The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-14
a STORY OF WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES.

Three Hundred and Sixty Buried Cities Gold Coins
Four Pounds in Weight-0ld Tea-Bricks
An English civil engineer, named Johnson,
lately engaged in the trlgonometrcal survey OF
Cashmere, has made curious report of what
he saw and heard in Chinese Turkestan--a part
OF the world long inaccessible to Europeans. He
says that while measuring and triangulating.
last year, at a remote station on the borders of
Cashmere, he received an invitation to visit the
new ruler of Khotan, who had eXprlled the
Chinese from his province, declared his inde-
pendence, and determined 10 enter into friendly
relations with the nearest British officer within
reach. The adventurous johnson being the
handlest, the Khan forthwith requested his
presence at the capital, Ilchi. The way thither
lay across the Kinn-Lun chain of mountains by
a difficult pass at an elevation of nineteen thou
sand feet-three miles and half. IL was a hard
journey, but the indefatigable Johnson pushed
on saw the Khan, stayed with him for four
days, heard some very wonderful stories, and
then made his way back by the Hmalayan
passes resisting the Khotanese inclination to
. Lod him as hostage tor the opening of COM
merclal relations with England.
1t is said that although German travellers
have previously crossed the high mountains
which hem in Khotan, no European has ever
before entered Ilchi, the capital. The Khan is
described as the natural king of men of the Car.
lylese pattern, eighty years old, SIX feet nigh,
stout, OF fair complexion, and altogether a
goodly specimen of the old Turkish gentleman
such as he was in the days before Ottomans
were heard Of He rules a province OF two hun
capital contains forty thousand: fine strong men,
and short but pretty women, fair and cleanly in
apparel, and dressing well, all Turks ana Mo.
hammedans, great eaters OF meat and drinkers
OF tea, all carrying on considerable trade in
the face of great difficulties, and most anxious
to trade with the English in particular. The
country, well watered by moderate showers and
irrigated from the rivers which flo " northWards
from the Kiun-Lun, is fertile and productive
enough to stand a favorable comparison with
Cashmere itself, but its climate is described as
being much superior, both dry and equable.
TIL reports brought back by Mr.. Johnson are
somewhat Munchausenish. For nstance:-
l. The fertility of the country is increased by
fine impalpabe dust or mould which is waited
In from the adjacent deserts, "WithOut wind, in
perfect calm, and fills the air SO as to darken
it." This phenomenon occurred during Mr..
Johnson's visit, and he was then unable to read
print at noon without candle. 1t is not
explained how the dust is blown without a
wind, but Mr.. johnson says 1t IS waited In a
calm" and he cannot be contradicted
2. The storms in the desert raise waves OF
sand which settle into hills three hundred to
four hundred feet high. Why not one thousand
feet?
8. The tradition of the country is that three
hundred and sixty cities were overwhelmed in
one day by sand-storms. The sites OF these
cities are partially known; so there is vast
array OF Pompeiis and Ninevehs awaiting some
body's pickaXe, shovel and archaeological skill
a. The people of these buried towns used gold
coins weighing four pounds each-but this IS
kept profound secret by those who know the
position" There is no relic of the Brobdgna,
gian purses in which this money was carried
bout for every day use.
s. 1.-THE store OF tea used for the actual con
sumption of the people is now dug out of one o
these ruined cities, I" and Mr.. Johnson brought
brick of this tea away with him. ''The Chimes
supply is now cut off," so the Ilchians cut OF
their supply from these bricks.
We are further informed that the country il
which these wonderful things happenedis highl
auriterous-a remark which IS perhaps unneces
sary when we remember the four.pound gol
coins which seem to have been the circulatin
medium.
Mr.. Johnson's report is about to be publishe
in London. An appropriate vignette would b
a drawing of long bow.