contains upwards of 60,000 inhabitants, and a 

 Chinese army of about 40,000 men are located there. The authority 

 above named, is the supreme head of the Muhammadans of Mogha- 

 listan, to the west ; eastward is the country of Khattai, or Chinese 

 Tartary. 



Prom this latter city to the Eussian frontier town of Semi Pulad 

 Oska (Semipolatinsk) the most southerly town of any consequence 

 in Southern Siberia, is twenty-five days' journey through a difficult 

 country almost uninhabited. This mountainous district is rich in 

 silver mines which are profitably worked by the Chinese. They 

 also produce a metal known here by the name of yambu. Some 

 years since the Eussians demanded a share in the profits from these 

 mines on account of their being situated mid-way between the two 

 countries. The Khattais, as the Chinese are called, refused, however, 

 to accede to the demand, giving answer (I here use the very words 

 of my informant) " If you Orris have six laks of soldiers alto, 

 gether, we have six laks in one place alone, then what occasion is 

 there for us to let you have a share in the mines ?" 



The town of Semi Pulad Oska contains a population of between 

 7 and 8,000. It is situated on the right bank of the river Irtisch, 

 which forms the boundary between the two countries, and at the 

 foot of the Altai or golden mountains. 



From the frontier city of Kowreh, or Kura f distant fifteen stages, 

 is Karan-sher or Kara-shehr, beyond which, there is a most stringent 

 order not to permit Yawahs (barbarians), as the Chinese term all 

 foreigners, to pass into the interior. This is a large and populous 

 city with a numerous garrison, or army rather for its protection. 



Muliyan is distant from the above place five stages, Kutan or 

 Kotan fifteen, and Trifan twenty. To reach Ma-chin ; from whence 



