The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-30

hamadans, and consider an intolerant persecution
OF the other sect the best evidence OF the SIN
certify or their own faith and Of their attachment
to the Prophet. They are much fettered by their
priests, to whom they yield implicit obedience in
all things temporal and spiritual.
The Uzbeks are the fixed cutivators OF the soil,
dwelling under the protection OF their own rulers.
yambery gives them good character, adding that
the Khivan Uzbek not being well instructed in the
doctrine OF the Mohammedanisn which he processes,
retains not only many Of the national usagcs OF
heathensm, but also Of the religious oDservances
OF the Parsis or Fire -worshippers, the ancient in
habitants OF Persia converted driven out by the
early Mohammedan invaders, excepting the few
families settled still at Yezd, Kirman, and one or
two other cities. The other inhabitants besides
Uzbeks are Turkomans, Karakalpaks, KAYAKS,
Sarts and Persians
The Turkomans are divided into numerous tribes,
and are scattered in hordes along the northern
frontier or Persia and northwest Of Afghanistan.
Those In Khiva proper belong chiefly to three
tribes.
The Karakalpak, Blackcaps, inhabit the farther
bank Of the Oxus. but have been subject to Khiva
from time lmmemorial. Their number is computed
at 10, 600 tents.
OF the KAYAKS but few are subject to Khiva. The
Sarts are the ancient Persian population lof Kha-
ram, and called, elsewhere, Talk; and the So
nists or slaves. Many Of the latter however prefer
an easy livelihood in Khiva to taking advantage Of
liberty, II offered condition OF returning to their
homes.
When Mr.. Taylour Thompson was at Khiva, in 1s4l,
he learned that the population from whom the
Khan collected his revenues amounted to 100, 900
families; that he had an army OF 10000 horsemen,
with seventeen guns and mortar, besides 100
regular soldiers and q Russian artilleryman; that
he possessed, moreover, 500 men slaves OF his own
and 1000 In the employment Of subjects on the
State lands.
HISTORY OF RUSSIAN OPERATIONS IN ASIA.
At the close OF the seventeenth and commence
ment OF the eighteenth century Russia under Peter
the Great, sent out her explorers to penetrate
into Central ASIA from the north and west. Peter
wished to establish commercial intercourse with
India, but the independent Khanates beyond
the Steppes we're not quite prepared to encourage
SO civilized object by giving free passage to
merce through their territories. He, however,
when able to turn his attention from the Swedes
and Turks, entered into some sort OF correspond
ence with Khva; for It Is urged on behalf OF Rus
STA that far back as 1908 the Gar received the
Khan's allegiance, at q time when the latter was
sorely pressed by the Amir OF Bokhara; and from
lila TO I717 EFFORTS were made to establish Russian
authority on the eastern shores Of the Caspian and
generally In Turkistan. Accounts OF two expedi-
tons with this object In view are given in the
journal Of the Russian Imperial Geographical So
ciety' for 1853. One was despatched from Siberia
under Colonel Bucholz, and one from Astrakhan
under Prince Bekovich.
But although Peter the Great continued to push
forward his scheme Of intercourse with India, and
for this purpose sought to make ready road
through Bokhara and intervening countries, no
positive measure OF occupation or annexation In
Central Asia seems to have been carried out until
after that monarchs death, in IT'S. He had, by
his own-preseuce and that Of q numerous army