travels beyond the himalaya (january 1, 1843)

7/30/2019 Travels Beyond the Himalaya (January 1, 1843)

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283Art. XXXI.?Travels beyond the Himalaya, by Min IzzetUllail Republished from the Calcutta Oriental Quarterly

Magazine, 1825.

Introduction.[The Royal Asiatic Society having determined to reprint occasionally papers which maybe considered of interest, or may containuseful information, and which, although in print, are not generallyprocurable in this country, have been pleased to select in the presentinstance a translation mude by me many years ago, and publishedanonymously in one of the periodical publications of the Calcuttapress. At the time of its publication, the subject was entirely new.It has lost something of the gloss of novelty by the more comprehensive journals which have since appeared; but it still containsinformation regarding parts of Turkestan and Central Asia, whichis not derivable from any better source, as the countries have notbeen visited inmodern times by European travellers. In what has

also ceased to be novel, the observations of the traveller are notwithout interest, as they relate to a political state of the countriestraversed, which had undergone a change for the worse even whenIzzet Ullah's steps were followed by Moorcroft and Trebeck. andwhich has become still further deteriorated by the anarchy that hasso long distracted Afghanistan. The journal of Izzet Ullah is in

most places little more thana mere

itinerary, and it isso far more

serviceable to geography than to history; but he occasionally extendshis notes so as to furnish materials for the latter.

Not being in possession of the manuscript which I originallyconsulted, it has not been possible to make any alteration from thatsource. I have, however, compared the translation with a differentcopy of the original, which has been lent to me by the Hon. Mountstuart Elphinstone, and from it I have made a few alterations andadditions. The changes

are not of any great moment, and wouldprobably be equally justified by my original text, as except occasionally in the names of places, there does not seem to be any materialdifference.

Some of the notes have been omitted or altered to suit our betterknowledge of the countries derived from the travels of Burnes,

Moorcroft, Wood, and Vigne.] II. H. Wilson.VOL. VIL X


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284 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.In the year 1812, Mir Izzct Ullah, a servant of the enterprisingand enlightened traveller Mr. Moorcroft, was dispatched on a preparatory tour to those countries which Mr. M. purposed to visitat a favourable period. Izzct I?lah travelled from Delhi toKashmir, from Kashmir to Tibet, from Tibet to Yarkand, fromYarkand to Kashghar, thence to Kokan, from Kokan to Samarkand, thence to Bokhara, Balkh, and Khulm, and from Khulmto Kabul by way of Bamian, whence he returned to the plainsof Hindustan. In this tour, he kept a journal of his stages,and the objects that attracted his attention ; and being a

man ofintelligence and observation, collected much valuable information,although not of so detailed or precise a description as to anticipatethe value of those accounts, which we may expect from the enquiriesof our countryman. Several copies of Izzet Ullah's tour were madeand distributed, and one of them through the kindness of a friend1having come into our possession, we have thought a translation ofpart of its contents might not be unacceptable to our readers ; thetract of country over which the traveller passed, is in great partunknown to Europeans, and the details will at least have the meritof novelty to recommend them.We omit the first part of Izzet Ullah's travels from Hindustanthrough Kashmir, and begin with his route from

Kashmir to Tin et.The last station in Kashmir is called Sonamurg. (lJOU^***)

It is a village of some fifty or sixty houses' ; the road is difficultand rocky, so as to be impassable to a mounted traveller. Theroad is on the right bank of the Sindh, and the village is on thesame : the ruins of a Serai, erected by Ibrahim Khan, are heremet with.

North-east from Sonamurg, five cos8, is B?ltdl, (?IXllj) an uninhabited station, with the exception of one house for the accommodation of travellers : along the skirts of the

mountain on the rightof the road runs the Sindh4; and its sources are not far off; the1Henry Wood, Esq., Accountnnt-Genoral, llengal.8When visited by Moorcroft in 11122, the number of houses was reduced tofive or six. Yigiie's enumeration is two or three. According to tho former, Sona

murg is so called from tho "golden pheasant," which is in tho neighbouringwoods. The latter explains the name to import " the golden hill," from thenumber of pretty Mowers found theie in the spring.9 The cos of Izzet Ullah generally correspond? with Hie mile of Moorcroft.The source of the Sindh in in the mountain?about Atiinra-nnth. (Yi??nc.) In


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 285road is broad and practicable. B?ll?l is within the limits of

Kashmir; but close to it on the east runs a mountainous elevationwhich separates Kashmir from Tibet ; thenceforward the road is overmountainous and barren paths, but abundant in springs.

Malayan, ( ?IX*) ten cos east ?y north from the last station, isa village on the right bank of the river of Little Tibet : the inhabitants are mostly Musulmans of the Suni sect : it depends on Tibet,and the Tibetan language here begins to be spoken.

After leaving B?ll?l about four gharis, the road ran over thetop of the mountain, and

waspracticable enough

: on the descent itlay under unmeltcd snow for about an arrow's flight. One cos fromthence on the right of the road, and on the summit of a hill, twolarge blocks of stone were observable: they say there were two brothers of the race of giants, who in former times disputed about theright to the springs here, and they at last fixed these stones todenote that half the water belonged to Little Tibet, called Haiti, andhalf to Kashmir. One brother was named Wuga, (\^) and theother Sugan, ( C) hence the place is called Wugasugan, and to thepresent day these Dcos are said to be the respective guardians of theseveral portions of the water. In short on this spot arise severalsprings, half of which flow to Tibet, and half to Kashmir ; for whilsthither it had been a continued ascent, the road hence began todescend, and consequently the mountain streams following thecourse of this declivity, run partly on one side, forming the Sindhof Kashmir, and on the other they flow towards Tibet, forming theriver of that country. The river of Tibet1, after leaving that country,runs by Muzaferabad: below Muzaferabad, one cos, it unites withthe river of Kashmir, and the combined river descends to the Panjab, under the name of Jhclum or Behut (l__^ j). All the waterflowing to Tibet from the Wugasugan mountain takes a northeastern direction as far as to Puskyum, when it turns off towards

Muzaferabad.

his map, tho road run?, hero south of the riser, or along its left bank. The Sindhriiim westward, passes north of Krlnagar, the capital of Kashmir, and falls intothe Debut, above eight miles to the north-west of it.1This account of the course of tho Tibetan river is not correct, but the


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286 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.

Panderds\ (.^luXi^) two cos east, is situated on the left of theriver of Little Tibet. A kind of crow with red beak and legs is foundhere, which is considered by the Mohammedans as lawful food, andeaten accordingly; there is also an animal which resembles ajackal, called, in the Kashmirian language, Daruwan, (?,^^)which is held unlawful ; its skin forms a warm clothing, and itsflesh is very beneficial in leprosy. The road along the river ofTibet is good.

Birds1, (.j*I.i>) cast, four cos, is the name of a small Pargana ; the villages are as close to each other as if they were thedivisions of a city, and this Pargana itself may be considered asone town. The governor is entitled the Kehrpun, ( y y T) and issent from Tibet. The houses of this country, hitherward from

Matayan, were all in a ruinous and deserted condition, a numberof persons having been carried off the year before by a party ofpeople called Dardi, (tf J.j) an independent mountain tribe3, threeor four marches north from Diras, who speak the Pushtu as well asthe Daradi language : their religion is not known. It is said to be ajourney of ten stages to Badakhshan from Kashmir, through thecountry of the Dardis. The invaders were about 300, and they carried off 250 persons. The prisoners they make in these predatoryincursions they sell as slaves. After this transaction a party of

matchlock men were stationed at Diras, by order of the ruler ofKashmir, under the son of Malik Alikaui, who holds half the revenue of the country from Matayan to Diras, in jugir from the llajaof Tibet4.

1Moorcroft calls it also l'andras, but, as noticed in his Travels, vol. ii., p. O?l,it is probably Pay fit or Lower Dras.* In ihe former publication this was written Pi riras from Izzct Ullah's vowelmarks as (hey appeared in the manuscripts employed. Mr. Elphhistone's copy linnhowever Dir?s, y^l,^) "ml nil the travellers agree hi calling it Dras. It is alsonamed Him-bab, "the gate or pass of snow," (Moorcroft,) and ia U000 feetabove the level of the sea.?Vigne.* The Durds of the present day, Daradas of the Sanskrit writers, and Daradioof the classical geographers.4Moorcroft mentions that tho lauds (or rather perhaps tho revenues) of Draswere the joint properly of the Unja of Lntlnkh, and the Malik of tho neighbouringfrontier of Kashmir, under an ancient grant from tho Uaja. Tho Maliks ofKashmir were oflieers holding lands on condition of defending the passes. WhenMr. Vigne visited Dras, a small fort had been erected there, garrisoned by Sikhsoldiers.?-Vol. ii., p. 303.


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TRAVELS ll?YONl) TUR HIMALAYA. 287

Kerchho, ( *) east hy north six cos : near this is a rock like amountain, and on it is a castle, and a residence of the Lama, andmany figures are sculptured ; there is also a figure, carved of stone,near the village ; the name of the image is not known. Here arcthe remains of a Serai, founded by Ibrahim Khan: part of the population follow the religion of Tibet, and there is a small establishment of Kaluns (Ghelums), or Tibetan monks, to which theland between Mulbi and Dir?s chiefly belongs3. Barley and wheatare reaped here about the end of September.

The next stages in the same direction are the villages of Hanskot,(t;* t^?JjuA^j six cos, and Ldmayuru, ( ?vjLo^) five cos; the latteris a station of the Lamas: there are other villages in the vicinity.

We then come toKhalach*, (gfiX f ) five cos from the last; beyond thisthe road ran along the skirts of the mountains, and was very ruggedand uneven : in some places chasms had been rendered passable by1Moorcroft calls the place Pushkyum ; the river means the main streamof the Indus, which hero turns at a sharp angle from a westerly to a northerlycourso.BTho Molbi of Moorcroft, who also describes tho sculptured figure on therock.3 Moorcroft mentions that tho number of Gelums and Chumas, monks andnuns attached to the establishment at Lama-yuru, is eaid to he 500.4

Khalcts.?Moorcroft.


