T A R T A R Y. 
disasters incurred by the greatest conquerors, in attempting 
to subdue them. Even under the Assyrian dynasty, they 
are represented as having overwhelmed and held the sceptre 
of Western Asia for the space of 28 years. If we may be¬ 
lieve Herodotus, Cyrus, after having subdued the rest of 
Asia, found the termination of his life in his conflict with 
Tomyris, queen of this warlike race. Darius, his successor, 
with difficulty escaped the same fate, in pursuing through 
their extensive wilds the European Scythians, who then 
occupied what now constitutes the southern part of Russia 
in Europe. Alexander himself was little more fortunate; 
for though he compelled the Scythian host to cross the Jax- 
artes, he in vain attempted to pursue them beyond it, and 
suffered in his retreat considerable annoyance from their de¬ 
sultory attacks. 
In these earlier periods, although the Scythian tribes fre¬ 
quently laid waste the southern empires, and defeated the 
most powerful of their armies, they were never able to effect 
any permanent conquest or settlement. It was during the 
decline of the Roman empire, when its vast spoils attracted 
the cupidity of all the races of barbarians, that the pastoral 
tribes in the interior of Asia began permanently to forsake 
their vast plains, in search of happier and more fertile 
regions. Their fortunes were various, and their power was 
reduced at one time to a very low ebb ; but at length rousing 
their vigour, and swelling their force from the migratory and 
warlike population of the country itself, they succeeded in 
overturning the eastern empire, and establishing themselves 
masters of Constantinople. The Tartar tribes, once engaged 
in this career of migratory conquest, did not willingly desist. 
In the twelfth century. Tartary became the seat of the most 
formidable and extensive empire that perhaps has ever been 
established. Zingis, originally an obscure Mongol chief, 
having succeeded in uniting under his standard all the neigh¬ 
bouring tribes, successively conquered China, Persia, and 
all Central Asia, from the Black sea to the Eastern ocean. 
His successors added Russia, and overran Poland, with part 
of Germany. For some time the greatest panic prevailed in 
Europe, which seemed on the point of being reduced to 
total subjection. In the course of a few reigns, this vast 
empire was split into parts, and lost its original energy ; but 
the Tartars were still not weary of giving masters to Asia. 
The lead was now taken by the populous countries on the 
Oxus and the Jaxartes, where Timur established a sway, 
which, though less extended than that of Zingis, was su¬ 
perior in the value and importance of the regions which it 
comprehended. Timur conquered all Persia, broke the 
power of the Turks in Asia Minor, and established in India 
a dynasty, which continued to reign, and to form the most 
splendid court of Asia, till the close of the last century. 
China has always been subject to Tartar dynasties; and 
about three centuries ago was conquered by the Mantchoos, 
a tribe inhabiting to the north, near the coasts of the Eastern 
ocean. For a long time, however, the power of this great 
race has been much on the decline. 
The grand division of this extensive portion of Asia, is 
into Independent Tartary and Chinese Tartary. 
Independent Tartary is bounded on the east by a great 
chain of mountains, called the Beloor Taugh, connected 
with the Indian ranges of the Himmaleh and the Mooz 
Taugh, and which separates it from Cashgar and the other 
districts of Chinese Tartary. On the south, it has the coun¬ 
try of Balk or Bulkh (now forming part of the kingdom of 
, Cabul), and the Persian province of Korassan; on the west 
it extends as far as the Caspian; while on the north it has 
the provinces of Oufa, Orenburg, and Tobolsk, belonging 
to Asiatic Russia. 
Since the time of Timur, the population and political state 
of this country have undergone an entire change. It has 
been occupied, and the ancient inhabitants either extermi¬ 
nated or expelled by the Uzbecks, a people of the widely ex¬ 
tended race of Turk or Toork, but whose original seat is not 
precisely ascertained. 
