The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-21

Is generally supposed to be about thirty-one feet
the level OF the Black Sea as the level Of the
Caspian is said be eighty-one feet below it. Be-
tween the Caspian and the Sea of Ara there is the
lofty plateau of the UstUr which rises to the e!e
tire surrounding region is desert. presenting
attractions to the sportsman, but offering few ill.,
ducements to human enterprise.
THE COURSE oxUs.
The Amoo. the ancient Oxus. which enters the Sea
CT Aral by number OF branches. thus forming
sort of swampy delta, flows out of the small lake
ar-i-Kol. situated among the mountains which bor-
der the plateau Of Palmer and at altitude of $1,000
feet above the level of the sea. This river navi
gable for great part of Its course. at Kerk ati-
tude 80 degrees one of the main lines of route
lent authority on Central Asia. found its stream
nearly twice as wide as the Danube between
Pesth and ofsn' the current strong. with
that branch of the Oxus and probably its
main stream, flowed in ancient times into the Cas-
serted bed may be found at intervals across the in
tervening desert. Rumor has it that, among the
many schemes OF projected improvements in Gem
channel If such plan carried out it would
Besides bringing navigable river into direct
nection with the Caspian Sea, ii would convert thou
sands of acres of desert land into fruitful fields
The Siboon, or Sir. the ancient Jaxartes. which
enters the Sea of Aral by two channels, flows from
the mountains Of the Mooz-tagh. or Thian-Shan
system, and is much smaller than the ANU 1t is
much more rapid stream than the other. fordable
for the most part in summer but frozen during
winter. There other lesser streams but they
insignificant when compared with these, and are
not distinctive features Of tho country The climate
exhibits great extremes of heat and cold whirl-
winds are OF common occurrence in the desert and
some OF vambery's descriptions show that the
tebbad. o. fever wind is something quite dread
ness. As q general rule, however we are told the
atmosphere is dry and healthy.
NATIVE STATES AND GOVERNMENTS.
On two separate occasions, and during the long
reigns of Genghis Khan and Timour Beg two of the
most powerful but also most destructive conquer
ors whom the world has yet known, this whole re-
gion of Central Asia enjoyed the advantages OF unity
at least such unity as can be brought about and
maintained by tho strong hand Of tyranny. As
rule. howevet the country has been divided into
petty Independent States, and its normal condition
has been war In these later times the three
States have been Khiva. Khokan and okhara. They
called khanates The title of the chief ruler of
each State is khan. Lattery, however the ruler of
Bokhara has been honored with the title OF emir.
The territory of Khiva embraces the lower course
of the ANU and the southern shore of the Sea of
Ara The greater portion of the country Is desert.
The town Of Khiva, which stands on branch
Of the Anu. has population of from ten thou
is the seat of some caravan traffic and q
slave market. Khiva and its desert have become
t sr W 1sTs snd IN con
ings of MacGahan and Burnaby. Khokan, otherwise
called Kerghana. includes. or rather included. the
territory lying along the upper and middle of
the Sir-Dara or Sihoon River and its afiuents Tho
most important towns are the capital, Khokan. with
a population OF some seventy thousand; Khojend.
lower down the valley of the Sir. and OH its left
bank fortified town, with some trade; Tashkend, q
largAtown further to the north, also within the
basin Of the r-Daria and famous for it's growth Of
the cotton plant and the mulbcrry Turkestan, o
town still more to the northward to the eastward Of
the Lower Sir, and on an att1uent Of the main
river. at point where the route from Khokan and
Tashkend norhward branches off in the direction Of
Orenberg, Troitsk and Ufa respectively, and Aueta
which derives importance from it's situation the
greatcommercial highway which runs from Tashkond
and Siberian frontiers Like Khiva the greater part
Of khokan Is dry. arid plain plain. the deserts Of
spreading in dreary desoation on either side of
the Sir. Bokhara including part Of the central aud
southerly portions Of Turkesan. extends over the
middle part OF the Oxus Valley and thence east
wardly to the mountainous borders of the Chinese
dominions. 1t includes the fertile valley of the
Zerafshan or Samarcand River which, after flowing
westward for 800 miles is lost in the Lake Of Dengis
short distance to the east of the Oxus This valley
celebrated for its beauty and fertility is regarded by
the Orentals as an earthly paradise. The more inn
porant towns the capital, Bokhara which gives
its its name to the khanate. which is beauti-
has about seventy thousand inhabitants and which
forms the central emporium of large caravan
traffic, and Samarcand, which is about hundred
miles to the eastward of Bokhara and which as it
the ancient capital of the great Timour Beg and
still contains many relics of its former greatness is
of the most attractive cities in the entire region
OF Central Asia.
BoxHARA AND sAMARcAND.
vambery, one OF the few Europeans by whom it
has been visited at least in modern times describes
it in glowing terms He approached the city from
the westward. The first object which met his eye
looks the city. Below lies the famous Samarcand.
Although it equals Teheran in circumference its
inent buildings and views offer far more mag
niticent prospect. The eye is most struck by four
lofty edfces in tho form Of half domes the fore
fronts frontispieces of the Medresse (coleges).
They seemed all to be near together; but some in
fact are In the background. AS We advance per-
ceiva first small, neat dome. and. further to the
south. larger and more imposing one the former
is the tomb. the latter the mosque of Tmour.
Quite facing us. the southwesterly limits Of the
city. and on q hill, rises the citadel. round which
buildings, partly mosques and partly tombs,
are grouped. If we then suppose the whole inter-
mi advv I'll all hava
faint idea of Samarcand" AS Is the case with most
of the old Eastern cities. the interior contrasts
strangely with the exterior. and on his entrance
into Samarcand Vambery is compelled to admit that
the agreeable impressions already produced
cand has been variousiy stated at from $4,000 to
20, 900 people. Balkh and Koondoor, originally the
seats OF independent khanates. have In times COM
paratively recent been subjugated by the Afghan
chiefs, aud they are now regarded as within the
limits of Aghanstan. they are both towns of con-
siderable Importance. Balkh is the Bactra of
tiquity Such is Turkestan it and as it still
is marked in most of our maps In this description
we have left out Turcomania. which lies to the
southeast of the Caspian. and which is composed Of
bands OF lawess tribes, which have made tn
conspicuous by their predatory movements rather
than by any settled movements of organization. 1t
is with these tribes. or rather with portion Of
them. that Russia is now at war. It is unnecessary
above is longer strictly applicable to the entire
region. In 1873 khiva was conquered. aud largo
portion of the khanate was permanently annexed
to Russia. In 1878 similar fate befcll Khokan, and
the whole region north of the Sir-Dara forms part
OF the Russian government OF Kerghana Bokhara
encc, and Samarcand is to oil intents and pur-
poses Russian city. Tho Turcomans have for
present checked Russias advances but the check can
only be temporary; and 1t is merely question of
time when Russia shall be completely mistress of
the entire region OF Central Asia between the Cas-
plan and the Chinese frontier and south rs far as
Afgbauistan and the confines Of Persia.
RACE AND RELIGION.
The population of Turkestan is very various. The
most numerous people called the Uzbecks.
They of Tartar origin, and lead wandering life.
Ia ffrE httlr In
and. it is supposed they are descended from the
aborigines of the country. their general appear
and habits OF industry they resemble the people
of Europe. In addition to these there are Turco-
mans, Krgis. Arabs. .Persians, Afghans Jews, gyp-
sizes and other The total population of
Turkestan is between seven and eight millions. In
religion the great majority of the people Mo-
hammedans of tho Soonite or orthodox persuasion.
Tho Koran forms tho great text book both of
their law and education. and is the universal