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288 TUAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.stones laid across, but the whole was impassable on horseback. Theriver of Tibet runs past Khalach ; it is the same with the river of

Attck (the Indus), and runs from the north-east to the south-west;the stream is said to unite with the river Shayuk, (oy>l?) whichrises in a mountain between Tibet and Yarkand : the river here hasno particular name, but is called Sampo, (?ajL?) signifying in thelanguage of Tibet, the great river. A wooden bridge is built acrossit at Khalach, which is on the right bank.

Continuing the road, we pass through a country abounding withvarious kinds of fruit, apples, apricots, pomegranates, and othersorts : the road is uneven, but the hills are not of great elevation.

At the distance of two cos from Khalach is Nur-UUah1 ; (aJIj*J)from thence, three cos, is Ilimchi ; ?lsss\+a&) and three cos further is Saspul1: 0_>AMA*vO ono ron(* runs -dong ^ie bank of theriver. In this country is the wild ass (or horse ?)*, the flesh ofwhich is a great remedy with Yunani physicians. This is its nativecountry. From hence, at the distance of two or three cos, is a largevillage called Nima, (*++>) and at a little distance Buzgo, (5^Vj)whence a short and good road leads to

Le (?j) a populous city, the capital of Tibet, and alwaysintended by thut term or Tibet, when it is applied to the city. Fruittrees arc few, but willows about it ure plenty. It is situated abouta cos from the right bank of the Sampo : the road to it is good.There are several villages in the intermediate space between it andthe river, and along the latter in its vicinity. The people of theplace call the country Ladagh. ( ?ItXl) In Kashmir they called thecountry Buten, ( # L^) and the people Bot ; and in Persian andTurkish the country is called Tibet, the word Tibet signifying inTurki shawl-wool*, which is procured here most abundantly, and of

i Moorcroft calls it Sncurla, but adds, that the Knultniirians call it Nur-ullah.*These are the Himis and Satmuleh of Moorcroft.0 This is the Idling, which Moorcroft has btill left undetermined, though itseems to be allied to the quagga.4 According to Klaproth and Rcmusat, It is derived from Turfau, tho namo ofa people described under that denomination by tho Chinese historians of the sixthcentury, as occupying the countries bordering on Shu-chwait and Shcn-si; thisword uuiy he read, according to Klaproth, Tu-po or Tu-bo. It seems not unlikelyafter all, that Ti-bet is nothing more than a modification of Vot or Bot, which

according to Csoma Iviiriisi is tho native appellation of both the country and thopeople?Geographical Description of Tibet, J. ui. Soc. Ben,, April, 1M2.


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TitAVliLS liKVOND THE HIMALAYA . 28?)the finest quality. A sort of barley, resembling wheat, grows between

Matayan andDiras: cotton also grows there. Beyond Diras wheatand barley both occur, but no cotton : the wheat is not reaped theretill the end of December, but about L? it is gathered in October ;

there is but one harvest in the year : very fine turnips are cultivatedat L?. Rice and jawar, and ehenua are never sown. From Matayan to L? the water is bad, and engenders asthma and goitre ;the latter in Hindi is called Gilher: it docs not seem prevalent,however, in the town of Lu ; but shortness of breath, caused by thewater, is very general. I was affected in this way very severely, inconsequence of which I abstained from drinking the water, anddrank tea only, when the complaint speedily left me. The waterof the Sampo is good, and along the valley formed by its course,or on the heights bounding it, wherever the springs that supply theriver arise, villages ore met witlj. The people of Tibet eat chieflyTaljan, that is, Seiu, (the meal of parched grain,) boiling it with meat,so as to form a thick kind of broth. Men of rank eat rice. Theyall wear a coarse cloth made of sheep's wool, and the poorer classesin the winter wrap themselves in the skin. They wear very highblack caps, the top of which falls down and hangs over one ear;shoes of undressed hide, within which they sew woollen cloth, thatcomes up to the middle of the leg ; their hair is plaited like thatof women, und falls down in a braid behind ; they shave the beardand preserve the mustachius ; the lower part of the tunic is like thatof the kabil, (it is straight and scanty,) whilst the upper part or vestis full (and folded) ; it is all in one piece. The jama, or tunic ismade of black or coloured woollen cloth (pattu)?the women wearturquoises, emeralds, and pearls in strings pendant from the topof the head to the edge of the tunic. The country yields butlittle profit, so much that owing to the scanty soil and crop, the

poorer people have the revolting practice of one woman beingmarried to several brothers, the children being all supported by theelder. This usage is contrary to the established religion. It is alsoallowable here for the eldest son, if he pleases, to exclude his ownfather from the possession of the property, and to cut off the othersons from any share. The revenue of L? is five thousand Kharwarsof Kashmir. The Kashmir Kharwar is equal to sixteen Tcreks.The ruler has no claim to any part of the crops, but derives his

income from a tax on the head of each house : he levies one or tworupees a year, according to the ground, but this is not determinedby the begab or jerib, but the land is divided according to thewater; that is, they calculate the proportion of water required daily


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290 TRAVELS BEYOND TUR HIMALAYA.for a mill or half a mill, and then estimate the daily consumption ofit in the irrigation of the land in that ratio.The houses are of stone or unburnt brick ; the beams are ofpoplar wood; the dwellings are of three or four stories, and Lecontains a thousand such : the population consists of Tibetans andof Kashmirians : the Mohammedans are of both the Shia and Sunipersuasions. Merchandise pays duty so much ahorse load, and fourrupees are charged on a load of shawl-wool, when exported toKashmir ; no duty is levied on it when imported into Tibet fromother countries : a duty

of four rupees is chargedon every terek

weight of Kashmir shawls, when exported toYarkand ; eight hundred horse loads of shawl-wool go annually hence to Kashmir, eachhorse load weighing about twenty-eight tereks. The wool is obtained from the hide of the goat, but is distinct from the hair : theoriginal wool of Tiis is yielded by a kind of deer. Tea also pays asmall duty. Shawl-wool comes to Le from Rodok and Cha-yin

Than: the former lies east by south from L?, and is a dependency ofit : Cha-yin Than is the name of a district, the chief city of whichis named Gerduk. It is fifteen stages east of L?, and belongs toLassa. Lassa is a celebrated city east of L? two months' journey :the chief of it is the chief of the Lamas ; his name is not known. Hehas been obliged within the last fifteen or twenty years to appeal tothe power of Khatai, to protect him against the encroachments ofthe Gorkhas.

There is one mosque in L?, to the Imam of which every load ofmerchandise pays one j?d. (,>?;>?) It was founded by IbrahimKhan, one of the nobles of the Mogul Court, at a time when theKalmaks (olJLi') ?a(l gut possession of the city, and the Raja ofTibet bad recourse to the Sultan of Hindustan for succour. Ibrahim Khan, who was sent to bis assistance, defeated the Kalmaks,and restored the Raja ) who in consequence adopted the Mohammedan faith, and signed a treaty, acknowledging himself a vassalof the empire. He was honoured with the title of Raja AkabetMahmud Khan. The Hakims of Kashmir still address the Rajaof Tibet by that designation, but the Raja in a short time returnedto bis original faith ; be continued to profess indeed a sort of subordination to the Governor of Kashmir, but paid tribute no longer.lie coins the jud in the name of Mahmud, Shah; twenty-four judsmake one rupee. The Raja of L? sends annually a contribution orcharitable donation to the Guru Lama of Lassa. The Hakim ofKashmir takes care to be on good terms with the Raja of Tibet,


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 291because the shawl-wool comes from thence, and if the intercoursewere interrupted, the weavers of Kashmir would be out of employ,by which he would lose a duty often lakhs a year. If this were notin his way, the country might be easily overrun, as the people are avery spiritless race. I did not meet one individual armed duringthe whole of my stay, although they keep guns and other weaponsin their houses. Murder and robbery, violence and bloodshed are

unknown. When two Tibetans quarrel, the fine who finds hisanger becoming outrageous, chokes himself by filling his mouthwith clay ; or it is not unusual for cither to bare his head, and present it to his opponent, exclaiming " Strike," because in fact whoevergives the first blow is subject to a fine of three rupees, or six rupeesif blood be drawn. If one strike another with a sword, he is tiedto a large stone, and dressings are applied to the wounded man atthe expense of the aggressor, according to bis circumstances. Ifthe wounded man die, the murderer is thrown into the river, with aheavy stone tied round his waist. In short, they are a very mildrace, disposed to offer injury to no one, and are free from religiousintolerance. They marry their daughters to Mohammedans, and donot object to their adopting the faith of their husbands ; if the

women wish, they are at any time allowed to resume the faith ofTibet. Four or five hundred mounted men might plunder the wholecountry. The gunpowder made here is very famous. Mines ofsulphur are found about three stages from L?. Saltpetre is alsoproduced by the soil; and excellent charcoal is abundantly preparedfrom a sort of timber that grows upon the mountains, the Persianname of which I am not acquainted with, and I had no opportunityof seeing the wood.When a son is born to the llaja, the Raja abdicates, and the

ministers govern in the name of the prince. There are threeprincipal officers of government : one is called Kalun, who actsas deputy ; the second is the Chagbgut, the treasurer or steward ;the third is the Maghu, (\?*,


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292 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.ever marries. The Lamas are the spiritual preceptors of the otherclasses of people. I cannot offer any account of the religion of thecountry, not understanding the language, nor meeting with any Lamao? intelligence enough to explain it. I was also advised by Khaja Shah

Nias? not to make any particular inquiries upon the subject, as myproceedings were regarded with some jealousy by the chief authorities.I could only, therefore, pick up such accounts as the Mohammedanresidents of the place were able to give me. The national faith iscalled Buddha, acknowledging God and the prophets. The templesof their idols are not constructed for their religious worship, hut forthe preservation of the statues of their most eminent teachers and

Lamas, the sight of which is proper8. Accordingly, when any Lamaor person of that description dies, they carve his image upon thetomb in which bis ashes, after the body is burnt, are buried. Someof the images are said to represent some prophet, who was a friendto their progenitors, and is still living. From this it appears, thatthe prophet is no other than Khajeh Kbisr (Elias). Some say thatthese are images of a prophet who was taken up to heaven, and is stillalive ; and these are therefore representations of Hazret Isa (Jesus).

