6 
HISTORY OF THE KHOJAS OF EASTERN TURKISTAN. 
the Qalmaqs and their acquisition of suzerainty over the Khojas—the 
leading features of the history of the period are not even mentioned. 
Dr. Bellew’s extract does not purport to be a translation, but I am 
assuming it to be a correct summary, and if this is the case, the book must 
be regarded as unreliable for historical purposes. It furnishes, howe\er, 
some particulars respecting the Khojas that are not contained in the nana- 
tiye of Muhammad Sadiq. We may gather from it, for instance, that the 
Khojas themselves had split up into two opposing factions quite early in 
the 17th century, and that they were known, even then, as the Ah-taghlyq 
and Kara-iaghlyq , or White and Black mountaineers, respectively, while 
these designations are never used by Muhammad Sadiq. It appears (if 
the writer is to be trusted) that in 1622, in the course of the struggle for 
ascendancy between these two parties, one Mulla Fazil of Artush, the 
leader of the White faction, called for help from some powerful Khoja of 
Khokand, and by means of the forces this ally brought him, succeeded in 
capturing Kashghar. Neither this event, nor the name of Mulla Fazil is 
mentioned by our author, and it can only be conjectured that Fazil must 
be another name for one of the descendants of Ishan Kalan whose line 
eventually became the White party. Only very shortly after this incident 
we find Khoja Hidayatu-llah, known as Hazrat Afaq, mentioned as the 
leader of the White mountaineers, but it can hardly be to him that the 
style of Mulla Fazil is applied, for he is so well known a personage that 
all his names and titles must have been handed down. 
Afaq was, without doubt, the most famous of all the Khojas descended 
from Makhdum-i-A c zam. and he attained to a greater degree of power 
than any other, of either party. He is described by Dr. Bellew’s author 
as having held entire dominion, spiritual and temporal, over the six cities 
of Eastern Turkistan, as well as over Turfan and the eastern districts 
known, at an earlier date, as Uighuristan; while he had large numbers of 
disciples in foreign countries, from whom he received tithes. “ Amongst 
the people of Kash gh ar.” writes Dr. Bellew, “he was held as a prophet 
only second to Muhammad, and, in his miraculous powers of healing the 
sick and restoring the dead, he was reckoned the equal of Hazrat Isa (or 
‘the Lord Jesus’). His bearing exercised a marvellous effect on the 
people, and his appearance amongst them produced the most extraordinary 
manifestations of fascination. Some wept with joy, some sang with 
delight, others danced and leaped and whirled around, and others again 
fell senseless to the ground, whilst all were irresistibly attracted to him 
by an ecstatic devotion of spiritual love. His miracles are said to be 
countless; yet in his early career scoffers and unbelievers were not 
wanting.” He is said to have converted nearly a hundred thousand 
people to Islam, and appears to have lived to a great age % The date of 
his birth is not to be found, but if his biographer, Khalu-d-Din, is to be 
