1840.] Russian Mission from Orenhourg to Bokhara, 



57 



ed Ala-tagh, which means pie-bald form, some of the summits being con, 

 stantly covered with snow, whilst others are brown and free from it.* 



There is a very high mountain situated to the north of Ramit, a city 

 to the east of Bokhara. This mountain joins the chain extending to 

 the north of lagnaou, and unites to those of Bokhara; then separating 

 into a number of ramifications, the general direction of which I have at- 

 tempted to lay down on the map, between Samercand and Chersabes 

 (green city), there is a very elevated chain, which gradually diminish 

 as they divide before reaching Carchi. In following the road to Ghous- 

 sar by De'inaou, to Hissar, there is on the north side a very elevated 

 chain of mountains, which become lower on approaching the Amou- 

 deria. Hereafter I will describe the route followed by the caravans 

 from Balkh to Caboul, a route, which if accurately kept, would throw 

 much light on the topography of these countries. The two great rivers 

 the Araou and Sir, water the countries through which we passed. The 

 Amou only takes this name after the junction of the Zour-ab or Wahch, 

 with the Badakhchan, two considerable streams, one coming from the 

 north-east, the other south-east the Amou. These receive the Kafer- 

 Dihan (name of the infidels), the Toupalak ; the Ghouloum majesti- 

 cally flows in a bed of from 200 to 300 toises broad, it then divides 

 into two branches, and falls into the lake of Aral, after a com*se of nearly 

 1,400 verstes, or nearly 1000 miles. I do not imagine that the Mouhrab 

 can reach the Amou, and it appears to be lost in the sandy desert 

 through w^hich it flows. It is certain that the river of Samercand 

 called Kouwan, and also Zer-afchan, is lost in the Cara-koul lake, which 

 has no apparent communication with the Amou-deria (Oxus), and is 

 distant from it nearly 30 verstes. 



Much discussion has taken place regarding the ancient mouth of the 

 Oxus. Some geographershave supposed that the travellers of the I6th and 

 I7th century, have less expressed what they have seen with their own 

 eyes, than what they have endeavoured to reconcile with the frequently 

 false geographical statements of Ptolemy, and even deny that the Oxus 

 ever flowed into the Caspian, though Jenkinson, Bruce, Hanway, Becke- 

 vitch, all state that a branch of this river actually falls into the Caspian. 

 It appears to me there is some credit due to these travellers, particularly 

 as Monsieur Mouraviev,t a colonel in the Russian service, who went from 

 the Balkan bay to Khiva in the year 1820, himself saw traces of the 



* I think this is a mistake, Ala-taoih is literally high mountains, and a very just name 

 for them, they divide China from TAvt^ry.— Translator. 



+ 1 have generally seen his name spelt Mouravieff, now a general, and lately employed 

 on a diplomatic mission to Constantinople.— JTrans/aior. 