They have books which they consider Scriptural, and which containmoral doctrines and religious prayer, and enjoin the constant practiceof devotion, truth, and clemency. Thus they say, If any one takefrom you your cloak, give him your vest also ; and if he strike youone blow, bid him strike another. The adoration of idols is prohibited. With exception of burning the dead, the usages of thesepeople

are very conformable to those of Christians. They hold thetlesh of horses and camels to be unlawful food, but eat goats, sheep,and kinc. It is also unlawful to espouse more than one wife. Theirchief festivals are held when the sun is farthest off, as on the 25th of

December ; aud their new year begins at the same period as that ofthe Christian era. When taking an oath, they invoke the KanjaSum, that is to say, the Triple God ; Kanja3 meaning God, and Sumthree,?and they say that God is one ; that of the other two, one ishis Prophet, and the other his Word ; and that the union of thethree in their form of oath, refers only to one God. There is like

1 Sec an account of this person inMoorcroft.u So Uubruquis state? that " tho Tibet monks aelinowlodgo tho unity of thoDeity ' and on being reproached with the use of images, replied, that theso by nomeans represented the Supreme Being, but only such of their deceased friend? aathey particularly respect."3 More correctly Kon-ehok, the chief of rarity. Sec Csoma, Tibetan Gram." Why God is called Kon-eliok."?Jpp. p. 10*5.


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA? 293wise an obvious affinity between the Lamas of Tibet, and themonksof Christian countries ; as for instance, some time before my arrival,there was a Lama who had never slept in his whole life. An old

man told me, he recollected having heard that many loads of theGospel had formerly arrived iu Tibet, but that no one copy hadreached them entire, in consequence of which the custom ofburning the dead, and other unchristian practices, and the beliefin the metempsychosis were suffered still to subsist. At Lassa,

however, the chief seat of the religion, the dead are not burnt,but buried. They acknowledge also, that their religious bookswere originally in some foreign language, from which they weretranslated into the ancient dialect of Tibet1. Such of the originals as yet remain are no longer understood by any one. Iwas not able to procure a single page of these books. The peoplehere have a printed as well as a written character. Their monthshave no separate appellations, but are distinguished as first, second,third, &c. The years are reckoned after the Turk manner, comprehending a cycle of twelve years, each being named after an animal,as the Suchkan II, Aud II, or the year of the mouse, the cow, &c. Thelanguage of Tibet has much in common with the dialects of Turkestanand Kashmir : it abounds with nasals like the latter, whilst iu articulation and accent it resembles Turkish, the hard kaf and ghain, andshin, and the Persian jim often occur. The dogs of Tibet are twiceas large as those of Hindustan ; they have large heads and longcoats, and are very strong and fierce, and are said to be a match fora lion. They are good watch dogs at night. The cow of thiscountry has a 'bushy tail, which forms the chowri used in Hindustan ; it is of low stature, but is strong and sure-footed, andis much used as a beast of burthen in mountainous and difficult roads. The crow (or raven) is large and black. I sawvery few of the celebrated Tibet ponies ; the breed is originallyfrom Zanskar, a part of Tibet, ten or fifteen stages from L? ; theprice varies from twenty to seventy rupees. They are very fleet,

? They wcro in Sanskrit or Prakrit, tho religion of Tibet having been derivedfrom the plains of Hindustan. Nestorian Monks, however, were very long scattered over tho countries north of Tibet, and nomo vestiges of their presence seem tobe visible iu the notions and practices of the peuple. Rubruquis found a numberof Nestorian Christians in tho states of Mangu Khan, and Marco Polo encounteredthem in various places between lladakhshan and China. The Ooa Church also

maintained missionaries in Tibet several years ; twelve were sent at one time underHorace dc la Penna, besides Dcsideri, Andrada, and others at different periods.They all agree in tho resemblance between the religion of the Lamas and Christianity.


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294 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.and sure of foot, and cross the loftiest passes with ease ; they feedthem with hay, or, if they wish to make them fat, they give themthe grass called Rushkch, fresh if it be spring weather, but dry atother seasons. A horse eats one j?d of rushkeh a day. Insteadof gram, they give the horses barley.

Chaughan is a favourite game in Tibet ; it is played by two partiesmounted, who attempt to strike the ball beyond two stones, andwhoever does this nine times is victor1.

The want of an astrolabe made it dillicult to determine the positionof L? ; but from such observations of the star Jeddi, called by theArabs the Kuteb, or pole star, as I could take, I judge it to besituate 37? 40'*. i

I left Kashmir on the 16th September, 1812, and after beingtwenty-one days on the road, arrived at L? on the 30th of October.

The distance is not more than one hundred and twenty cos, yetthe difficulties of the route make it laborious and tedious travelling.It would not otherwise be a journey of more than four or five days.FiioM Tibet to Yaukand8.

I left L? on the 2Gth of October, and set off for Yarkand. Thefirst stage is Sabu


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 295

Diger\ (y>?) eight cos, east by north, is a village belonging toL?. The road is very precipitous and difficult; the first threehours were a continued ascent ; the last was a declivity. The snowwas above a cubit deep.

Ahkdm\ (*(?iM) north by east, three cos, a village of twentyhouses on the left bank of the river Shayuk, and dependent on L?.The source of this river is at Karak?rdm, as will be hereafter noticed.It runs into the river of L?, and therefore contributes to the Attok

(or Indus). It runs south-west. The road, after the descent fromDiger, runs along a level, and is nothing but sand and rock. Ileforedescending, a road runs north to Nobra, a place of some importance.In the summer time the road to Yarkand is by Nobra, for the lowerlevels are rendered impassable by melting of the snows. Thegovernor of Nobra is named Khaga Tanzin; he is the father-in-lawof the Kalun of L?.

Dakchudinga, (\?)?yss\9^) north-east, seven hours, is a stationamongst the rocks,

on the right bank of the Shayuk. The roadran along either bank of the river until itwas interrupted by projecting blocks of stone, when it was necessary to ford the river, audproceed along the other side until similarly impeded in this manner.In the course of the march I crossed it five times, the water up tothe horse's girth. At this time, the 3 1st of October, icicles formedon the horse's mane. There were few places on the route wheregrass and wood were procurable.

Chamchdr, ( X^s^j north-east, four hours, on the right bankof the Shayuk?four fords on the route, one of which was verydangerous. The road was very uneven and rugged. There wasplenty of wood, but scanty forage.

Chong Jangal, (jjj^ c_0*^) north-west, nine hours. A stageon the right of the Shayuk. On the opposite side a small streamflows into the river, in the neighbourhood of which wood andforage were plentiful. We passed two fords near the station. Onthe left bank were three or four houses belonging to the Lamas,hence called Lama Kasht, or village. Beyond this place there is nohabitation whatever. Chong, in the Turkish language, means

much; Jangal has its usual sense of thicket*.1 Jugur of Vigne. 2 Urkum of Vigne.3 Tho uso of Turkish words throughout the rest of the Journal, marks theextent to which this race muafc have encroached upon Tibet.


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29G TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.

Chong Viang, (L-\JiM L-?y^) north, four hours, a stationon the right bank of the river, from whence the road runs betweenperpendicular mural precipices. The road itself is sandy androcky.

Dong Ba-ilak, (?iVjli L-m?^) north, nine hours, on the leftbank of the river : the fords were numerous, not fewer than eleven.After six hours' travelling, we came on our left to a rock of marble,which extended for a gunshot, that terminated in a striped rocklike Sulimani stone. There are several toshguns, or halting-placeson the way, where fuel and grass may be obtained ; one of these,two hours on this side of the station, is called Kefter Khunch, or thepigeon-house, consisting of small excavations in the rock, like dovecotes.

Mandalik, (JCaJ^JU) north by east, ten hours, on the left handof the river, abounding with fuel, but scanty of fodder. Here beginsthe Esh?this is a Turkish word, signifying Smell ; but, as hereused, it implies something, the odour of which induces indisposition;for from hence the breathing of horse and man, and especially of theformer, becomes affected. The road is sandy and rocky, runningalong a valley ; we had to ford the stream eight times : there arcseveral halting-places on the way, at most of which fuel is plentiful,but fodder scarce. The range of rock ceases in a high pass beforecoming to the end of this stage ; but rocks and mountains extendalong the right bank.

Yartobe, (_j y*J-t. ) north by east, five hours on the rightbank.

Kotak lak, (?3 jCj^r) north, five hours. This is on one ofthe feeders of the Shayuk, which river here loses this appellation,and is colled the River of Khamddn. Wood is plentiful here, but isburnt green. It is provided here for the next stage. The smell isvery oppressive. Flints are found at this place, as well as smallagates

and blue Sulimani stones. The road continues in avalleybetween mountains, and is intersected by frequent torrents.

Chong Task, (^Ij L_&?.*?) north by west, seven hours, is avillage situated on a promontory of rock detached from the neighbouring mountain on the right bank of the river of Khaindan.After passing the last station a broad valley opened to the left,forming the commencement of a series of valleys leading to Khafalun. About half-way another opening occurs on the left, turning


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 297towards the south, passing through which a mountain is crossed.

