New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-04-05

Of his journey, on business, from retroPav-
losk, in the Siberian Department OF Omsk,
to Tashkend, an important city about mid
way between the former southern boun-
Diary of Siberia and the northern limit OF
Afghanistan, and between the Sea of Aral
and the Chinese dominions.
Take any recent and reliable atlas, and
turning to the map of Asia, you will find
the river Ural laid down as the dividing
line between Russia and Tartary, the towns
on that river being Guriew at its mouth,
and Uralsk, and Orenburg farther up, where
the stream issues from the Ural Noun
tains, with Orskaia also lying on the river,
but still farther to the east among the
mountains. All these are frontier towns.
From OIskaia the line-on maps sufficient
| ly defnite-Tuns north nearly to $50, and
then to the north west along the TObOl
river till that river forks and the frontier
of Siberia begins. Thence it goes south
east to the point (which is disputed,)
where it meets the north western province
of Chinese Tartary. Now draw a line
from the mouth of the Ural across to
head of the Sea of Aral, then down to the
mouth of the Sir Deria or Sir Sihoun (the
ancient Iaxartes) the western affluent Of
that sea, then from its mouth to the point
where its line bends toward the south, and
thence west to the Chinese frontier, and
you have the boundary Of the Russian EN-
pire in Asia, as we know that it actually
was year ago. The addition includes the
entire territory of the Kirghis or Kirguis,
tribe of warlike Tartars some 100000
strong, who have long been partly in Rus
sian pay, and who doubtless saw no reason
to object to the building of the line Of forts
which now extends through their deserts
and about half of Kokand, district occu-
pied by some three millions of Usbecks
Tadshiks and Kirguis together. The
whole territory annexed is about thou
sand miles long by four hundred broad, and
is little known to Europeans. 1t contains
a large proportion of sandy wastes, but
great deal of it must be valuable for
grazing. The wealth of the Kirguis
consists in herds Of camels, horses
sheep and goats, for which they find pastur-
age by moving from place to place. Streams
and lakes not yet known to geographers,
are frequent, and game of new species is
found in abundance. 1t is a matter Of
course, that among such a population as
these Tartars, when living without re-
straint, feuds and robberies should con-
stantly be going on. But since the build
| ing of the Russian forts, these have dis
appeared, and the country is now more
safe and peaceful than it has been for three
centuries. The forts are garrisened by
CossacKs, ana the trading caravans which
| go regularly through the region pass In per-
feet security. The Kirguis find their &C
count in this, for they get their chief in
come by hiring out their camels to the
merchant caravans, which are now larger
and more frequent than before. Thus is
civilization, or rather the beginning of it,
penetrating among the ancient seats of
these races, which have more than once
poured forth their hordes to alright and
subdue the world.
The expedition which accompanied the
officer from whose letters we draw the most
important of these facts, set out from Oren-
burg about the middle of May last 1t con-
sisted of 1900 csmels, with $500 Kirguis
as drivers; $500 wagons driven by Bash
kir serfs; corps of some thousand Cossack
horsemen, and body of artillery and in
fantry, the whole under the command of a
General officer, The forces were intended
to relieve tho garrisons on the route, as
we'll as to escort the expedition. In case
coal were discovered, it was intended to
put steamers on the Sea of Aral. No coal
was found, however, what had been taken
for beds of coal on the shore of the sea
proving to be lay of decaying vegetable
matter mixed with black earth and par
TALLY hardened. The search was not
prosecuted at any distance from the shore
on the western and northern sides, for fear
of some predatory bands reported to be out
in that quarter, the expedition having
crossed the sea in small craft without any
escort. The explorers arrived at Oren-
burg on their return in the beginning of
November, and expected to undertake the
same search on the Ural River and about