The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-02

sst rank and contains the tombs Of many OF the
Kirehiz Khans Of the Middle and Lesser Hordes'
This mosque was begun by Tamerlane In 1897
and IL built over the tomb 81 ono OF the most
celebrated saints In Asia, Hazrit hodJa
Akhmed Yasavi. who died about 1920 ana "a
regarded by the Kirghiz "a their patron SAINT,
The great dome over the hall II over 100 feet
high and IL decorated with alabaster WORK IN
tho style common to Moorish buildings. such
rs the Alhambra. The whole mosque AZ one
time must have been beautifully adorned. bit
1t has been much disfgured, both Ivy earth
quakes and by the hand Of man. The town
itself Is poor and dirty. but Oriental In character.
and therefore picturesque.
II il we'll known TINT all over central Asia are
20 he found traces Of a civilization so old that
II has been entirely forgotten, and nothing
remains to tell us what races dwclt there or
how they fell from their high estate, On the
north bank NJ the Syr Daria JaNartesD. all along
the valley. are numerous ruins which mark the
sites OF former cities. and legend says that this
district, now a wilderness but for an occasional
Russian fort or small. half-savage town. was
once 40 densely populated that from Kashgar
20 the Sea Of Aral. for upward OF 700 miles. the
nightingale could ny from branch to branch
and the cat walk from housetop 10 housetop."
No researches have as yet brought forth A clue
as TO the Identity OF the once busy jewellers in
this fertile valley. nor explained why their
towns should have fallen into decay. The
country is quite capable Of supporting a dense
population; In summer plants and lowers In
many varieties bloom on the steppes. and the
brush which blooms on the river banks forms
n cover for quantities Of pheasants, geese,
psrtrtdges and other game.
Perhaps the most mysterious OF these relics
Of bygone ages are encountered In the country
around Lake lssik Kul, which lies to the north
east OF Kashgar, and on the banks OF that lake
itself. Here evidently in ancient times were
several cities, and under water there are ruins
visible which make IL appear likely that the
lake has risen. or else that there has been a sub
sidence Of the soil. Among the things which
have been washed up are large tiles and bricks
covered with red and blue glaze. broken pottery.
human bones and metallic vessels. To a~travel-
Ter in 1879 was exhibited n lamp with an In
scription on II In an entirely unknown language.
Chinese maps OF an early period place a city
named Echi-gu on the shores OF lsslk Kul and
on the Catalan map OF 1875 there IL marked on
the southern shore a HISTORIAN monastery said
to have contained the bones Of 81. Matthew. The
great route which runs through central Asia
from east to west passes between Lake lssik
Kul and Tashkent. Over this road passed
the earliest traveller. whose records remain
to us-Zemarchus, an ambassador from the
Emperor Justinian. who. in 500. was sent 10
visit Dizabulus, probably Dalobisn Khan, a
powerful chief living on the northern slope
Of the Tian Shan. The next traveller came
from the East sixty years later In the person OF
Hiuen Tsians. a Buddhist pilgrim and student.
he peoples the mountains and Lake Issik Kul
with terrible monsters and dragons, but de-
scribes enthusiastically a lovely valley, "the
zt.1. - . tko,san ~ anrio1a - uhora Tho Titrtiah
Khan had bis summer residence. and where
beautiful WOOD. we're full Of anne stays, all
adorned with bells and rings. This spot has
been conjecturally identified with the triangle
formed by the River Eching and It's tributary.
the Rurgati.
In the twelfth century two other Chinese
travellers braved the perils OF the route through
central Asia. and both described the country
OF the -Ksrakitai- as full OF ancient ruins. In
1858 we have an account OF a missionary Jour
ney undertaken by Rubruduis, a Flemish friar.
at the instiRation OF 81. Louis Of France, He
found the HISTORIANS established In the country.
but notes that in many Of the cities the people
worshipped idols, whileo other towns were entirely
Mohammedan. He also mentions with surprise
a little village which was Inhabited by -Sar-
aoens speaking Persian. though such a huge
way from Persia Just as the Tadjik Of our
day speaks an Aryan dialect. containing words OF
Persian derivation which have dropped out OF
use In their native land. The most imaginative
traveller, however. was King Hethum Of Cts in
Clicia, a Christian monarch who went TO visit
Mangu Khan. He brought back q story OF
having encountered men who had the shape OF
dogs. a story which was repeated by an italian
traveller, Cartini. and Is also found In a Chi
nese encyclopedias. The story probably en-
bodies an ~allusion ITO the tradition which
describes the Klrahiz race as being de-
soended from a "red-haired dog Ono OF
the Chinese travellers just mentioned gives
an account OF a city near Aulie-ata, the re-
mains Of which are still to be seen. and are
among the most curious ruins In the world.
Native legend says that this city was built by
a prince Of the Dlvs. OF mountain spirits, who
fell In love with a maiden that lived near. and
wishing to build a city for her TO live In, threw
down great stones from his mountain. These
ruins are thirty miles east OF Aulie-ata, and
their extent and the size OF theetones used TO
build them are amazing. An immense, I'M
finished building. 600 feet by $50, IA made OF red
dish sandstone, some stones found in the lower
layers being seven feet long by four broad.
Leroh, who investigated the ruins thinks, they
may have been intended for a Buddhist
monastery. The same traveller mentions certain
enormous grave mounds which stand TO this day.
witnesses TO the transformers Of human fame.
VII.