If we allow 4 people to a house, we obtain a Chinese rural population of 6300 -}- 2000 in the town - a couple of thousand Mongols, who are not supposed to belong to the Barkul district. Besides, there is the town with about 2000 houses (this seems to be much exaggerated) or according to another source 4-50o houses and a population of 3-5 adults of either sex per household. There are 1o8 shops in the town (Russian-Andijan), but only 4 fairly large and 8 small ones obtain goods from Kouli. Peiping goods are said to be imported annually to the value of about i8o,000 Ian (silver caravans with about 6o,000 Ian are despatched 3 times a year from Kucheng to Peiping). Blankets of inferior quality are produced here for local use and baskets woven of wicker-like twigs. There seems to be no other kind of industry except a few mills worked by horses. Exports consist of wool (506o,000 djin annually, mostly to Hami), camel-hair (30-40,000 djin), flour, cattle, horses and camels. The latter earn a good income for their owners by carrying on transport on the routes between Turfan, Kucheng, Kobdo, Uliasutai and Barkul. The average prices are i —2 lan 2 t. to 3 lan 5 t. per sheep according to size, 13 lan per horse, 50-70 lan per camel, i r lan for wool, or 9 lan if paid in advance, 12 lan for camel-hair per ioo djin, 7 lan for wheat, 3 1 !2 lan for wheaten flour per ioo djin.
The large area inside the neglected and dilapidated town wall is only partly built over. There are large open spaces along the north and west walls with enclosures for horses and cattle. There are 3 sarais, but the number of arbahs passing through Barkul is probably not as much as a hundred a year. The cause lies in the pass between Hami and Barkul which is usually difficult to negotiate as early as October. As the road, besides, offers no advantages in fodder and supplies over the Hami, Chin-ku-ching-tzu, Tashitow road, the latter is usually preferred.
The buildings look poor and dilapidated, the shops are poorly stocked, and the streets are empty and silent except for the yelling of children and the barking of dogs. Some old temples with their paintings, carvings and effective roof-lines relieve the dreary look
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