TURKISTAN, OR 



INDEPENDENT TARTARY. 



897 



3. Rivers and I.akes. The rivers of Uiis region all find their way into inland lakes or seas. 

 The Oxus^ Gihon, or Anion,, the largest river of the country, rises in the Beloor Mountains, 

 and flows through a fertile tract into the Aral Sea. The Jaxartes, Sir, or Sihon, rises in the 

 mountains of the Chinese empire, and empties itself into the same sea. The Kuioan, which 

 traverses Bucharia, and the Sarasu, which runs through the land of the Kirghises, also empty 

 their waters into lakes. There is a great number of lakes, among which the Aral, usually 

 termed a sea, is the principal. It is, after the Caspian Sea, the largest inland body of water 

 in Asia, being about 250 miles in length, and covering an area of about 10,000 square miles. 

 Its waters are salt, and its shores low and sandy or marshy. It is inhabited by numerous fish 

 and seals. 



4. Divisions. This region is occupied by a great number of Turkish tribes, forming many 

 independent States ; its great geographical divisions are the land of the Kirghises in the noi th ; 

 Turcomania or the country of Turkmans, in the southwest ; Turkistan Proper, or the land of 

 the Turcomans in the east, and Usbekistan or the land of the Usbeks, in the south ; but these 

 and other tribes are scattered about in various parts of the country. The chief States are the 

 knanats of Bucharia, Khiva, and Khokand, after which rank those of Hissar, Balk, &c. 



5. Bucharia. This country comprises the richest and most populous region of Turkistan, 

 and has an area of 80,000 square miles, with 2,500,000 inhabitants. The ruling people are 

 the Usbeks, a Turkish tribe, but the natives or Bucharians, are of Persian origin, and are 

 found all over Asia, from Russia and Turkey to China, in the capacity of traders. 



Buchara, the capital, stands in a pleasant plain, but it is meanly built, with crooked, narrow, 

 and dirty streets, upon which the houses present only a blind wall, their windows being upon 

 interior courts. The population is about 80,000, of which three quarters are Persians, and 

 the remainder Usbeks, Afghans, Jews, Arabs, &c. The ark or palace of the khan, the 

 360 rnosques, and 60 madrasses or colleges, the vast caravansery, &c., are the principal pub- 

 lic edifices ; its manufactures and commerce attract merchants from all parts of Asia, and its 

 seminaries, which render it one of the chief seats of Mahometan learning, are estimated to be 

 attended by 10,000 scholars. Samarcand, once the capital of the great empire of Tamerlane, 

 although declined from its ancient splendor, still contains 50,000 inhabitants, numerous manu- 

 factories of silk, cotton, silk paper, and many learned institutions or madrasses. Here is also 

 the tomb of Tamerlane, built of jasper. .JVaksheb is a large town with 40,000 inhabitants. 



The Bucharians are distinguished for their industry, commercial enterprise, and frugahty. 

 They traverse all parts of the continent in their trading expeditions, and have even formed nu- 

 merous colonies in China, Russia, and other parts of Turkistan. Their trade with Russia by 

 Orenburg, with China by Cashgar, Cabul, and Balkh, and with India by Cashmere, constitutes 

 the most important part of their commercial o})erations. They also excel in the manufacture 

 of cotton, silk, caps, paper, &c. The Usbeks, who have conquered this and the neighbor- 

 ing regions, are a rude and warlike people, who consider war and robbery as the only honora- 

 ble occupations. They hold the public offices, are the soldiers, &c., and often invade the 

 Persian and Russian territories, carrying off slaves and plunder. 



6. Khiva. The khanat of Khiva is the most extensive State of Turkistan, but much of its 

 territory consists of deserts. It has an area of 150,000 square miles, with only 800,000 in- 

 habitants. The dominant people are the Usbeks, w-ho have extended their conquests over the 

 Karakalpaks on the Sir, the Aralians on the Amou, and a part of Turcomania. Khiva, the 

 capital, in a fertile territory near the Amou, has about 15,000 inhabitants ; it is the greatest 

 slave market in Turkistan. This country was early converted to Mahometanism, and in the 

 8th century formed the kingdom of Kharism, the dominion of which was widely extended over 

 Central Asia, until it was subverted by Zingis Khan. Urgunge, the ancient capital, is now 

 mostly in ruins. 



7. Khokand. The khanat of Khokand is inferior to that of Khiva in extent of territory 

 but is more densely peopled ; its area amounts to 75,000 square miles, with a population of 

 1,000,000 souls. It comprises the country lying upon the upper part of the Sir. Its capital, 

 Khokan, upon a tributary of the Sir, is a place of much trade, and cortains 3 stone bazars, 

 several mosques, the castle of the Khan, &c., with 60,000 inhabitants. 



8. Kingdom of Balkh. Balkh, the capital of an independent khanat, is an old city, formerly one 

 of the most wealth}^ and populous of Asia, but now much reduced, having but 10,000 inhabit- 

 ants. As the residence of the kings of Bactria, it was the rival of Nineveh and Babylon, the 

 centre of tht^ commerce between the east and the west, and one of the chief seats of eastern 



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