362 



TEEN-SHAN MOUNTAINS. 



desert, called the Great Gobi or Cha-mo, which ex- 

 tends from Koua-tcheou, a Chinese town, to the 

 sources of the Argoun. If we now return to Bokhdo- 

 ovla, we find the western prolongation of these 

 mountains stretching to Goudja and Koutche, then 

 between lake Temoustou and Aksou to the north 

 of Cashgar, and running towards Samarcand. The 

 country comprehended between the Altaic chain and 

 the Teen-shan mountains is shut up to the east, 

 beyond the meridian of Pekin, by the Khingkhan- 

 ovla, a lofty ridge, which runs from south-west to 

 north-east ; but to the west it is. entirely open. 



The case is very different with the country limited 

 by the second and third systems, the Teen-shan and 

 Kwan-lun ranges ; it being closed to the west by a 

 transverse ridge, which runs north and south, under 

 the name of Bolor or Belour-tagh. This chain 

 separates Little Bucharia from Great Bucharia, the 

 country of Cashgar, Badakshan, and Upper Djihoun. 

 Its southern part, which is connected with the Kwan- 

 lun system, forms a part of the Tsungling of the 

 Chinese. To the north it joins the chain which 

 passes to the north-west of Cashgar. Between 

 Khokand, Dervagel, and Hissar, consequently be- 

 tween the still unknown sources of the Sihon and 

 Amou-deria, the Teen-shan rises before lowering 

 again in the Kanat of Bochara, and presents a group 

 of high mountains, several of which are covered 

 with snow even in summer. More to the east it is 

 less elevated. The road from Semipolatinsk to 

 Cashgar passes to the east of lake Balkachi and to 

 the west of lake Ossi-koul, and crosses the Narim, 

 a tributary of the Sihon. At the distance of 69* 

 miles from the Narim to the south, it passes over 

 the Rovat, which has a large cave, and is the highest 

 point before arriving at the Chinese post to the south 

 of the Ak-sou, the village of Artuche, and Cashgar. 

 This city, which is built on the banks of the Ara- 



