a, which separates it
from Afghanistan on the south, and then flows along its south-west
border. It is navigated from the mouth of the Surkhan, and steamboats
ply on it up to Karki near the Afghan frontier. The next largest river,
the Zarafshan, 660 m. long, the water of which is largely utilized for
irrigation, is lost in the sands 20 m. before reaching the Oxus. The
Kashka-darya, which flows westwards out of the glaciers of Hazret-sultan
(west of the Hissar range), supplies the Shahri-sabs (properly
Shaar-sabiz) oasis with water, but is lost in the desert to the west of
Karshi.

The climate of Bokhara is extreme. In the lowlands a very hot summer is
followed by a short but cold winter, during which a frost of -20 deg.
Fahr. may set in, and the Oxus may freeze for a fortnight. In the
highlands this hot and dry summer is followed by four months of winter;
and, finally, in the regions above 8000 ft. there is a great development
of snowfields and glaciers, the passes are buried under snow, and the
short summer is rainy. The lowlands are sometimes visited by terrible
sand-storms from the west, which exhaust men and kill the cotton trees.
Malaria is widely prevalent, and in some years, after a wet spring,
assumes a malignant character.

The population is estimated at 1,250,000. The dominant race is the
Uzbegs, who are fanatical Moslem Sunnites, scorn work, despise their
Iranian subjects, and maintain their old division into tribes or clans.
The nomad Turkomans and the nomad Kirghiz are also of Turkish origin;
while the Sarts, who constitute the bulk of the population in the towns,
are a mixture of Turks with Iranians. The great bulk of the population
in the country is composed of Iranian Tajiks, who differ but very little
from Sarts. Besides these there are Afghans, Persians, Jews, Arabs and
Armenians. Much of the trade is in the hands of a colony of Hindus from
Shikarpur. Nearly 20% of the population are nomads and about 15%
semi-nomads.

On the irrigated lowlands rice, wheat and other cereals are cultivated,
and exported to the highlands. Cotton is widely grown and exported. Silk
is largely produced, and tobacco, wine, flax, hemp and fruits are
cultivated. Cattle-breeding is vigorously prosecuted in Hissar and the
highlands generally. Cotton, silks, woollen cloth, and felt are
manufactured, also boots, saddles, cutlery and weapons, pottery and
various oils. Salt, as also some iron and copper, and small quantities
of g