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

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P.   By sunset the Kûcha army was in full retreat from Khanaric, leaving 3,000

dead on the field, and nearly double the number of prisoners who were unable to

follow their fugitive brethren. Amongst these last were 1,000 Tungini who, having lost nearly 500 men in the battle, now asked quarter, and tendering submission sought service with the victor. Yakûb Beg pardoned them all, and enrolling them amongst his own troops shortly afterwards employed them in the siege of the Yangishahr. To the remaining captives, with whom he knew not what to do, he extended a like clemency, and mounting them double on stray horses running about the field sent them after their retreating comrades. After the battle the runaways with Buzurg joined the camp ; but the troops now looked to Yâkûb Beg as their real master.

Three days after their return to Kashghar from the victory of Khanaric, Mir

Baba liuddgehi, the messenger to Ali:m Cull with the offerings sent from Yangi Hissar, arrived at Mingyol from Khokand. He was accompanied by Yâkûb Beg's son, Khuda Cull Beg, aged sixteen years, and his mother, and by Cazi Ziauddin and Kadir Cull Dczdkhwd/ as envoys on the part of Beg Muhammad Ming/4W and

Mirza Ahmad Parwa' ichi to seek his protection for the Kirghiz and Kapchak. Yâkûb Beg approved their request and sent back a messenger to inform them that " if Khokand were too small for them, there was ample room in Kishghar, and that his own prosperity was bound up in theirs."

Just about this time, too, news came from Yarkand that the enemy defeated at Khanaric had passed on to Kûeha without coming to the city, and that a governor was wanted to maintain order. Yâkûb Beg consequently sent Mir Baba with the rank of /)crdk/iwah to secure and settle the place. With the aid of Nyaz Beg he established himself in the Orda there, and conciliating the chiefs who welcomed him, soon succeeded in winning over the Tung•ani who held the Yangishahr to come and pay their respects and tender submission to Yakûb Beg.

Yâkûb Beg now pressed the siege of Yangishahr with redoubled vigilance, impatient to get possession of it as a starting-point for the career he had in view. The Kho Dalay, or Commandant of the Khitay troops, had as his Musalmân agent and interpreter one Tokhta Ishki Beg, "Great Lord," who, under the Chinese rule, held the Artosh Valley in fief. Some of the spies employed by Yakûb Beg got into correspondence with this Tokhta, and as a co-religionist appealed to him to surrender the fort. The faithful man, however, declined to betray his confiding master; but being persuaded that they could not much longer hold out in the fort, he pointed out to the Kho Dalay the extremity that threatened them all ; for during the two years of siege by the Kirghiz and Andijani successively, their accumulated, and from time to time as opportunity offered, replenished stores, had become exhausted. He showed him that nothing remained for them now but death by famine or the sword, except the one way of escape by surrender and safety through Islam ; and this one way he urged on him to adopt. The Kho Dalay agreed to the proposal, and sent Tokhta to bring Yâkûb Beg's assurance of protection on those terms. On his return with a favourable reply, the Kho Dilay informed Chang Tay, the Amban, of his decision ; but he refused to accept any terms, and at 10 o'clock that same night, the first Thursday in September 1865, just a month after the victory of Khanaric, set fire to his palace and with his family and dependents perished in the flames.

Yâkûb Beg, informed of the conflagration, at once came out to the assault, but first sent Abdulla with a number of tonelci, or " interpreters," to offer the garrison quarter on unconditional surrender. These shouted out their message under the walls, and were answered by Tokhta from a turret over the gate ; and presently the Kho Dalay with his son and three daughters and a number of attendants surrendered to Abdulla and received protection. But in the confusion the troops assembled for the assaultAndijani, Kirghiz, Kapchik, Badakhshi, and Afghan—all rushed in to the work of destruction, and during eight days massacred, sacked, and plundered. Three thousand Khitay families, however, escaped, and on accepting Islam were granted quarter. After this guards were set at the gates and order was restored.