They call that the road of Sisar; and in the summer, when thewaters areswollen the road from L? to Nobra proceeds over the highlands to this pass where it descends into the valley. The road toNobra from Sisan is a journey of seven days, over the tops or alongthe skirts of the mountains1.

Khamddn, ( l^x^) west by north, nine hours, on the right ofthe river. On our left hand between the south and west9 is a mountain of ice, which remains unmelted throughout the year. Theysay it is two hundred cos in extent, and on one side is Tibet Haiti,and on the other Serkul3, on the boundaries of Badakhshan. From

Kashmir to Yarkand, by Balt.i, is a journey of twenty-five days,three of which are over this glacier, and it is therefore rarely travelled. There is said to be also a shorter road, avoiding the icy

mountain, but the people of Tibet keep it a secret. Large blocks ofice, some of a spiral form, were lying about the station: perhaps the

place derives its name from this, Kham, a spire or curl. They saythat this ice shifts, for the people of the country observe, that aparticular stone, which at one season is on the side, is after sometime observable at the summit of the mountain. Moreover thewater which bubbles at the lower part having become ice, pushes upand takes the place of the ice above it. In some places the colourof the glacier is white, in some it is of the colour of jasper (jade),in some like water, and others like the sky. Fuel was procurable,but fodder very scarce.

Y?pch?n, ( [Mj\>) west by north, ten hours?on both sides the* So Vigne mentions that when the Shayuk is too full for wading, traveller?from Ladakh to Yarkand enter tho valley of the Nobra, and then turn up a path

to the right and arrive at Karnkuruui alter crossing three passe?, two of which arecalled Broknapal, (Izzct Ullah, Moorcroft, Braknnte,) and Sisur. Vigne enteredtho head of the Nobra valley.8 Both copies had Afashrck, the cast; but this is clearly an error. Elphinslonenotices thin passage of Izzct Ullah's journal :?Izzct Ullah, he observes, does notdescribe the glacier of Khanidiiii as forming part of tho range

of mountains, hut asaseparate mountain of ice, Keen on the left of the road two inarches before reaching

Kurrakorrun?, and extending two hundred com, from Tibet of Balti to Surrikkol.?Noie, p. 112.It is to be inferred that the glacier here met with, is in fact part of the Mustakrange, extending across tho country of the Dard tribes, north of Little Tibet, to

Wakan, where even the latest maps leave a blank. See Map annexed to Yigne'sTravels in Kashmir.8 The Sir-i-kol; tho lake in the Pamir mountains from which the Oxus ris 8, inLut. :i7J27' N., Long. 7!*? 40' K.?Wood.


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298 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.river ; the road was irregular, and the snow lay a foot and a halfthick.

On the south of the pass of Karak?r?m, (**j J?U?) *sa amallstation where stones have been piled up for shelter, which they calla bargih, at the southern foot of the mountain, at the distance often hours' march, the first part of which runs north-east, and thelatter north-west. There are three small houses at the place, butneither fuel nor fodder ; the water was also so unwholesome, producing short breathing, that it was necessary to melt the snowfor a supply. The climate is exceedingly unhealthy, and particularly for persons living on a full diet. We had, therefore, preparedourselves by living for three or four days before on boiled ricealone. Horses suffer exceedingly from the shortness of breath,especially, in proportion as they are large of body and well^ conditioned.

The source of the river Shayuk is on the south of Karak?r?m1,on the north is that of the river of Yarkand. The country ofKhoten lies at twelve days' journey to the north. Tibet Balti liesto the south-west. The road from Yrapchan was sometimes overheights, sometimes over level land, with snow the whole way ; inlive or six places we had to cross over ice. The river which we hadupon our left quitted us at about half the stage.

Northern face of Karak?r?m. A station of two or three houseswithout forage or fuel : the water was all frozen ; the horses wereknocked up with hunger and thirst, as usual. The snow lay verydeep through the whole of the way ; the air was very dry, and thelabour and the cold affected many persons, and being weak fromour previous abstinence, we suffered much from sickness of stomachand difficulty of breathing. The first half of the road was ascent,and the second half descent, and to mark the summit stones arepiled, and sticks set up with the chowris of the cow-tail to them.

Two large and black crows accompanied the caravan for several cos,the people of which threw them fragments. Flints of excellentquality are found here ; they are found beneath the snow.j

Sarigh-out, (dli__J^L>) north, seven hours : the road hither isrough and stony, and the place ill supplied, the water frozen.Several small villages occurred on the route.

1The Shayuk rises by two heads, one from tho anowa on tho southern face ofthe Karakurum range; the other, from a lake iu the same position a little more tothe west, called Nobra Tsuh. Seo Yigue's Map,


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 299

Akt?k, (?b?l) north-west, nine hours, a station on the rightbank of a river. Ak, means white, and Tak, a'mountain.With exception of two or three people employed at the ferrythe place was deserted. Henceforward the unwholesome air ceased,and forage, wood, and water, were plentiful.

Khafalun, (i^UU-) north-west, ten hours, on the right bank ofthe river at the point of a mountain. The road ran along a valleyabounding with stones and sand, and was intersected by the beds oftorrents now frozen, but some of which were crossed with difficulty.Six hours' march from Akt?k was a station with wood and water,called Shah-i-?b} after leaving this a road was observed upon ourright or to the north, leading over the mountains, by which in thesummer time, when the waters are out, travellers proceed to aplace called Kalian in Kokiar, a dependency of Yarkand. Fromthe vicinity of this place there was a short road to Tibet Haiti, bywhich in former times the Kalmaks and Kirghizes penetrated intothat country. It is said that in order to stop these incursions, waterwas conducted into the defiles by some contrivance, and this beingfrozen, completely blocked up the passages. The road hither waslevel, but rough with stones and sand.

Taghneh, (*?xj) nine hours, north by west, on the right bank ofthe river; opposite to a mountain on the north of it. In this mountain several chasms were exposed by the fall of large blocks, whichare said to be mines of copper, which the Kalmaks occasionally find.

The word Taghneh also means in Tibetana

copper mine. The roadwas rugged, and strewed with stones and ice.Igersdldi, ((S?M/?>j?>\) west by north, seven hours, on a small

stony flat between two mountains, on the right bank of the river.Bugh-i-IIaji Mohammed, north-west, nine hours, the road good;a station on the right of the river, abounding in fuel and fodder.On the road half way is a place called Kirghiz thicket, where arc the

remains of some of their ruined edifices, that tribe having been residenthere before the country was subjected to China: being in the habitof plundering the Kafilas they were expelled. The Kirghizes are a

Mongol tribe, speaking a Turkish dialect. Near Kirghiz thicket isa pass, by which a road runs in u north-easterly direction to thesepulchre of Shahid Ullah Khajeh, one day's march: one night'sjourney from hence is a mine of Yeshm. I encountered people whohad come from Kokiar to procure the Yeshm stone. After passing

Kirghiz Jangal, we came to a pass on our left, which leads to Sirikul,on the confines of Budukhshati.

VOL. VII. Y


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300 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.

Ydrtobi, ( jyjjlj) west by north, two hours, on the right of theriver : supplies plentiful, and the road good.Yanghi Daw?n, (aJOLc*?j) or tne new mountain : the first partof the route, as far as Kulan Oldi, lay to the west, the last nearlydue north ; the station is near the summit of the mountain, andfurnishes little or no fuel or grass ; the cold was excessive. Aftertwo hours travelling, we came to a place called Kul?n Oldi, andthere separated from the river of Yarkand, for that, here, runs tothe west1, to Chiragh-S?ldi, whilst we advanced to the north. Weproceeded through a narrow and steep defile, down which a mountaintorrent, now ice-bound, runs southward, and falls into the Yarkandriver ; the road was difficult, and the weather so severe, that two ofthe horses of Kb aja Shah Nias dropped dead in the pass. Thereis another route by Chiraghsdldi mountain, but it is longer by twodays* journey than this. The road to Yanghi Daw?n has beenknown for sixty or seventy years.

Tezah Lak Payin, L t ?j[) j? uJ^k?) north, nine hours. Astation on the left, near the sources of a stream. Half an hourafter leaving our former halting-place, we crossed a pass, and theroad descended the rest of the way. In the middle of the valley,the branches of the rivulet were on both sides, but they weregenerally frozen. This stream, which rises from the north side ofYanghi Daw?n, unites with that from Chiragh-S??ldi, and passes byAlizar, when it is called the river of Mizdr, and flowing thencebelow Far-aulik, it unites with the river of Yarkand; before unitingwith which it is called the river of Far-aulik. There were threestations on 'our route, one of which was called Tezak lak bala (orupper, the halting-place being called payin, or lower.)

Misar, ( ,ly?) north, eight hours. Miz?r means a tomb, andhere is the sepulture of some person of consequence, but of whom Icould not learn : a few empty houses adjacent are appropriated tothe accommodation of travellers. The land is capable of tilluge,

1The maps, however, give it a continuous north-easterly direction. The latestand best maps of Central Asia, by Zimmerman, also placo Chiragh Saldi on thocast of the road : but Izzet Ullah's account is consistent, as he mentions under thostation M izar, that tho road from Chiragh Saldi joins the valley on the left, that is,the west. The whole account of this part of the formation of tho Yarkand riverdiffers from the map last mentioned ; for that identities the Mi/.ar stream with thoYarkand river; whilst, according to our traveller, the main stream, which haddiverged to the west at Kulan Oldi, is not again met with until within three hoursmarch of Yarkand.


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 301The authority of Khatai (China) has lately been extended hither:from hence the Turkish language is chiefly spoken. Many individuals in the vicinity possess large flocks of sheep and horses. Theroad runs along an irregular and uneven valley, on either side of theriver. The noxious wind again prevailed from Yanghi Dawjinhither. Shortly before reaching the station, the road from ChiraghS??ldi entered the valley on our left, with a torrent running down itinto the Mizar stream.

