, 1877-08-22

printed distinct idsA of his individuality even
10 Europe. II. would infalIibly have left 8
great namo If be had lived somewhat earlier.
His foroa Of will, his INSCRIPTIONS ambition
and his powers as a soldier might have made
him q Timour if Tartary had sill hsen able to
send forth oOnquering hOrdes, Nay, if the
Russian oonqaests lad bsen delayed for a sim
gle generation, he might have changed the
face OF Central Asia as the founder OF one
great MahOmedan State embracing the whOIs
of TurAesta1. But his energy WAS kept within
the bounds Of Kashgar by the pressure of a
European State. The true greatness Of the
man was seen in the fact that while working
on 80 remote . field, he. made bis power felt
ct Calcutta and St. Petersburg.
Yakoob Khan owed nothing TO birth. He
was one of those soldiers Of fortune who no.
whsre so frequently reach supreme power as in
the troubled societies of the East. A naive Of
Khokand, he fist distinguished himself during
The resistance of that Khanate TO ths advancing
Russians. 81 long ago IS 1853 he had heen
Entrusted with the defence of Tho Fort Ak Mas.
jd. on the Syr Dlria, and his foes admit that
be fought her0ically. He was unsuccessful
and for a time iittle was heard OF him. But
In 1868 he seiz-d a chance Of distinction olfsf-
ed by th9 troubled state of KAshgar. That
Khanate, which lies nearest ~ China, had
been conquered by the Chinese. Their rule
had been disturbed by a mutinY Of the Tungan
soldiers in their service, aud the country was
thrown into a state of anarchy by the savag"Ty
Of the Struggle. The confusion was rendered
worse by marau ling bands OF Kjrghiz, who
took the town OF ,sh gar after i long siege,
and Instantly mtAo il the scene of plllagS and
friIhlful massacre. Al that stage OF anarchy
another invader appeared IN the person OF
Kh@jA B1zlrg Khan. who belonged to the
family wLirh had formerly ruled kashgar, and
which me Chinese had exilod. Buzurg Khan
naturally thought that the general disorder
gave him a good opportunity Of regalning MS
rights, and hs took with him Yakoob Beg az
his chief 6gh,ing man. Although the two ad.
vrrturer- brought a very small force. they were
soon joined by Il crowd of people. and The Mill.
tsrv talents Of Ydkoob gradually bore down all
opposition. How desperate was tbs hghtIng
may be seen from a welI-knOwn story OF what
happened at the siege OF the fortress OF RASH
gar. For more than a year it was obstlnats!y
defended by the Chinese but at last most OF
tue chief officers found tnat they must como
to Terms with YakoOb. Tae Governor was
of 80 different a mind as to he determined thar
he, and they. and his own family should all
perish on the moment OF surrender. But IN"
stead Of making his purpose known be sum-
mo1Ud his officers TO bis Council Chamber, ana
with them his sons and daughters. Under"
meath the floor hs had meanwhile placed a bar
rel Of gunpowier. As the assembly was dis
cussiug what should bs done next, he sat cool
~ smoking until he heard the war cry OF the
MAhonedaH b~eSiegers as they scaled the walls.
and ihon, dropping the ashes OF his pipe on 10
q train of gunpowler, he blew himself and
everybody else into The air. Such warfare II
barbaFous, enabled the conquerOf TO be
thorough, anil YdkOob brought the whole o3un'
try under the u0m.cai rune of Buzlrg KAN.
Bat ih4n followed an event which haa become
a oomii1n place in O'ientAl wirF4f". BlzArg
was as indulent as YAkoob was energetic, AMI
the lieutenant set aside the master. II 10
almost surprising that the chapter of deposition
was blood ess, f0r HE successful a<pirant Was
never lroahi.d bv s~cruples. But Bnzurg was
allowed to 20 joto exile. and Ne may Sill %
alive. Yakooh * ian. az be now called himself.
then sh ,w~d H. he bad at leas: thd right to
rue winch comes from force vi character and
grasp OF Intellect. II. mala his country this
most peaceful part Of Central Asia 1t he
ruled it with a rod Of iron, he at least kept 1t
free from such revolutions as disturbed the
neighbouring Khapates. All the old factions
felt The grasp of a master, and they ola nos
dare to intrigue. His fame soon spread fr
beyond the confines Of Kashgar and, seeing
what be had done for the waning fortunes OF
Mohamedanism the Emir OF Bokara gave nun
the title of The Attslik Ghazi. or leader OF the
champions Of The faith. The Turks seem I"
havs ho7ed that he might become a great MUS.