1865.] Notes on Central Asia. 119 
obstacles in its legitimate development from its transitive and contra- 
band character, as the Chinese of the Western region (Si-yui) were 
only able to have secret dealings with the Russians under a semblance 
of trafficing with the Kirghizes. It was this disadvantageous state 
of things, that led to the mission, with objects partly diplomatic and 
partly geological, of E. P. Kovalefski accompanied by Vlangagli, an 
officer of mining Engineers. 
This expedition started from Kuldja, and skirting the Russian side 
of the Djungarian Alatau, traversed the valley of the Koksu, as far 
as the upper sources of this river, while, on the Chinese side, it reach- 
ed the town of Kuldja, on the Ili. The most important results of 
this mission in commercial, as well as in scientific respects, were the 
establishment of Russian trading factories at Kuldja and Chuguchak. 
The opening up of the Western Chinese region contributed largely to 
the increase of our knowledge of the geography of Asia, inasmuch as 
it threw two learned Chinese scholars into the commercial centres 
of Djungaria in the capacity of consuls. The local researches of these 
sinologists has opened a wide field to science. Mr. Fakharof, one of 
the consuls, has already collected materials of great value relating to 
the physical geography and cartography of Inner Asia; these mate- 
rials he has obtained during his stay at Pekin, from rare geographical 
works (namely the reports of the Survey made during the reign of 
Tsian-Sun) and from information supplied him by natives of the 
Western region. The foundation of the town of Kopal, which was 
in a satisfactory and flourishing condition, owing to the rapid develop- 
ment of agriculture aided by artificial irrigation, could not, however, 
secure the great Hordes, now under Russian dominion, against the 
bold attacks of the Buruts, or the so-called Black or Dikokamenni 
Kirghizes, who infested the valley of lake Issyk-Kul, and the 
neighbourhood of Tekes on one of the sources of the Ili. This was 
naturally to be expected from the position of Kopal which stood on 
the northern confines of the Hordes, whose southern boundary, beyond 
the Ili, remained completely unprotected. The unguarded condition 
of the frontier of the Russian Empire on this quarter induced Governor 
General Hasford to oceupy the so-called Trans-Ili country extending 
between the river Ili, and the snow-line of the gigantic Trans-Tli 
Alatau, with a view of securing the left flank of the Kirghiz Steppe 