Chakilak, (?J?jl-*-) north, six hours, on the right of the Mizarriver, which, however, crosses it frequently.

Khaldstan, (, . yjQo'&s*) north, six hours: on the right bank ofthe river of Mizar, which here runs off to the west.Ak Masjid, (4X_3iw^cil) or Ak Masi, seven hours : the first half ofthe way is north ; the latter half north-west. Although named from

a mosque, there is no vestige of any such building. Forage and waterwere plentiful ; ice was brought from a distance. The first part ofthe road lay through a valley, into which another opened from theeast. In some places blocks of a white stone, like marble, werelying about : beyond this a mountain of earth was crossed, called

Topa-dawan ; the name signifies the earth or clay pass. We hereleft the stream ?iom Khal?stan.Aurtang1, {l^Xxj.S) west by north, nine hours, a custom-house

station. They examine all packages here, and put a seal upon them.They then send a Chinese officer and two Mohammedans along withthe travellers as far as Yarkand. There are sixteen Chinese here,the chief of whom is called Gala?-da. There are two or three

Chinese accountants, and two or three Mohammedans, natives ofKhatai, one of whom is equal in rank to the principal Chinese.

Whenever a caravan arrives, the chief assigns them a place for theirgoods, and fixes a written paper, in lieu of a seal, upon those articlesthat are corded ; the others he inspects, and takes out any bearingduty, which he puts up along with the merchandise. On the next dayhe allows them to proceed with the three individuals before mentioned, whose duty it is to see that the merchants alter none of thebales. The guides conduct the caravan to the custom-house at

Yarkand, where they levy from the Kashmir trader one-fortieth ofthe value, and one-thirtieth from all others. If it is an article thatsells by weight, they levy the duty in kind ; if it is sold by tale, they

1 Tho Oortung of Klphinstono'? map. Here the roads from L? and Badukhahuii to Yarkand seem to meet, Y 2


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302 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.value the article and take their proportion in coin ; if the goods havebeen altered, a double duty is exacted. Before arriving at the Aurtang,there are three stations, at the distance of one cos each, tenanted bytwo custom-house officers, one a Chinese, one a Mohammedan.The latter is called Tungali. There are two or three hundred housesnear the Aurtang ; a river runs past it, called the river of Kokiar.

Kokiar, (AaT*f ) north by west, one hour. This is a largevillage, containing above a thousand houses, and is under the chargeof four Mohammedan officers on the part of the Chinese Government: one is styled the Ming bashi?two, Yuz bashis?and thefourth the Alem akhond. The mountains are visible everywhere inthe distance.

Langer the third, west of north, one hour. Langer Lui) meansPost, and a station of government horses is fixed here. Mountedcouriers, on the part of the ruling powers, go from one of thesestations to the next. There are usually three of these stations in aday's march. The second station at Beshtarek was seven hours.

Next march there is a thicket. Between each station, at the distance of a march, more or less, three stones are placed in succession, separated by about a cos.

Tukayi, (j^AS^j) north, ten hours, a post station ; a branch ofthe river of Kcrghalik runs past it. Kerghalik itself occurs on theroad after four hours' march, and is the name both of a district andof a considerable village ; the whole of this route is cultivated andstrewed with houses ; there is a market inKerghalik every Mondayfor horses, kine, asses, carpets, &c. 5 there is also a college, and asimilar establishment of officers as at Kokiar. Kerghalik is sonamed from the multitude of crows that abound there, Kcrgha

meaning a crow, and lik being the possessive or attributive affix.The river of Khal?stan, which liad left'4us atTopadaw?n, here returnedto our route?gardens were numerous along our course, with willows,poplars, and apricot trees.

Chagochag, (lJo*- if;-*) north, nine hours : a small villageand post station.

Yaukand, (sa?Xj) four hours1. This is a well-known city,defended by a wall of unbaked clay ; the houses are of the samematerial : the city has five gates?the western is called the Altun

1The Yarkian, Iliarclian, Gurkan, aud Karkan of different European writers;when visited by Marco Polo, in tho thirteenth century, it was subject to thodescendants of Jangiz Khan.


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 303gate; the south, the Khankah, is the gate of the citadel, and anothergate on the south side is called the Mikrar gate; the eastern is theKiak al Kun ; the northern is the Terek Bagh gate. The principalbazar extends east and west, and has many Chinese shops. A

market is held every Friday. There are more than ten colleges,supported by endowments of land.

An hour after leaving the last station, we came upon the right bankof the river of Yarkand, and crossed it; this is the same stream whichwe quitted on our left at Kulan Oldi. A little beyond that there is a

mine of Yeshm stones in the bed of the river1 ; the people, however,are not allowed to work it, and when the river is lowest, the govern

ment of Khatai sends divers to explore the river for these stones, andall that are found are the property of the government: the water ofthe river is run off into small water-courses, for the irrigation ofall the land, and canals pass through the city. From the latter the

water also is conveyed by narrow channels, and kept in reservoirsfor the winter, as at that season the quantity is diminished, and ailthe lesser channels are blocked up with ice. Hollowed gourds areused instead of vessels, as cups, jars, hookas, &c. This perhapsaccounts for the extensive prevalence of goitre here. The people of

Yarkand are an industrious race, and mostly engaged in activeoccupations as shopkeepers and traders ; few live by servitude.

The duty paid on foreign merchandise imported has already beendescribed; it is only once levied, and there are no duties on internal commerce. The Chinese officer that accompanies the caravansfrom the station as above described, brings the goods to wherethey are deposited in separate chambers in the custom-house atYarkand. On the day following, the Chinese officer compares thearticles with the tickets sent from the Aurtang, and then opens andexamines the packages; articles sent as presents, and in no greatquantity, are not taxed. The merchants usually divide their articlesin such a manner that the number shall not reach thirty or forty ;so that if one man has a hundred shawls, they are entered in thename of three or four others in the same caravan.The women of this country are not concealed, whatever may betheir rank. In the Ilijri year 1050, or about two centuries back,

Yarkand, Kasbgbar, Ycngi Hissnr, Aksu, Kuchar, and Turfanwere under the dominion of Moghul Khans8?they subsequently1 Tho Yeshm is the In of the Chinese, to which many imaginary virtues arc

attached; it is a species of Jade. See Rcmusat. Recherches sur la Pierre de IU.2 This was in HMO. In the beginning of the seventeenth century, whenGocz was there, Yarkand was the capital of Kasbghar, It was afterwards taken


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304 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.fell into the hands of the Kalmaks. The chief of the Kalmaks, entitled the Tura, resided at lia1, and a deputy on his part was sentto Yarkand. After some time an epidemic occurred amongst the

Kalmaks, which carried off the Tura, his children, his chief men,and a vast number of people. The ruler of Yarkand was one ofthe Khajehs of Kara Taghlik, who were favoured by the Kalmaks. Ahostile tribe, called Ak Taghlik, was held in subjection at lia. But

when they saw the state of weakness to which their masters werereduced, they collected and attacked the Kara Taghliks, and seizedthe country. An envoy now arrived from China, but the Khajehsseized and killed him ; a body of troops was sent to punish thisoffence, and the Kara Taghliks, availing themselves of this opportunity to interest the court of Khatai in their quarrel, persuadedthe emperor to send a second army for the effectual reduction oftheir opponents. The Khajehs of the Ak Taghlik behaved manfully, and repeatedly repulsed the Chinese; but being at last over

powered, were compelled to take refuge in Badakhshan. The princeof that country, Sultan Shah, however, put them to death, and senttheir heads to the Chinese general. The present ruler of Badakhshan, Mir Mohammed Shah, is the son of Sultun Shah : the children of the Khajehs are now in Bokhara. It is about sixty yearsago since these transactions took place, and the country fell underthe authority of Khatai.

There is one chief on the part of the Mohammedans in Yarkand,and two on that of Khatai,?Mohammed Ilosein, entitled HakimBeg, is the former; the latter are Chinese, and are called Ainbans.Levying of customs, the management of the police, and administration of criminal justice, the regulation of the troops, and thereception of ambassadors, belong to the Chinese : the Mohammedanchief is the judge in all civil disputes, and collects the capitationtax. There is no fixed and well-regulated court for these matters;but an Alem Akhond is appointed on the part of the Hakim Beg, todischarge the duties of chief Knzi (Kazi ul Kuzzat), aud he isassisted by a Mufti and Kazi. If an oath is requisite

iu any cause,the Alem Akhond sends the person to the Kazi to be sworn. The

Hakim is never changed except for some fault; but the Ambansare changed every three years.The chief revenue is the Alban, a poll-tax, levied from every male

by the I'/.beks, and again captured from them by the Klcuths. Iu 17


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 305above twelve years of age. It varies from, five pul to fifteentangas, according to the means of the parties. Students, mullas,travellers, und mendicants, are exempt from this impost. There are40,000 individuals subject to it in Yarkand and its dependencies.The next person in rank to the Hakim Beg is the Alem Akhond.All disputes between merchants and traders are settled by a jury orPanchayet of the Hayan. A Bae is appointed by the Hakim forevery class of merchants ; he is also called Ak Sik?l (or whitebeard.) The term Musafir, or traveller, is applied to every foreigntrader,

evenalthough he be settled here, and have taken a wife andhad children in the country.A pul is equal to one pice ; a tanga is equal to fifty pul, but is

not a coin, there is nothing less than a pul. Silver passes in lumps,called yambo, about the weight of 1GOrupees, and such a lump wascurrent for 224 tangas'.

