Errors of the Oriental Tables. 87 
This tract, called in modern times Baltistaun or Little Tibet, was 
also called Turkhend or Toorkistaun on the Indus, because it was 
conquered first by the Huns, and then by the Turks or Tukiosk of 
the Chinese historians, and so constituted a part of Eastern Toor- 
kistaun, or Little Bucharia. The name Turks is the generic ap- 
pellation bestowed by all the oriental geographers to the nomadic 
tribes of Asia, known té them, in the same way as the name Scy- 
thian was applied, by the Greek and Roman historians and geo- 
gtaphers, to all these wandering tribes which they knew, as Little 
Tibet, to the E. of Bucharia, to the N. of Cashmere, to the S. of 
Eastern Toorkistaun, and to the W. of Tibet, strictly so called, was 
always inhabited by pastoral tribes, (for by no other can it be in- 
habited.) ‘The oriental geographers, ignorant of their true name, 
gave them that of Turks ; for, till the great invasion of Jinghiz 
Khan revealed the name of Tartars, this latter appellation is not 
to be found in any oriental authors. ‘These oriental geographers 
tell us that Tibet is full of well inhabited cities, towns, and vil- 
lages, and that the people are so good humoured and cheerful, that 
they breathe nothing but joy and pleasure,—another proof of igno- 
norance ; for the country is so cold, mountainous, and rugged, as to 
be utterly incapable of supporting a great population, and as for 
cities and villages, they are but very thinly scattered, and neither 
large nor populous. ‘These geographers further tell us of a moun- 
tain called Gebal-al-Sumoun, or the Mountain of Poison, which in- 
spires all those with melancholy who come near enough but to smell 
it; nay, even their tongues turn so black, as ever after to remain 
in that state. ‘There is some truth here mingled with fiction ; for 
it plainly alludes to the serar, or Himmaleh wind, believed by the 
Hindoos to be pregnant with poison, and the effects of which were 
felt by Moorcrofte, Fraser, and Webb, whilst endeavouring to scale 
the tremendous steeps of the sublime Imaus. 
_ “ T was obliged,” says Moorcrofte, “to continue my oblique 
march, (in order to avoid the effect of the direct wind ;) but on 
turning my back to the wind, felt a sudden fulness in my head, ac- 
companied with giddiness. I threw myself on the ground with preci- 
pitation. After a short time, the gasping for breath became less fre- 
quent. The action of the head was less violent, and I quitted the 
turf; but although I walked as leisurely as possibly I could, I was 
twice attacked by the same symptoms, and thought it most prudent 
to desist ascending any higher. The imperious necessity for stop= 
ping to breathe at every four or five steps, was only felt whilst as- 
cending. When the impetuous action of the heart was reduced by 
remaining quiet in one place, no difficulty in breathing was felt; 
nor even was it perceived in descending, even in a run, where this 
was practicable ; but several times at our encampment, when about 
to fall asleep, I have been interrupted by the same sensation. Al. 
though not aware of any remarkable degree of heat or cold ; yet I 
found my hands, neck, and face, very red, and the skin sore, and 
blood had oozed from my lips,—a circumstance which J do not re- 
recollect to have happened to me before.” 




