The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-02-03
AN UNKNOWN LAND.
Facts About Central Asia.

Facts About Central Asia,
The Publications of the Royal Geog-
raphlcal Society of London, to May,
1871, have been issued in volume XII,
and give us very interesting statistics
from Central Asia.
Mr.. G. w. Hayward penetrated from
Cashmir to Sch. the capital of Ladak,
and then crossed the pass in the Him
alaya range and found a region elevat-
ed from thirteen to eighteen thousand
feet above the sea, from which rise
snowy ranges of mountains which con-
tlnue into Russian territory as far as
latitude 90 y. His route was over and
on the east side of the range.
Baron Osten Sacken SOCK his depart
ure from Marnoe, on the borders of
Russia and the Chinese empire, crossed
the snowy Than Shan range west of
Lake lssek-kul, and surveyed to within
twenty miles of the city of Kashear.
the north limit of Mr. Hayward's sur
vey.
Mr.. Tedchenko, of the Russian
scientific corps, made a Typographical
survey of the Zarafshan valley and river
which run to the west and pass Samar-
kand. They determine
hhotan to be in lat. 81 deg. min. n, and long.
| IS deg 55 nin L.
Yarkand to be in lat SO deg 2I min N and long
| II deg. % min. Il.
Kashgar to be in lat 80 deg. Is min. NJ and long.
| Is ueg. 10 min. f.
| Samnrkand to be in lat. 80 deg. 40 min N, and
| long. 67 deg, e.
These surveys fix definitely in our
| maps an unknown country, heretofore
known as Little Bokhara, Chinese Tar
! tary and Eastern Turkistan, the waters
from which run into the Oxus, Marvin
and Iarafshan rivers, to the west, which
enter the Caspian and Ural seas, and to
the Cashgar and YOukand rivers, which
flow into Lake Lob, in Central
China
| This range of mountains, which ex
tends from India to Russian Siberia, is
Of great height. Hayward, in May.
counted from height near Kasheal
sixty -three snow-peaks in sight at one
time; and the streams are mainly from
the melting of snow in May, June, July
and August, running through a coun-
try highly cultivated, under the great
est zystem of irrigation of any part OF
the world, with an Industrious, hard Y
people, who live in great comfort
1.-The products of the country are var.
lous and abundant. Wheat of two DIES.
crlptlons Is produced, one sown III
September and the other in April rice.
barley, Indian corn, four kinds of OIL
seeds III abundance, clover, turnips
carrots, onions. Cotton Of fair des-
crlptlon is produced in large quantities
and manufactured into material fol
native wear, or exported to Khokan6
and Russla. The fruit crop consists
OF the pear, apple, apricot, almond
peach, walnut; while the vine is cult
waited, the yield from which is excellent
The mulberry is everywhere seen
The principal exports to India and
Cashmir are felt cloths, silk, shawl
wool, &c. khotan produces excellent
carpets, silk IN large quantities, &c
The ANIMALS are the horse, two bumped
camel, OK, ass, sheep and shawI-woo
goat
Mr.. Hayward gives the names OF
forty-six towns and villages: e'Yar
kand contains 10000 houses-ls the
capital of Turkistan, is 3, $50 feet above
the level OF the sea-160 mosques, many
schools, IL caravansaries which are al
ways crowded with merchants from
every part OF Asia; the city is sur
rounded with fortified wall from for
ty to iorty-five feet in height and is en-
tered by five gates. Kashgar contains
| 5000 houses. Porgam contains 16, OOC
houses. Karghalik contains 2O,OOC
houses; and ihe country contains q
population of several millions"
The people are Mohammedans of the
Tartar Usbeg race and governed by a
| military adventurer whose title is Mo
manned 1akoOb Beg, the Atalik
Ghazee, and Ruler of Eastern Turks,
tan-w IS now forty-five years OF
age
The Russians have possession of the
west of the mountains, including Sam
arkand.