The weights in use are the maund, or eight gherbils, a ghcrbilis equal to eight chfirak ; one chande is two hundred sers, one ser seven

miskals, and one miskal twenty-four nakhud or pease. Wheat issold at the rate of a chiirak and a half for a tanga. The cultivationis wheat, barley, rice, muiig, and joar. They feed their horses with

barley, and with barley-straw, in place of hay; they give also twistsof llishkch, both green and dried, on which the animals fatten. Ahorse-market is held every Friday: all the Kirghiz horses are ofsmall stature, and are geldings ; the price varies from twenty to ahundred tangas ; the utmost price is a yambo ; they are in generalfleet. The Chinese object to stallions, whence geldings only arebrought to market ; and, indeed, the people of the country preferthe latter as more docile and tractable. The bargut is a bird ofprey, twice the size of a hawk, and with very powerful talons; whenproperly trained, it is used to chase deer. It catches them in thismanner: alighting on the back of the animal, it there fastens oneclaw, the deer turning its bead round to drive it off, the bird fixesthe other talon in the animal's throat, and brings it to the ground.It is said of some of these birds, that if they miss the deer, they willflv at the hunter. One of the curiosities of this country is the stonecalled Ycdch, a stone taken from the bead of the cow or horse, by thevirtue of which rain or snow may be produced. I had no opportunity

' The standard is not mentioned, nor can wo depend upon our traveller'svaluation of the pul ; admitting it, however, to be correct, silver is to copper abouttwolvo per cent, higher than in Calcutta. The rate is probably not far from thetruth. Tho lumps of silver arc no doubt the ingots in which the Chinese Syccesilver is commonly current.


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30G TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.of observing the fact1, but the truth was attested by very many persons.The individuals who employ the stone are numerous; they are calledYedcjis. The stone is to be smeared with the blood of some animal,and then thrown into water: a charm is read at the same time, uponwhich a strong wind springs up, and then rain and snow ensue.The virtues of the stone are confined to cold countries, and it wouldtherefore be unavailing to transport it to the sandy districts of Hindustan, as Hariana and Bikancr. The truth of the story is knownto God alone.

The dignities which the Chinese authoritiesconfer upon the

Mohammedans are two?the first is called Wang, the secondBaiseh ; the first wears a peacock's feather, with three eyes, in hiscap, and an ornament called Jug-nu; the latter is round, of the sizeof a pigeon's egg: it is of seven kinds?the first worn by the twoorders ismade of rubies, the second of coral is worn by the Hakim,the third of lapis lazuli, the fourth of blue glass, the fifth of whiteglass, the sixth of white stone, and the seventh of silver: the last fivesorts arc worn by Mirs, according to the scale of their respectiveranks*. There are forty or fifty Mirs in every city under the orders ofthe Hakim. The Mirs receive land, or salary, or allowances, accordingto their degree, from the Chinese government. The sovereign ot

Khatai is called Khan, and his capital Pehin0. The chief force of theChinese is infantry, armed with matchlocks and bows and arrows.

Fhom Yarkand to Kasiigiiau.The custom station or Aurteng of Karawul Jash, (J?\?>. JLJyS)sixteenyols4. (j^j) Half way toKokrebat (MajJ^f ) we passed1 This is a very ingenuous confession, and calculated to givo a favourable notionof our traveller's veracity, iu spite of a little tincture of credulity.2 According to Morrison, under the word " rank," tho balls or buttons aronine :?One, of a red stone; two, of coral; three, of carved coral; four, of a bluo

stone; five, of an opaque blue stone; six, of crystal; seven, of a dull white stono;eight, of gold ; nine of silver.3 Both copies of the Journal write this Pehin, tho Tartar pronunciation, nodoubt, of Pekin.4 This term, now first introduced, is subsequently thus explained. Yol is aTurkish word, signifying originally road or way, but it has now come to designate acertain distance. One yol is said by some to contain ?l?'Ofawalik, and, one fawalikis equal to two Gcz (or cubits) of Shahjchanabad : others say that a yol containsonly 'AiiQcubits, two of which in like manner make a fawalik : 70 or 00 yols forma moderately long stage. Tho latter rato seems the most likely to bo correct, asthen a mile will he equal to about two and a half yoN, and about thirty inilos willform a st;ige, not often although sometimes exceeded.


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TRAVELS BEYOND TUE HIMALAYA. 307a number of stations, called Keshlaks ; but from thence to thecustom-house none occurred, except the remains of a mansion builtby Abdullah Khan. The winter dwellings of the people of thecountry, who during the summer months reside in tents, were originally called by the name of Keshlak, and it has thence come tosignify any village. At this station the passports of those goingfrom Yarkand to Kashghar are examined and countersigned.The Aurtcng of Chemlun, forty yols. A good road: the passports arc here again examined.

Aurtcng of Tussaluh, fifty yols, another custom-house station :several villages on the road.

Yengi Ilissar: this is a city under the Chinese government; twoChinese officers and one Mohammedan preside over it; the name ofthe latter was Hakim Mahmud Beg; he is a kinsman of the Hakemof Kashghar.

Paich?nd, a village and custom-house station, ninety yols.Kashghar, (yL2>^) ninety yols. A well known city, whereI arrived on the second day of the Moharram, in the year 1813.We alighted at the house of Samijon, a Tasbkcnd merchant, to

whom we brought letters. The wife of the Hakim sent me a dressedskin, and a Jama of Khatai. The Hakim of Kashghar was namedYunas Beg ; he had left the city to pay his respects to the Khan of

Khatai on the second Shaban, and settle the rate of tribute. Kashghar pays six thousand tangas u month.Mullah Nazr of Kashghar had accompanied Sch?nder Beg, thewang of the ruler of Kashghar, twice to Pehin, and had kept aregister of the stages of his route. He allowed me to take a copyof his journaj, and added orally such observations as he recollected.

The following account is derived from his information :?

Route from Pick in to Kashghak.

[The account which Izzet Ullah received from his friend, presents little more than a list of names and distances, but with respectto the former, at least, its accuracy is unquestionable, as many ofthem arc identifiable in D'Anville's Atlas, due allowance being madefor the peculiarities of French and Persian spelling. They alsooccur with additions on a MS. Chinese map on a large scale in theEast India Company's Library. The coincidences with the Atlas asformerly pointed out are reprinted ; and I have added one or two

more from the map, with the assistance of Mr. Hutteman, distin

guishing them from the few notices of the original, by inclosing


27/61

308 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA,them in a parenthesis. It may be remarked that the same identification is not practicable in that portion of the route which lies

west of China; few names, except those of the large towns, beingtraceable; iu truth, however, the minor stages are mostly of a temporary nature, varying at different periods, unlike those of China,which are permanent villages and towns.]

Pehin, , a^v> is the capital of China, which is also calledMachin, and the residence of the sovereign, whose title is Khan,and who belongs to the nation of the Manchus. The presentmonarch is named Cha Chatek ; he has been eighteen years on thethrone. His father Cha Tun reigned about ten years. His predecessor Ai Zin Khan was the emperor who wrested Kashghar andother places from the power of the Khajehs.

Yols.Langsang,

Jo jo,Be kha,

Anshowi,Bu din fu,Jing tcngi,

Wang do shen,Ding ju,Shin lo shen,Fu jin gi,Jig zing fu,K boa i lo shen,Jing sing shen,

Kan lo wi,Ba jangi-i,

c&Uw?o? 50 (The Learn beam bien ofthe map.) A village. Theroad is stony and crossesa large river by a bridge ;the river runs from a northerly to a southerly course:(the river is the Hoen ho.)

^^ 70 (Tso cheou, Do.)l_k\Aj ? (P? ^eou no#^?-) A riveron the road crossed by abridge (the Cha ho river.)

t?yu$l 70 (Yomtchicn hie, Do.)yUj 60 (Ting tchcou, Do.)

50 (Sing lo bien, Do.)45

?iSiiu&.?* 4? (Telling ting fou, Do.)\ L*i .L 60 Road mountainous.

:.f. f. 70

?Xu*. '?0


28/61

TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 30?)YoIm.

Fing ding ju, ?^tSlidSs*50

Zer i shi, JLj ,\ 50 The road crosses a mountain pass.

Sheo yung shen qj.?&j>^.a? 50 (CheouyangShcn,of D'Anville, in the province ofShansi. It is singular thatthe great wall, which, according to the map, should havebeen passed in this part of

the journey, is not here adverted to.)Tang ga li, $??xi 50Wang khu, ^??vDlj 70Shan gu shen, ..?Xn/? 70 Knives, scissors, and chak^males are manufactured here.Ji shen, /.A*-*** ^Fang yu, ^SjJ 50Jai shu shen, ( y&y&i*- R0Ling shi, JLjj 40Khuju, ?^?** ?*0 (Tcho-tcheou.) The roodruns over hills.Jujing, Sx^l?? 50 (Tchao-tching.) Severalstreams cross the road.Khun dang shen, ^?Dj^ 35Fing yang fu, yiS?x&? 00 (Pin yang fou.)Seng i, Ji^

00 (Tsi chan.)Khu n?a, Ls^ 70Wang shi, ^??\j} BOBe sheng, ???**.i M (Van suien.)F;.n> yV \ JjL^?l^^i 70luiir jing, J Vf **Yeiig je shen, (jj~{.^


29/61

310 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA,

Tung gan, ijto

Ju-ai mu,

K boa jo,Wai tan shen/Lingtong,

Yols.Changnan (Chantong) andKhunan (Honan) ; but thebest kind, or Kokchai, issold at Pehin.

70 A city on the right bank ofa large river running northand south ; it is deep enoughfor vessels.(This is the Hoatigho, oryellow river : the city is

probably Tongquan,seated atthe confluence of the Hoeihoand yellow river.)40 (Hoa-in) a very large temple is situated here,

(Hoacheou.)j^j~+*JL>1j

Shingan fu, y? \Sl

Sheng shen, W ?C_X***

505080

50

50

Near this city is amountainwith warm springs,said to bevery beneficial in cutaneousdisorders. Sulphur is alsobrought from the mountain."Ling" in Chinese meanscold, and " tong" copper.(This is no doubt Lin tongbien.)

