348 Narrative of the Travels of Khwajah Ahmud Shah. [JSTo. 4. 



Kasbgur, another from Yarkuud, a third from Aksoo, and a fourth 

 from Khoottan (a province of China.) 



Whenever an army is required for any purpose, it is sent from 

 this city. The Mahomedan city and the Chinese fort are separate. 

 In the latter there is a garrison of from 15,000 to 20,000 men, 

 they have guns but no sowars (cavalry). Their troops are all 

 footmen. 



Aksoo is a very fine city, containing springs of water. The climate 

 is temperate. The residence of Seduk Beg, the present governor, 

 is on a height in a fort separate from the city, at about the same 

 distance as the Bala His3ar is from the town of Peshawur. 



From Inyshuhr to a large place, Oochtoorfan, on the direct road to 

 Pekin is three days journey. Travellers are not allowed to go by 

 this route. 



Najmoodeen, the man I sent to Aksoo, returned without being 

 able to hear any thing of Mr. Wyburd. 



Yarkund is a large walled city supplied with water from the 

 Yarkund river, distant some three or four koss. It is a great place 

 for fruit ; here grapes, pomegranates, apples, melons, mulberries, 

 plums, aloochas, cherries, and quinces, all grow luxuriantly. Yar- 

 kund is such a dusty place that the new moon cannot be seen, and 

 when it rains, it rains mud ; for this reason people do not wear any 

 white apparel ; their dress is long and loose ; they wear boots. Tra- 

 vellers and learned men are much respected. The king of the 

 country is always a Mahomedan, to him the people look for justice. 

 The Chinese governor is designated the Umban, and his deputy 

 Dalocah ; they reside in a fort along with their troops who are all 

 Chinese, and of whom there are some 6 or 7,000 here ; the " Khalaie 

 Shuhr," (Chinese fort) is separate from the town. They have little 

 or no communication with the people of the country. "Whatever 

 they require they procure through the Mahomedan ruler of Yarkund. 

 After five days I went and paid my respects to this authority, whose 

 name was Afreedond, and title " Wauk ;" he is the executive ruler 

 and decides all matters after referring them to the Umban. The 

 latter signs all passports. The actual walled city of Yarkund is 

 not so large as that of Peshawur, but there are extensive suburbs 

 outside. Horses are very numerous here, but the troops being all 



