| | ( 438 ) 13 Chilcin, 6 lash. A low jungle, but no water on the surface ; but it may readily be obtained by digging. This is the easterly of the two roads. This road is closed after the winter season when the thaw sets in and occasionally when the springs swell and bring an extra amount of water. -
To Chol Kuduk, 4 task. Through desert without water. At Chol Kuduk water obtained from a well, but the water is brackish. There is a large serai here with a musjid. Here is a low range of hills on the north-west, close to which the road runs, and behind which is the bed of the Kashghar Dania. -
To Sai Arik Langar, 4 task. Through a desert, with sand and small stones. At Sarek Lângir there are two serais, and a post for the examination of passports; some 30 or 40 houses with cultivation, &c. ; water by a canal from the Kashghar Dania. -
To Kumush or Kumbczsh, 3 task. The Kâshghar Dania is crossed at one mile from Sai Arik Lângâr. After the crossing there is a group of hamlets known as Aykol, beyond this eastwards at about one and half tash is a considerable sheet of water ; in the district, which takes its name of Aykol from this, are some 2,000 houses. Cultivation may be said to extend from Sai Arik Lângâr as far as Aksû; there is a bazaar held at Kum. In Aykol are two serais and a considerable bazaar (Thursday) ; the country is cut up by canals from the Kashghar river. The Kum district stretches towards Ush Turfin and eastwards ; it is said to contain 8,000 houses. Kum Bazaar, which is the head-quarters of this district, is off the road some 22 miles. At the stage of Kumbâsh there is merely a Lângâr. -
To Aksû, 4 task. After leaving Kumbâsh, about two tash, the Ush Turfân river is crossed ; it runs in three principal channels, one of which is crossed by a ferry during the cold season ; the Kashghar Dania was crossed in four separate channels at some distance from each other, and all bridged. After leaving the Ush Turfân river the road rises to a plateau along the skirts of which it passes. It drops suddenly upon Aksû. A small stream from the north passes to the west of Aksû at about one mile distance and falls into the Aksû Daria about three miles south of the town. Total distance 732 tash or 752 tash from Yârkand to Aksû. At Terek Lingir, the first march from Yârkand, the natives are Dulans, a tribe presumably of Kilmâk origin, having a distinct dialect of Turki and many customs different from those ,in force elsewhere ; they extend as far as Ckilân, the 13th march ; they remain distinct from the natives of the Aksû and Yârkand districts. Kokshâ,l is the name usually given, not only to the Ush Turfân river, but to all the streams in the Akstl district, on account of the rice grown in the fields which they fertilize. Kokshâl (rice producing). Kok really means blue, all green things springing from the ground are called Kok. From Aksû to Usk Tu~fcin- -
To Sayik, 4 tash, through cultivation at the base of the hills and in the valley. -
Achtcigh, 6 tash. -
Usk Turfcin, 4 task. Two serais in Ush Turfân, the last two places are in the Ush Turfân district, which is a separate command; it contains 8,000 houses, and is a highly productive district ; flocks and cattle abound. The water of Aksû is from springs, there is only one tank in the Yangi-shahr. There is a very large sale of horses in Aksû ; the Dadkhwah taxes the sale of horses, taking 12 puls on each transaction. On market day 600 loads of Indian-corn and wheat, 1 tanga per charak ; 300 loads of rice, 2 tangas the charak. There are 200 dyers in Aksû. |
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