on of great and navigable rivers. In
Eastern Turkestan no such assistance was to be found, and consequently
this road, along which was conducted all the traffic that passed from
China to Jungaria, Kashgar, Khokand, and Bokhara, had to be maintained
in the highest state of efficiency. To do this we cannot doubt was a
most expensive undertaking, and, not mentioning such an exceptional work
as the Muzart Pass, one that required a very perfect organization to
accomplish with the success that for more than a century marked it.

The great drawback in the geographical position of Kashgar, is the want
of a cheap and convenient outlet by water. The country itself suffers in
a less degree from the same cause, but with a more perfect system of
irrigation, the rivers, such as the Artosh, &c., which in spring carry
down the mountain snows, might be made to give a more extended supply
throughout western Kashgar at all events. The climate is equable, and
the people suffer from no very prevalent disease, except in the more
mountainous parts, and in Yarkand, where goitre is of frequent
occurrence. The people themselves seem to be frugal and honest, but
indeed there are so many races to be met with in this "middle land,"
that no general description can be given of them all. The Andijanis, or
Khokandian merchants, are the most prosperous class in the community,
and they appear to be, from all accounts, possessed of more than an
average amount of business capacity in the arts of buying and selling.
The Tarantchis are the descendants of Kashgarian labourers imported by
the Chinese into Kuldja in 1762, and there is still both in the army and
in the state a large number of Khitay remaining, who were permitted to
pursue in secret the observances of their religion. The other races are
ill disposed towards them, and attribute all the vices they can think of
to their doors. But these Khitay managed to efface themselves in the
country, and although they formed a very important minority among the
males, they never appear to have been regarded in the light of a
possible danger when their brethren from China should draw near. In
addition to the native Kashgari, and these two important elements just
mentioned, there are numerous immigrants from the border states,
particularly from Khokand, to the people of whom Yakoob Beg naturally
manifested especial favour. We have now given at some length a
description of the geographical features of Kashgar, and ar