I860.] Russian Geographical Operations in Asia. 85 



from Baildyr-Tugai to fort Perovski, the river flows in a magnificent 

 mass of water between depressed banks of an argilo-salinous and 

 sandy character,- for the most part inundated at high water ; thore 

 was nowhere either a break in the banks, or a stone, for the observa- 

 tion of the geologist. The swamps, after the subsiding of the waters, 

 afford excellent pasturage whereon numerous Aouls of Kirghizes settle 

 for the winter. In the midst of these meadow patches there occur 

 here and there like islands, sand hillocks differing in height, from 30 

 to 40 feet,- and overgrown with tamarisk, &c. The diy argilo- 

 salinous banks rise from 7 to 10 feet above the level of high water, 

 and are covered with tamarisk bushes with thorn (growing high and 

 thick), ami in some places with the ' : Turanga" and " Djida." Nearer 

 to our own possessions, large tracts are covered with the " Saxaul." 

 Vegetation is most abundant on the islands, many of which are two 

 miles long. Upon these the " Djida" grows 4 fathoms high, and the 

 thickness of the " Turanga" reaches 10 inches in diameter. Almost 

 all the islands are covered with a dense, almost impassable brushwood, 

 where the Kirghizes declare there are tigers, drawn thither in pursuit 

 of wild boars. The breadth of the river is from 150 to 400 fathoms-; 

 the depth from 3 to 5 and 6 fathoms; the current ran at a speed of 

 7 verstes (4 J miles) an hour, the average being from 4 J to 6 verstes (3 

 or 4 miles) ; the water was of a dirty yellow colour, but when allowed 

 to settle, was very soft and agreeable to the taste. Admiral Boutakof 

 found no evidences of a settled life throughout the whole of the river's 

 course. Patches of soil, cultivated by the poorest of the Kirghizes, 

 occurred at extremely rare intervals ; and these were irrigated by 

 water from canals replenished by hand from the river. The Kirghizes 

 generally sow millet, sometimes barley, water-melons, and musk 

 melons in their fields. There are two principal reasons for the absence 

 of population along the banks of this river : firstly, the absolute want 

 of any guarantee for personal security and for the protection of 

 property and labour in the face of perpetual disturbances in Turkestan, 

 Tashkend and Khokan ; and secondly, the greater advantage of settling 

 along the rivulets running from the Kara-tau mountains ; these afford 

 better facilities for irrigation than the Syr-Daria, which inundates 

 and washes away its banks, and consequently demands an enormous 

 amount of labour for the construction and maintenance of the necessary 



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