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

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P. February—a small party arrived from Tâshkand with news of Alim Cull's victory over the Russians at Aycân, and brought with them 40 heads of the slain. These were exhibited in the main bazars, to the delight of the populace and gratification of the chiefs, and were the means of soon raising Yâkilb Beg's army to some 3,000 men.

Sadie Beg meanwhile had raised a force of as many Kirghiz, and with them marching against Kashghar invested the city and demanded its surrender. He fixed his head-quarters at the shrine of Hazrat Padshah, a few hundred yards from the south-eastern walls, and with sacrifices of horses and sheep devoutly sought the aid, of the saint against the interlopers. On this Buzurg sent out Yâkûb Beg to disperse the besiegers. After a slight skirmish he drove off their detachment posted in front of the Kiim Darwâza, or Sand Gate," and fixing his head-quarters at the shrine of Syad Jalâluddin Bughdadi, a few hundred yards off to the south and close to the shrine occupied by Sadie Beg, next morning sent forward Abdulla Pansad with a small force to dislodge him. This he quickly did by the bold impetuosity of his attack, and pursued his • scattered Kirghiz across the Kizil River to Pakhtaghlic, whence Sadie escaped to Tashmalik where he rallied his dispersed

followers.

Buzurg and • Yâkûb Beg now took the field together with 400 horse and 4,000 foot raised in the city and suburbs. They seized Farrâsh, the fort of Sadie, and Buzurg holding this sent his General to the encounter with the Kirghiz pretender. Yakilb Beg overtook the enemy next day at the foot of the hills where the Kirghiz held fast to meet their opponents. On their approach, according to custom, they put forward their champion, a gigantic fellow named Sûrânchi, who could fell an ox at a blow, for single combat. Abdulla volunteered to meet the adversary, and in the first charge driving his lance through the heart of the Kirghiz killed him on the spot. Sadie seeing his champion fall, fled into the hills, and' being deserted by his gathering, who now dispersed to their camps, made bis way with only a few attendants to Alim Cull at Khokand.

After this successful expedition Yakûb Beg rejoined Buzurg at Farrâsh, and they marched together against Yangi Hissar, where the Chinese garrison held out in its Yangishahr Fort. They besieged the fort ineffectually for three weeks, and then leaving a force behind to continue the investment returned to Kashghar, where, three days after arrival, Yâkûb Beg took up his quarters at Pakhtaghlic and laid siege to the Yângishahr held by the Amban and his Khitay garrison; whilst Buzurg re-established in the Orda returned to his drugs and women.

Just after the siege had commenced, Nar Muhammad Parwâncl I with a small party arrived at Mingyol, and was detained there by the outpost guard for the orders of Yâkûb Beg. He sent out the dastûrkhwcin of welcome, and directed they should all be brought in to him. Nar Muhammad now explained that his companion—Ibrahim Khan, the son of Habibulla Khan, Padshah of Khutan—had come as envoy from his father to Alim Cull to announce his success against the Khitây and seek a friendly alliance ; and that Alim Cull having received him with favour had granted him the title of Sudtir Khan, and on his departure to return home had appointed himself (Nar Muhammad) to accompany him as envoy from Khokand to the Padshah of Khutan.

On this Yâkûb Beg decided on accompanying them as far as Yârkand, because the Kiicha Khojas who were in power there, though subordinate to the Khan Khoja—that is, Buzurg Khan—had not yet tendered their submission. They set out together from Kashghar on the 1st Makarram 1283 H. (28th May 1865). On arrival at Kok Rabat, the Governor of Yarkand, Nyaz Beg, and some of the Tungani leaders came out to meet Yâkûb Beg with presents and a promise of welcome at the city. They halted a day, exchanged civilities, and renewed mutual vows of sincerity, and then advanced towards the city. At Karahojush they encountered a Tungani picket and were refused a passage ; but after a parley with their leaders and Nyaz Beg, who explained that the visit of the Koshbegi was of a friendly nature merely to convey