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

gardens, and orchards, and timber trees. At five hundred yards or so to the west of it stands
the Chinese fort or *Mángshú*, which is called Yangishahr or "New City" in distinction to the
Kulna shahr or "Old City." It is a strong square fort surrounded by a deep ditch, and entered
over a drawbridge by a single gate which faces the Káwnghat Gate of the city on the east.
Between these two gates is a street of cook shops behind which are the cattle market and
gallows on one side, and the horse market on the other. In the time of the Chinese it is said
to have been a lively scene of activity and trade, but, as we found it, full three-fourths of the
space were in ruins, and the rest a miserable collection of cook shops and grocers' stalls almost
as dilapidated as the ruins themselves. The Yangishahr is the residence of the Governor of
the State with his staff of officials and troops. Under the Chinese he was called *Khán Ambán*
and now he is called *Shagháwul Dádkhwáh*. He lives in a spacious *orla* or "palace," which is
shut off from the rest of the area by high walls, and is surrounded by the barracks and artillery
gunsheds of the garrison. In the Yangishahr are also several commodious residencies for the
higher officers of government or for foreign visitors and guests. One of these had been fitted
up for the reception of the Embassy. It is in the centre of the fort area, and though closely
crowded by other buildings was comfortably furnished for our special benefit, and we were
allowed free liberty of ingress and egress. The garrison is said to number 1,800 men, who live
with their families in the fort; but fully half the number are generally absent on detachment
duty in the district, or in the frontier outposts, though their families remain behind. According
to the Chinese revenue returns the population of the Yarkand State is estimated at 32,000
houses spread all over its area. This at seven persons per house will give the total population
of the State as 224,000 souls. The limits of the State are, along the south frontier, Sánjú to
Shahídulla, Kilyán to Yangi Dawan, Kokyár to Kulánúldi, and Kosharáb to the Múztágh of
Kunjut. Along the west frontier are the highland district of Sárigh Kúl and the Kirghiz
steppes of Pámir and Aláy; but these are beyond the present reckoning which only includes
the country up to the foot of the hills, from Yakka Arik to Cháechiftlik or Chachiklik pass;
north of this line the country is a desert waste. The north border of the State is a blank arid
desert on which the boundary is marked by a small post house, where are two wells of brackish
water 98 feet down. It is called Ak Rabát or "White Stage" and separates Yarkand territory
from that of Yángí Hissár. The east border also is desert, and is marked by a line from
Gúmá on the south by Mihnat Ortang on the east to Shamál on the north. In this area
the settlements of Gúmá, Sánjú, Kilyán, Kokyár, Kosharáb, and Yakka Arik are the limits of
cultivation; all beyond—and a good deal within—is sterile desert or mountain skirt. The above
reckoned population is thus distributed.

Yárkand city, 5,000 houses, inclusive of mosques, colleges and saráes; and the immediate
suburbs, including Yangishahr, 5,000 houses. Total 10,000 houses. The rural settlements of
Sánjú 2,000, Kilyán 800, Kokyar 800, Yakka Arik 700, Kárghalik 2,000, Besharik 1,800, Posgám
1,600, Boryá 600, Gúmá 3,000, Kosharáb 500, Orpa 1,000, Taghárchí 200, Otúnchilik 2,000,
Mírsháh 500, Islámbágh 500, Rabátchi 600, Tonguzlik 300, Arámang 100, and all other minor
settlements 3,000. Total 32,000 houses. These figures are only approximate, and, from personal
observation in respect to several of the most populous settlements, may I believe be taken as
fairly correct.

The city itself having a circuit of four miles outside the walls may be considered as
covering an area of 3,097,600 square yards. If we deduct one-fifth for fortifications, streets,
courts, bazars, and tanks, of which last the number is said to be 120, we shall have 2,478,080
square yards left for the houses. And this, if we take 25 by 20 yards as the average measure-
ment, will give the number at 4,956 or about 5,000 houses, which at seven persons per house
represents a population of 35,000 souls. The calculation is certainly fully up to the mark, and
I believe much above the actual fact, for compared with Peshawar, which has a population of
something under 60,000 souls, Yarkand is an insignificant city. I don't think its population
much exceeds 20,000 souls at the present time.

The citizens are mostly Turk with Tartar and Chinese converts and half breeds, and they
have amongst them a large number of foreign settlers who are reckoned at two thousand