In Bokhara the men are divided, like troops, into parties 
855 
or masses of ten each, who have a boiler, a tent, and a 
camel in common. The Koran is implicitly assumed as the 
guide, not only in faith and doctrine, but in civil govern¬ 
ment and domestic life. The king, now reigning in Bok¬ 
hara, was raised to the throne by the ostentatious profession 
of poverty, and of all those observances which establish the 
character of a Mussulman saint; prayer, abstinence, fasting, 
and mendicity. Even in his present elevation, he has not 
renounced these religious observances, but spends part of 
every day in teaching the Mahometan religion, and of every 
night in watching and prayer. The revenue is collected 
exactly in the proportions prescribed in the Koran; and 
one-tenth of it is expended in alms. The drinking of wine, 
and even the smoking of tobacco, is most strictly prohibited, 
and made liable to the severest punishment. 
The habitations of the Uzbecks consisted originally of a 
species of moveable tent called onool, composed of a lattice 
of-thin lath, covered with black felt. From 20 to 50 of 
these compose a species of moveable village or camp. Many 
of them now, however, reside in towns. Horsemanship is 
the favourite pursuit of the Uzbecks, and their horses are 
considered, next to the Arabian, as the best in Asia. They 
are so numerous, that there is scarcely a man so poor as to 
walk on foot; even beggars travel on horseback, or at least 
on camels or asses. As might be expected in a people with 
these habits, the Uzbecks produce numerous bodies of light 
cavalry, and excel in predatory warfare. Their arms are a 
long and heavy lance, and a shield; few have swords, but 
many long knives and daggers. They charge in a body, 
with shouts, which are loud and terrific. They are brave, 
and have a wonderful power of enduring thirst, hunger, and 
fatigue. In battle, they are drawn up in three lines, so 
that, even after being repulsed, they can return twice to the 
charge. Their laws of war are most barbarous, giving no 
quarter except to infidels, whom the Koran allows them to 
sell as slaves; while the faithful, who cannot be subjected to 
that indignity, have the honour of being killed on the spot. 
Yet they do not want good qualities. Compared with other 
Asiatics, they are sincere and honest; there are few private 
quarrels among them, and murder scarcely ever occurs. 
Merchants are protected and encouraged, and notwithstand¬ 
ing the national bigotry, no distinction of religion is made 
in regard to them. 
Of the kingdoms into which Independent Tartary is now 
divided, Bokhara may be considered as the most important. 
The territory of the king includes the finest part of the coun¬ 
try on the banks of the Oxus, and, though not very exten¬ 
sive, enables him to maintain an army of 80,000 or 100,000 
cavalry. The city of Bokhara still contains upwards of 
100,000 inhabitants, with very extensive establishments for 
the cultivation of learning. Samarcand, through greatly 
declined from its ancient splendour, exhibits the same beauty 
of climate and situation for which it was celebrated, and 
contains many fine buildings. Of late Shah Murad Bey, 
the present possessor, has paid much attention to it, and 
restored some share of its former greatness. On the Jaxartes, 
the Bey of Koukan, or Ferganna, possesses an extensive, 
fertile, and highly populous kingdom, scarcely known to 
Europeans. The cities of Koukan, Khojund, and Murghe- 
lan, are said in populousness and beauty of situation to 
surpass any other in Central Asia. Unless, however, in 
these cities on the banks of great rivers, the population ge¬ 
nerally retains its pastoral and migratory habits. This is 
more particularly the case as we proceed northwards among 
the Kirghises, who connect Independent Tartary with Rus¬ 
sia, and who have already been described. There remains 
of Independent Tartary, the country on the Upper Oxus, 
and that between the Aral and the Caspian. It consists 
almost entirely of a vast sandy desert, tenanted by roving 
tribes of Uzbecks and Turcomans, who subsist partly by pas¬ 
turage and partly by plunder. 
The tracks of Central Asia, over which the Chinese empire 
holds at least nominal sway, are of truly immense extent. 
They include the whole territory contained between Hindos- 
tan 
