56 Russian Mission from Oreribourg to Bokhara. [Jan, 



The Karaadir-tagh mountains, extend to the east, as fa* as the Tou- 

 palak-fagb, a branch terminated by the heights of Teke-tourmaz and 

 Kotour-tagli, near the Saii-tourgbai. It is worthy of remark that not 

 a single salt lake is to be met with in the western side of the Atko- 

 caraghai, though there are several immediately on the east of this 

 chain. 



The Boukhan hills, to the south of the Kizil-coum, extend to the 

 west, as far as the Amou-deria, near Khiva ; they then form the chain 

 of Vassil-cara, and are well known by that name,and perhaps close to the 

 Amou-deria, they are the origin of the Dj^ni-chir, or Lion's heart, 

 a n-cime which is found in Hadji Khid^a's Turkish geography, though 

 actually unknown in Bokhara. 



On the eastern side the Boukhan hills unite with the Koukert- 

 li, and appniently only a branch of the Alps, situfited to the north 

 of Samercand, as well as the whole mountainous country ofBukbouldouk, 

 Sousiz-cara. Koultchouk, and Arslan-tagh, is abranch, which detaches 

 itself from the Alpine country, lying to the north-east of Samercand, 

 and probably between it and Djisagh. The southern ramification of this 

 branch is teiminaied by the Noura-tagh (mountain of lighi), which is 

 very high, we had a view of its summit from Caraghata, which in the 

 month of December, was covered with snow, of which there was none 

 on the plain. It will be hereafter shewn, that this mountain favourably 

 affects the cultivation of the lands, between it and Bokhara. 



The south eastern extremity of this table lanfl, is the most elevated, 

 and from the space between Khokhan, Nissar andDervazeh, spring thos 

 mountains covered with eternal snows, of which I was unable to learn 

 the names from any native of Bokhara ; the highest of these chains lies 

 to the north of Dervazeh, the next in height are those to the north o 

 Khokhan, which in the first instance, extends along the road, leading t 

 Kachghar, cross it near mount Terek, which is also almost constant! 

 covered with snow, and then spre -dto the left of the road. Monsieur 

 Nasarov, who was obliged to halt at Khokhan, and at Margakhaneh, in 

 the year 1819, and who has since given an account of his journey, calls 

 these mounta^n^s Kachghar-divani ; they are joined by the Terek to the 

 Ala-tagh, where the Sir-deria has its source. The Ala-tagh extends 

 from Turkistan, Tackhend and. Khokhan, to the frontiers of Dzoun- 

 garie, all the mountainous country is inhabited by tribes of Kirghiz of 

 the great horde, called the black or savage. These mountains are call- 



