xiv Dr. Hoernle —Antiquities from Central Asia. [Extra No. 1, 
the distance from the Yurung Qash to Khotan was only 20 li or 4 miles. 7 
Anyhow, in those days Khotan appears to have stood on a site lying 
about 4-6 miles West of its present one, and therefore coincident with 
the site of Borazan, which is said to be “ about 5 miles west of Khotan.” 
(2) Aq SapIl or Aq SafIl ( (jjl “white battlements”), an 
uninhabited place in the desert, was visited by Messrs. Hogberg and 
Backlund in the summer of 1897. It lies about 20 miles north-east 
of Khotan. From this place was procured in the summer of 
1896 a number of coins and miscellaneous objects of metal and 
glass, comprised in M. 2, Set II, as well as the manuscripts, com¬ 
prising M. 1, Set II. A description of these manuscripts, together 
with facsimile specimens, lias been published by me in the 
Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. LXYI, pp. 237 and 251? 
252. The coins include some of the curious ancient bilingual (Chinese 
and Kharosthi) ones, which are referred to by me in my Presidential 
Address in the Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, for 1898, 
p. 69. As these are referable to the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. (see below 
pp. 10-15 ), they indicate Aq Sapil to be a very ancient site. Turk! and 
Chinese coins of the early middle ages were also found here. Among the 
miscellaneous objects are several old metal seals, a small metal figure of 
Buddha in meditation, and broken pieces of glass. The following notes, 
made by Mr. Macartney from Mr. Hogberg’s account of his visit, are of 
much interest: “ Aq Sapil is a town or rather the remains of a town in 
the Takla Makan desert. It is one day’s journey north-east of Khotan, 
to be reached through the oasis of Hangni. 8 Before coming to Hangni 
village, the remains of an old city may be seen. On leaving Hangni, the 
traveller is at once in the midst of sand dunes which rise from 10 to 30 
feet high. Between Hangni and Aq Sapil, the sites of two other ancient 
cities may be seen, evidenced by the fragments of pottery and bones on 
the ground. At this portion of the route, Mr. Hogberg picked up a few 
old seals and coins. As Aq Sapil itself is reached, the remains of an 
irrigation canal are noticeable, which canal must have once carried water 
to the city and the surrounding country. It is from 8 to 10 feet broad 
and, in places not choked up by sand, rather deep. At Aq Sapil the 
1 See ibidem , pp. 21, 30. 
8 The real approximate distance (about 20 miles) may be judged from the 
following account of his tour by Mr. Backlund. “ Mr. Hogberg and I started from 
Hangni at 5 o’clock in the morning, and arrived at Aq Sapil at 10 or 11 o’clock, having 
marched slowly partly because we crossed places covered with pottery, and partly 
because of the soft high sand dunes. At Aq Sapil we wandered about for a while, 
took some food, and returned to Hangni. Having taken some rest there, we started 
for Khotan, where we arrived a little before midnight, the same day, having then 
had rather a strong march.” 
