National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

> > > >
Color New!IIIF Color HighRes Gray HighRes PDF   Japanese English
0078 Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1
Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1 / Page 78 (Color Image)

New!Citation Information

doi: 10.20676/00000196
Citation Format: Chicago | APA | Harvard | IEEE

OCR Text

 

( 42 )

them for a distance of thirty miles. From Safarbay a caravan road goes north over the Bedal Pass to the head waters of the Narin river, and beyond, across the Zauka Pass, to Isigh Kol. The Bedal Pass marks the north boundary of U'sh Turfan and the Amir's territory, and at the entrance to the gorge leading up to it is an outpost called Bedal Karawul.

From Safarbay eastward the valley widens, and is studded with little farm settlements on the streams coming down the glens on either side. They form two streams called Aksay and Taoshkaan which unite and join the Aksû River south of that city. The population of this division is altogether agricultural, and estimated at 2,000 houses, or 1%000 souls at seven per house.

The capital had formerly a strong little castle, but it was destroyed with the town in 1765 A.D., and its people massacred by the Chinese for revolt in favor of the Khoja rebellion. It is now an open market town of 800 houses commanded by a fort on a hill overlooking it from the north-west. The garrison consists of 300 men, and the townspeople are the descendants of taranchi or " labourers" planted here by the Chinese after the massacre.

Farmsteads are scattered all over the valley, but the principal settlements are Safarbay, Karawul, Akyar, Achitagh, and Aral. Sheep, cattle, and horses are very numerous. The fine wool of the first is woven by the Kirghiz into a variety of materials for home use, and with the tobacco and cattle of the town find; its way to the Aksû market. The limits of the division are Ktkshal on the west and the Aksû River on the east, the Bedal mountain on the north, and the Balauti ridge on the south. Its communication and trade are entirely with Aksû of which by some it is considered to form a part.

Aksû.—This is the central division of the country, and is situated at the base of Alatagh or Tangrf Ula at the southern entrance to the Mûzart or " Glacier Pass." Under the Chinese it was an important military post at the junction of the roads from Ila by the Mûzart, and from Kansiih by Khamil and Turfa n. It was the centre of the Chinese trade and formed the division between the eastern and western cities of the province, and was the limit of the trade privileges accorded by the Chinese Government to the Khokand Khan over the cities of the western division.

Its limits are from the Aksû River on the west to the Kizil or Na,rinj stream beyond Sayram on the east, and from the water-shed of Tangrf U'la on the north to Say Arik, and the Aksû and Tarim rivers on the south. Its population is reckoned at 12,000 houses, of which 6,000 are allotted to the city and immediate suburbs. The rest are distributed thus. Settlements to the north—Choda 60 houses, Kazghan 100, Sirilma 40, and other homesteads 300. On the west—Aykol 20, Sayarik 40, Kalpin 60, Chilan 60, Sûgat 40, Marakala 20, Besh Digarman 60, and other homesteads 400. On the south—Sûbalik 80, Sagfarcha 50, Daulatbtgh 200, Kart Moghcha 20, Balaring 20, Amarjama 50, Kûmbash 200, Dolan 50, and others 630. On the east—Jim 100, Tazlung 100, Kart-yûlghûn 150, Yakka Arik 150, Koshtami 250, Bay 600, Karabagh 100, Sayram 800, and others 1,250. Total of all 12,000 houses, at seven per house 84,000 souls.

Aksû is a very ancient city, and was formerly called Arpadil or Ardabil. It covers two ridges of gravel heights on the left bank of the Aksû river where it is joined by the l sh or Kakshal river, and has a citadel on each. The city is surrounded by fortified walls, and has two gates—that on the west Sû Darwaza or " Water Gate," and that on the east Tumurchi Darwaza or " Blacksmith's Gate." The climate is described as very salubrious, though the winter is an extremely rigorous season ; and the natives I have seen bear testimony in confirmation by their clear healthy looks and robust frames. The citizens are said to be peaceable and industrious, to be very sociable, and fond of gaiety and the pleasures of life generally. They are more purely Turk in physiognomy, judging from the few I saw in the Amir's service, than the citizens of either Yarkand or Kashghar, and are supposed to be the purest representatives, together with the people of Artosh north of Kashghar, of the ancient Ayghûr or Uighûr conquerors.

Aksû is celebrated for its manufactures of saddlery and harness, its pottery, and its raw hide jars called dabba for oil, butter, &c. Its tobacco also is considered the best that is produced in the country. All these, together with cattle and the shawl wool of U'sh Turfari, are