(This is Sin gan fou, thecapital of the province ofShensi. It is described in theJournal as a large city withmany Mohammedans settledin it; they are called Tungani,it is added, from their havingfirst settled in Tun gan (Tonquin ?) in like manner as iuHindustan, they are calledTurks. The course of ourtraveller here changes fromwest by south to due west,and presently to north-west.)

Another large city on theleft bank of the river; boatsof two or three hundredmans burden ply on the river.

(Perhaps Tcheou-tchehcu.)


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TUAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 311

Le sun,Chan chou,

Yang shu,Wengju,

Jan ga u,Wa y i za,Chen ju,Be shu wi,Fing lang fu,

Wa-teng,

Lung de shen,

Jing ning ju,Jang ja yi,Ju-ning shen,Shi gang yi,An dang shen,Jing ko wi,Jing sho i,Jo zo yi,Lan ju,

Shajin yi,Ko sho yi,Khun jing za,Clio ang lang,

>*?" ??&JCaj

>*^?j^y*&JSSL*3

JiChxJt(Sy?SL'u>

(Long tcheou.)

Yola,70409070804555707070

50

909090?iO6060706050 A city on the right of a river running from east to west,and crossed by a bridge of

boats.\ (The city is no doubt Lamtcheou, on the Iloangho, butthe course of the river mustin that case be erroneouslydescribed.)

0070 (Cochoui). Road amongst

mountains and over a pass.50

A city (Pin-leang-fou.)The road runs between

mountains from east to west.Road in a valley betweenmountains and over a pass.(Tsin-ning tcheou.)

(Si cong i.)(Ngang ting.)

Sj^SiSy^ 70 A city: (Tchoing lang ing.)


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312 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.Yols.

Ao shin yi,Cha ko i,Jing cbang li,

Khong,Go lang shen,Jing shen li,

Da khi ya,Lan jo,Do lang,Sha kha,

Yo ng chaug,Shawi chutra,Sha ku wa,Shing ni,Shan dan,

Dun Iu,Ko chin za,Kan ju,Sha jing yi,Ku yi,Go ti,Khachu dan,Shang pu,

Yan chi,Fin jing za,Lang shu yi,Su ju,

15

?___Ll


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TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 313ai gu ouden,

Yols.

j^I^IjU-70 A village near one of thegates of the great wall of

China.(This confirms the preced

ing, Soutcheou being a shortdistance within the wall. Itmay be observed, that theroute is singularly circuitous.)

Khoi kboi fou,

Sha li,Dartu,Senda gu,Ku hin ji,Shu kan,An si,Be dung za,

Khanluyunza,Wa chan za,Ma ling jing za,

Shang shang sha,Sha jan za,Ko shoi,Chang sho i,Gazeh fi zang,Kha lungan,Kamul,

***.* _s?^?. ^0 (Ilui-hui-phu,) This andmost of the following areAurtcngs, custom-house stations or guard-houses -, it issaid that the tomb of Saiidwakas is here.JU? 110

yJj*yf?SX??+U

ufyKC_3_>*X/j

K>w?-5?V_X?11^

903090907090

80807080908070

1408070

A custom-house. Thecountryabout this is a wilderness.A custom-house.

Ditto.Ditto. The hills arc low.

Ditto.Ditto.Ditto.Ditto.Ditto.Ditto.

A city: the language isTurk. This city was subjectto China before the conquestof Yarkand.N.B. It should be Ilami,called also Khami and Khatnil.


33/61

314 THAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.

Sumakyaghu,Tughachi,Yazachawan,

Lo dong,Autunguza,Outcra germa,Kush,Ku shu i,Chiktam,Fijan,

Lamchin,

Sangam,Tur fan,

Yu ghan,Tu-kun,

Su-ba-shi,Aigher-bulak,

U^ip',1

/. A4.

Yola.70 (Sumakarhu on MS. map.)7080 A custom-house ? road

level.90 Custom-house.

(SV-Sf-v*.

u[ht

14000

J10709090

Ditto.Ditto.Ditto.Ditto.Ditto.

Ditto, inTurf an.

the desert of

I 70

9090

70

A village dependant on Turfan, with a running stream,the road rough. (Lamtchiuof themap.)A ancient city, the present residence of the Chinese

Governor with a Mohammedan Hakim ; the old cityof Tu ifan is in ruins; itssite is fifty yols from thepresent. It is called alsothe city of Dakianus, thesleepers of Kaf having occupied a cave about twentyyols on the south of the oldcity.(This piece of informationis more curious than true.

Tur fa ii is well known.)A Custom-house.GO Ditto, and village. (Takun

pass, MS. map.)90 Ditto, between mountains.CO (Bulak or Pulak is a well,)a custom station.


34/61

TRAVELSBEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 315Yols.

Kamush-Akma, US 1^*1"120 Ditto, amongst mountains.Kerafsin, (j.-V^l;* 90 Ditto

Aushak tal, ?IjcSLS^i 150 (The Outchactal of themap.)

Tabnlgbu, ^\.j\J 90 (Tarbotchi.)Kara sheber, ?| $ 00 A large city of the Kal^ *males, on the left of a navigable river running from east towest. An Amhan on the

part of China rules over thecity; and a Hakim presidesover the Kalmaks, they callthe latter Ji-shan.

(This name is, no doubt,traceable in the Iiarachar ofthe map ; the form of it ashere given is most correct,for it means something, 'Theblack city.' Iiarachar itwould bedillicult to expound.The direction of the river isas usual wrong, for it runsfrom north-west to southeast. There is, however, agreat disagreement

betweenD'Anvilles map and theoriginal map before alludedto, the latter making theIiarachar river totally distinct from the river of Yarband, and formed of twostreams called the Chultosand Haptisihai, which notfar from the city fall intothe Bosthu Lake, a lake

much larger than Lop Nor,some way due north fromthe latter.)"Rneh it* c/nm t \ *-l 90 A custom station?the riverDttbu ir gum, (**>>.'U"W _i i rt c L itI J w is on the left of travellers

going from China to Kashghar, and runs to the south.

VOL. VII. Z


35/61

31G TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.Korla,

Kara su,Chir chi,

Chider,Yangi bisar,

Kamush turehAyad,Bekeb,

Ku cha,

Kizil,Si ram,

Bai,

Aun bash,Ak erik.Kara yulghen,Jam,

Aksu,

^I?_1^.Xj./

i>> j'irai'

irWdj'

Yols.40 The road mountainous, butnot dillicult.70 A custom station.

140 Ditto, dependant on a placecalled Bugar.160(i0 A village. The road runs

through a forest of trees, usedas fuel, called Tograk.N.B. Yanghizar of the map.110 Avillageof about500houses

dependant on Bugar.80 A village.

140 Ditto.80 A city on the left bank ofa river, running south ;crossed by ferry.

(Coucha of the map.)160 (Catsal. Do.)

40 A city. A stream crossesthe road, running south,crossed by ferry.? 0 A city on the right bank ofa river.60 A custom-house; a fordablestream crosses the road.

^aaa31

A custom station.Ditto.

40 Ditto. A few houses ofcultivators.

70 A celebrated city,under theusual joint administration.On the road is the smallstream of lia,which gives itsname to a city formerly thecapital of the Kalmaks ; it isfifteen days from Aksu, westby north. Ila is now theprincipal military station of


36/61

TltAVELSBEYND THE HIMALAYA. 317Yole. the Chinese, being occupied

by the commander-in-chief,styled Jung-ju, (DschangiunorTsiang kiun), with a forceof 100,000 horse. Sixtydays north from 11a isYelduz, the actual residence ofthe chief of the Kalmaks : arange of mountains extendsto the north of Yclduz beyond which the country isunpeopled. On the west oflia is a large piece of watercalled Azashk kol, which isthe limit of the Chinesepower in that direction. TheKazz?ks occupy the countrybetween Ha and the Russianfrontier, which they thus separate from the Chinese.Ila is properly the name ofthe river on the borders ofwhich stood the city, thenceso called, and which is nowdeserted. There is the graveof Tughluk Timur, the firstof the Chaghatai Sultanswho adopted Mohammedanism. At present the appellation of Ila is applied totwo cities, one called also

Guija, occupied chiefly byMohammedans ; the otherKurah, where the Chinesetroops are stationed, andwhich is the residence of the

Chinese Governor - Generalof Moghulistan and of theKalmaks. These two citiesarc one march apart. At aplace south of Ila they finda kind of stone which theyuse for fuel (coals) insteadof wood; it is of two kinds,one of which emits a fragrant, the other an offensivesmoke. The same substance

z 2


37/61

318 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.Yols.

Kubu,Yengi arik,

Wuchut,Yazendu,

Autuz kimeh,

Kingrak,Kokchul,Yarchuk,Kashkopardak,JMarli ash,

Shakur,

Ak chakal,

Pimash,Tuktalghen,Yangi abad,

?y^33?Mjt

8070

17070

is found one march fromAksu, in a mountain; but itis not burned. (Hi or Guijawas visited by M. Poustemtev, in the Russian service,in 1811, and his descriptionof it is published in thesecond number of Klaproth'sMagasin Asiatique. The Chinese forces stationed thereare much exaggerated in thetext, being under 4000 Manchu troops, with 28,000 localmilitia. M. Poustemtev docsnot mention the use of coal.)

Custom station : a largeriver running to the south.A village.A station.A station :much wood of

Toghrak trees.??SjySA 56 A custom station dependanton Yarkand :Toghrak treesand reeds.

%S\JL?S 30?^jy 100?is-.L 100

iS*yyHZ,y? 60?U,U 50

Ditto.Ditto.

Jf 50 A halting-place, not inhabited, on the right bank ofthe Kashghar river.Jx^?) 150 This and the two next aremere halting-places, uninhabited.

O'J^Db 906060

A post station dependencyof Kashghar


38/61

TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 319Yols.

