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The municipal police comprises the urban and suburban divisions. The first is under the management of a superintendent called Corbkski, whose office corresponds to that of the kotwâl in Indian cities; and he has under him a body of policemen called tarzagchi. These have their beats in the city by day, and patrol it in small parties called pasban by night. Thieves, beggars, and wanderers found in the streets at night are lodged in prison till morning; beggars are then set free with a warning, and others on bail. But if a plaint is lodged against any so oaken, he is carried before the cdzi who investigates the case and gives judgment; and the case is then taken to the mufti who passes sentence, and then to the 'alim who confirms, and finally to, the dkdhkwdh, who sees it carried into execution without further reference, except in cases in which death is the sentence, and for this he must first obtain the sanction of the Amir. Execution is usually by hanging, though by slaughter, that is, cutting the throat, is not uufrequent. The gallows is a fixture in some open space near the city, and is furnished with three or four pulleys and long ropes. A noose at one end of the latter is passed round the neck of the condemned, and he is hauled up by the executioners till dead, and left to hang several days as a warning to others. The tarzagchi of the night patrol collect one ddrehin=two pysa every week from each shop in the city.
Once every day the Cdzi Rasi's, attended by a staff of four to six muhtasib, each of whom carries a dira, or leather thong' fixed to a wooden handle, goes the round of the bazars and main thoroughfares on horseback. He examines the weights in the retail shops, and flogs such as have short weights ; or in serious cases sends the offenders before the mufti for judgment. His own powers do not exceed the summary infliction of ZO to 40 stripes of the dira, and these are freely bestowed on women appearing unveiled in the streets, on gamblers, drunkards, brawlers, and disorderly characters, and such as neglect the stated hours of prayer, and others. The weights are inspected once a fortnight, as also the stores of flour exposed for sale, and where earth is found mixed with it, the offender is flogged in front of his shop.
The city gates are held always by a military guard, and at night a Khitay watchman beats the yang, a sort of wooden gong, from a post over the gateway. This is a Chinese custom, and is still kept up. The yang is a hollow triangular case of wood, and is sounded with a drumstick at short intervals all through the night. The night patrol of the tarzagchi also sound a drum on their rounds. It is called dicmbac, and is like a tambour in shape, but covered on both sides.
The suburban police have the same duties as the urban, and occupy posts on the roads leading from the suburbs to the city, and at night keep a guard of two men at particular spots and cross-roads, They examine travellers and see that those passing the limits are provided with passports. Nobody is allowed to pass from one division to another, or from one district to another, without a passport, and if he does so, he is stopped and sent back for inquiry at the first police station on the road. In every city and market town there is an office for the issue of passports. It is a mere bit of paper, stating the bearers name, where he goes from and to where he goes, and on what business, and on what date. It is granted free of charge, and on return of the bearer to his original place, he must get it stamped or signed at the office of the place he leaves. This office is in charge of a secretary, who is under the orders of the Pknsadbdshi or other military commandant of the division or district.
The Army.—The Chinese held the country with an organized force of about twenty thousand men, of which five thousand were Kalmâk cavalry, including the body-guards of the several divisional Ambâns, which were composed of Mânjhû Tartars from the Ila country. These guards varied in strength from fifty to two hundred men, according to the rank of the Ambân, and the extent of his command, and were all armed with the lance and sword, and were uniform in dress and horse equipments. The Kalmak were an irregular body, only armed with the bow and arrow, and mounted on their own horses; they were mostly employed as foragers and scouts.
The army is under the direct command of the Amir through Pdnsadbashi officers appointed by him. There are twelve of this rank at Kâshghar, two at Yangi Hissar, and two at Yarkand. Each Pcinsadbcishi is supposed to have five hundred men under him, with five Yi zbdshi dr
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