ly one redeeming quality among
many vices.

CHAPTER IV.

THE CONQUEST OF KASHGAR BY CHINA.

Before continuing the narrative of the events that took place in Kashgar
after the year 1720, until it fell into the hands of the Chinese in
1760, it may be as well to consider briefly the history of China, in
order that it may be intelligible to us how that power was induced to
undertake such far distant enterprises, and how, moreover, it was able
to accomplish them successfully. In the earlier years of the seventeenth
century the dynasty of Ming was seated on the throne of Pekin, but its
power had been shaken to its foundations by repeated disasters in wars
with the Mantchoo Tartars, who had wrested the province of Leaou Tung
from the Emperor Wan-leh, before his death in 1620. The Mantchoos are
said to have been the descendants of the Mongol conquerors of the
thirteenth century, who had been forced to take refuge in the wilds
north of China when the native Chinese rose up and destroyed their
power. Whether this very plausible suggestion be true or not, or
whether, as some affirm, these were a new race issuing from the frozen
regions of Kamschatka and driven south by the necessity for obtaining
sustenance for their increasing numbers, matters little for our present
purpose. It is certain that they were a warlike people at this time, and
that they could bring considerable numbers into the field, and it is
very probable that, when they had obtained some success, their ranks
were swollen by recruits from their Tartar kinsmen of Eastern Jungaria.
On the death of the Chinese Emperor Wan-leh, dissensions broke out in
China as to his successor, and in the struggle that ensued the Mantchoos
were invited in to support the cause of one of the claimants. Their aid
turned the scale in his favour; but when the fortunes of war had been
clearly manifested, the Mantchoos showed no disposition to take their
departure as had been stipulated. As the Saxons in our own history, and
the Mongols in the Chinese had acted, so now did the Mantchoos, and in
1644 their first Emperor Chuntche was installed in the imperial
dignities, as the first of the present ruling dynasty of Tatsing, or
"sublimely pure," When Chuntche was crowned by his victorious soldiery,
it must not be supposed that he had conquered the whole of China. During
the seventeen years of his reign he was constantly engaged in warring
with the native Chinese forces; but always wit