Fyzabad,Kimayiuy,Abad,Kashghar,

C5**..s+v50 A large village 1000 houses.50 Halting-place and ferryover the river of Kashghar.70 A village dependant onYarkand.70 A celebrated city, in lati

tude something above dO degrees. Khoten is the name ofa neighbouring country, thesurface of which is chieflysand and desert. It aboundswith wild asses, camels, wildcattle,andmusk deer; theca

mels have two dorsal humps,and are of great speed. Khoten has six cities besides, thechief of which is called Aichi, (^zp)]) and is governedby a Chinese and Moham

medan. One stage southfrom thence is Karakash :three stages north Yurungknsh : and the same distancecast is Tagh : three days further cast is Kiriya: northeast from Tagh, tour days, is

Chira,and three days, northwest, is Nia Kashlak.From Yarkand to Aichi is eight days' journey, the whole through

a desert. Yarkand bears from Aichi westward, inclining to north:the names of the stages are as follows :?

Postk?m, &\?x+Lu buk,Chuluk, o_4.Gamah,Muji,Pialma,Zcrwa,Aichi,

.r'?b "V


39/61

320 TRAVELSBEYOND THE HIMALAYA.[A list of stations from Kashghar to Khoten, as derived from the

Chinese authorities, is published by Klaproth ; that route makes thedistance six stages instead of seven, and the three first only agree :they are written by him, Yerkeang, Po-tzti-tsiam, Lo-kho-terianger,

Go-matai, Gung-delik, Bian-urman, Khotian.]

From Kashghar to Kokan,

Kashghar is pronounced by the people in general Kashkar.( .ULili') It is defended by a mud wall, with four gates. A marketis held every Friday in the city, except that for horses, which takes

place without the wall. A great number of horses are broughthere for sale, chiefly by the Kirghizes and Kazzaks ; they are allgeldings, stallions are very rare : the former are sold at fromtwenty tangas to one. yamhu. Mules are preferred by the Chinese,who arc said to cross the breeds of horses and kinc; but I saw noneof the breed.The residence of the Chinese governor, and most of the Chinese,is without the city, in u separate suburb, termed Gul-bagh. Therelire more Chinese troops in Kashghar than in Yarkand, there beingabout one or two thousand in the latter, whilst five or six thousand

are stationed in the former.Kichek Indcjan, (?L>*x?i?\..s_\f) west by north, five hours, asta?ion on the bank of the river of Kashghar : no inhabitantsKona Kuravcl, (J?U? *3*-f) west by north, six hours.Aurteng, or custom station, west by north, three hours. A few

houses are in the city. The passport for leave to quit the countryis here examined, There is great difficulty in procuring this document; and it is obtained by furnishing sureties to the Hakim of thecity, through the intermediation of the board of merchants describedin speaking of Yarkand : this, with the addition of his own signature, the Hakim delivers to the Amban. The sureties make assertion,that the traveller is a merchant going on business, und free from all

claims; and they engage to be responsible, if any cause should behereafter shown, why he ought not to have been suffered to depart.On this a paper in the Chinese language is granted, which is producedat this station. There are no houses beyond this.

Kinchaghlak, (?J?jfc^Af) west, four hours, a deserted station onthe skirts of a mountain ; mountainous ranges extend on either

baud, but at some distance.


40/61

TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA. 321Kizel-ouli, (L\j\yS) west, eight hours a single house, with

Kirghiz tents near it: the first part of the road ismountainous, thelatter level. The cold was extreme, and water frozen. The felttents of the Kirghizes lay on both sides of the whole of the road.

Shorbulak Kurghasham, (*.??jy9 ^>?>>"*) wesfc ?y nortn>three hours. Lead is found here, and exported by the Kirghizes.Shor means salt ; Bulak, a spring, and Kurghasham is lead.

Shorbulak Malachap, (^îV^, ?^jjÂi) west, four hours.Oksalur,

(^.JLivJÎ)west by north seven hours; road undulat

ing, fodder and water abundant. Ok means an arrow, and Salur,caster.

Dawan-mizar, ( Ayi^W?) west by north, two hours; the roadleads over a steep pass ; on the summit are the tombs of the Kir

ghizes.Shorbulak Yessa-kichah, (o\..^fU.j ?^Jj***) west by

north, five hours : fuel, fodder, and water abundant.Yessa Kichak, ( dX.rs^flw) west, four hours?a ford here of the

river, which runs to Kashghar. Yessa means level, and Kichak a ford.Ser KamuBh, (/?4.4.Vvm?) west, four hours, a station.Simirjatun, (?^jUâ*^) a halting-place.Koh Kaf, (ciU'^r) is the name of a j)Iace about half a cos from

the road on the right hand. (In Zimmerman's map this name is

repeated;one Koh kaf occurs after Dawau Mizar ; the other, which

more nearly corresponds with that of this stage, is placed beyondYanghin.)

Ford of the river of Kashghar.Nakfira ch?di, (tsoU-Ulx)) othe bank of the river, there arc

vestiges of buildings on a hill. They say this was the place wherethe royal drums of Afrasiab were stationed.

Yanghin, ( .Jdj) west, nine hours ; tents of the Kirghizes : roadruns along a valley abounding with verdure.

Tukai Bashi, (^?Lcfb'^j) north-west, seven hours : in a valleywith a running stream -. wood is collected here and carried on toDawanTirak ; much snow began.

A halting-place, west by north, five hours. I lost my way onthis stage; being unable to distinguish anything through the heavyfall of snow, and at last unable to proceed, I took shelter under theside of a mountain: the water was everywhere frozen.


41/61

322 TRAVELS BEYOND THE HIMALAYA.Dah?na dawan Igizek, (J^^t^c>_0 four hours. The first

part ofthe road ran west, the last south. Igizek means twins, twomountains of similar appearance being here near together ; the

valley, or mouth (dabiina) between them is quite barren. (Zimmerman has placed this stage after Tukai Bashi.)A station west by north, eight hours. One of the mountainscalled twins is crossed on this stage, an ascent of an hour and a half,

Koksu, (tjwfif) west, four hours. The source of the river ofKashghar is at this place: the road is uneven and mountainous.The second of the twins was crossed on the way, and the elevation was the same as that of the first. We crossed the river uponice. A mountain still higher than the twins lay upon the right of

Koksu.Darwaza Dawan Tirek, (J\/J' ..1^0 *j'j>j-*) west ^y south,three hours. After descending the mountain of Koksu, the roadleads through a narrow valley shut in by lofty mountains (hence

the term darwaza, door or defile.) A stream passes along themiddle of the valley, which, uniting with others, flows into theriver Sir, ( ^k^) not far from Indejan.The skirts of the mountain Tirek, north by west, three hours.

Archilak, (?U^.l) north by west, ten hours ; a place in a valley,abounding in fuel and Archah trees. The ascent of the mountaintook up two hours, but it required eight to descend. From this

mountain a road runs south to Sir-i-kol, which is three or four days'journey ; but in the warm weather the state of the torrents rendersit impracticable. It is necessary to make a detour to avoid themountainous pass of Tezek. Although the snow had begun at

Kinchaghlek, yet it was only from the "Twins" that it had becomeheavy, being now of the depth of a man's stature, or in some placesof twice that depth. The Kirghizes tread the snow down so as to

make it hard, and then the caravans pass; a certain number ofKirghizes are appointed to this duty, who take up their stationhere on the setting in of winter.

Yamfin kiz, (vS^Urf) nine hours: first half, north by west;second, west. This is the name of a tribe of Kirghiz who arc firsthere met with ; the road runs along a valley between two mountains, with a stream in the middle. Half-way we passed u valley onthe right, in which were the tents of the Kirghizes.A Stage, west, five hours. The road continuing along thevalley. Kirghiz tents, and wood and water abundant.


42/61

TRAVELS BEYOND TUE HIMALAYA. 323A Stage, west, two hours. Tents of the Kirghizes; supplies

plentiful.Mizar Gumbuz, (vA?S^Iyo) west by north, eight hours. A

building with a cupola and Kirghiz tombs ; their tents were alsopitched near the building; supplies plentiful; the road, thoughundulating, was less rugged; flints were found on the path.

Gulshen, ( ?X-f) west, five hours. A plain amongst the mountains with fruit trees, as the jujube and pomegranate; there arealso other trees in abundance, and running water. A little beyondthis the stream, which had accompanied the road from Archilak,separated from it, and flowing on the left of the road, continued itscourse towards the Sir.

The skirts of themountain Chugur chuk, (?y^. ^?^?^?^b)four hours: first half, west by south; last half, south. Tents ofthe Kirghiz; the river running north, a stony valley, and suppliesscanty.

Below a hill, Zer tappa, ( &Ajymm) west, nine hours. The nameof the place I could not learn. Kirghiz tents, and a spring on thehill. There was much snow on the road along the mountain Chugurchuk. It was an ascent for about three hours, a descent for theremainder. The snow was heavy on the descent, and several horsesof the caravan perished, amongst which was mine.

Langar, a station, west, four hours. No habitation, suppliesscanty, but a stream of water; the road level.

A stage, west by north, five hours. No habitations, but forageand fuel.

Aslaye, west by north, three hours. There was a lake and treessurrounding it; near it was the encampment of the Yodas, a tribe of

Kirghiz, the road was level, and henceforward the hills began todisappear.Osh (JlS) west, five hours. This is the first town in Ferghana:it is of considerable population, and is well supplied with water. It isgoverned by a Hakim, nominated by the Amir of Kokan : the roadleading to it is level and good, and the Kirghizes, whose tents occur,are dependent upon this government. From Kashghar to Kurghasham they are dependant on the former place; that is, they carrytheir fuel, charcoal, and other things, to Kashghar for sale. Theyare privileged to have free transit, and require no passport, but comeand go at pleasure : they are subject to China. Those from Kurghasham toOsh are the subjects of the Amir of Kok

travels beyond the himalaya (january 1, 1843)

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