Eluths, whom he defeated in a battle near the great lake Kizalpoo, (probably the Balkhash Noor is the lake here meant), took prisoner, and murdered, in order to secure his authority. He then conquered the whole of the Lesser Bukharia; and in 1683, he subdued Tibet, and deprived the secular prince of all his power. That prince was called Tsanpa Han, and Kaldan transferred his power to the Dalai lama. He next attacked the Khalkhas, and but for the timely interference of the emperor, Khaunghee, would have utterly ruined them. This tide of success alarmed Khaunghee, who plainly saw that if the Khalkhas were ruined, his Mongol subjects would join Kaldan, and thus endanger the throne of China. With the view of checking Kaldan's progress, he ordered a large army into Mongolia to assist the Khalkhas, who attacked Kaldan, who, although he had no artillery and but few troops, resolutely sustained the shock, and at the end of the battle retired to his camp without being pursued by the enemy. As this was an indecisive action, Kaldan again advanced, in 1694, and ravaged all the lands of the Khalkhas, and marching thence S. to the territories of the Sharra Mongols, endeavoured, by a letter to the khan of Korchin, the chief of the Mongol princes, to stir up him and the other khans against Khaunghee, and to make common cause with him against the Mandshoors. This bold step roused Khaunghee to instant exertion; and in 1696, three armies, one of them headed by himself, invaded Tartary on all sides. One of these obtained a complete victory over Kaldan, near the source of the Toola, whilst that under Khaunghee struck every place with terror. This defeat proved the utter ruin of Kaldan, and the destruction of the Eluths was so great that very few remained in the territories of the Khalkhas, whilst the unfortunate Kaldan escaped almost alone into Soongaria exposed to the reproaches of his vassal hordes. He now endeavoured to negotiate a peace with Khaunghee, and sent Tsebden Baldjir, his son, with a small retinue of Eluth chiefs, to the Dalai lama of Tibet, to beg his interposition with Khaunghee. But Ebeidoola, the Mohammedan chief of Hami, seized him and the other Eluth chiefs, and sent them prisoners to Khaunghee, who cut off their heads, and confirmed the traitor Ebeidoola in his post. Kaldan, unable to survive such calamities, poisoned himself, and was succeeded by his nephew, Tsevang Raptan, who proved himself equally ambitious as his uncle, and almost as formidable. He secured Bukharia from falling into the hands of Khaunghee, and punished the Mohammedan rebels of Yarkund. In 1703, the large horde of the Torgauts or Black Kalmuks, under Ayucka Khan, cousin of Tsevang Raptan, abandoned Soongaria, and crossing the Juick or Ooral, placed themselves under the protection of Russia. The ostensible motive of Ayucka Khan for taking this step, and thus weakening the power of the kontaysha, was the fear of his life. The ordinary summer-encampment of the kontaysha called Hancas or Oorga, was on the banks of the Ili, to watch the motions of the Toorgauts under Ayucka, and the Kirghees and Usbecs. In winter he resided at Yarkund in Little Bukharia. In 1716, he invaded Tibet, as his uncle had done before, took Lassa, ravaged the country, plundered the temples, not even sparing Pootala itself, the residence of the pretended Immortal, carried off all the yellow-robed lamas he could find, put them in sacks, and transported them on the backs of camels, as prisoners to Soongaria. This produced a fresh war with China, which was finished in 1720, in consequence of a complete defeat from the army of Khaunghee, commanded by his third son, who subsequently succeeded his father in 1723, under the title of Yong-ching. In consequence of this defeat the

Eluths lost all Tibet and the provinces of Khamil and Toorfaun. Though repeatedly unsuccessful in their wars with China, yet the restless Eluths involved themselves in another with China. By the aid and influence of Kienlong, Amursanan, who had fled to Peking from the resentment of the reigning khan, and remained for some time a pensioner on the bounty of Kienlong, was on the death of Debatchi, advanced to the dignity of kontaysha. But scarcely had he obtained his new dignity, when, forgetful of prior obligations, he attacked the Chinese garrisons in the districts of Hami and Toorfaun, which produced a long, and, for a considerable time, an indecisive and harassing warfare; but which finally ended, after 13 years' continuance, by the complete destruction of the independence and power of the Eluths, in 1759, and their almost utter extirpation. This was accomplished chiefly through the skill and sagacity of Foote, the general of Kienlong. Amursanan, with such Eluths as survived this dreadful calamity, fled to Siberia, where he died in a short time. The Chinese, not satisfied with his death, desired the Russian governor to deliver up his dead body as that of a traitor and rebel, which was refused, but Chinese commissioners appointed for that purpose were gratified with a sight of his corpse. Thus ended the formidable power of the Eluths, which for a time seemed to shake the stability of the reigning dynasty on the throne of China. In consequence of this event, all the extensive tract which once owned their nomadic sway, reaching from the Bogdo to the Beloor, and from the Kwanglung to the Siberian frontier, fell under the domination of China, and the spot where once the kontaysha fixed his camp is now the residence of a Chinese commandant. In 1770 and 1771, the Torgaut Eluths, who had formerly ranged the plains of the Volga and Jaick, returned by two successive emigrations to their ancient possessions in Soongaria. The first emigration consisted of 30,000 families, and the second of 50,000 families: 80,000 families in the whole, or nigh 500,000 persons. The plan was so well laid, and so ably executed, that in spite of Russian vigilance and Russian pursuit,-in spite of opposition from their hereditary enemies of the great Kirgissian horde, they reached the Balkhash Noor, and were received by the Chinese guards posted on the Tekis and Ili, and pasture-lands on the banks of these two streams were assigned them by orders of Kienlong, but the chiefs with their families were all sent, under a strong guard, to Peking, there to remain as hostages to ensure the submission and peaceable conduct of the Torgauts." The present possessors, therefore, of Soongaria, under the sovereignty of China, are the Torgauts, the most numerous body,—the remains of the Soongarees, supposed not to exceed 30,000 families, and the Derbets, whose numbers are unknown. To these must be added, the Soyetes or Oriangkhai, a Samoied race according to Klaproth, inhabiting the high lands of the upper Jenisea, or more correctly the Kem. This tribe is divided into 11 banners, and contains 10,000 families. In this enumeration, the Tělessi, an Eluth tribe about the Teletskoi Osero, must also be included.

11 To commemorate this remarkable event,—the voluntary emigration of a whole nation, with all their numberless cattle of various descriptions,-a marble monument with an inscription, detailing the fact, was erected at Peking, by orders of Keinlong.

III. LESSER BUKHARIA, OR EASTERN TOORKISTAUN.

Name.] The former of the above names is not made use of because the country so called is actually less in superficial extent than Great Bukharia-for, in reality, it is much larger-but because it is inferior to it in respect of the number of its cities, the fertility of its soil, the amount of its population, and some other circumstances. These adjuncts of Great and Little seem to have originated with the Usbecks, who employed them to distinguish such part of the Bukharian territories as is not possessed by themselves, from that which is. Yet Abulghazi, himself an Usbeck khan, never mentions Little Bukharia; but speaks of Khashghar, Yarkund, and other districts belonging to it, without using any general denomination for the whole tract. Neither is the appellation of Little Bukharia used by sultan Baber in his memoirs; he only speaks of Khashghar and Khita. When conquered by Zingis Khagan, it was called Karakitay, or the country of the Western Lyau; but it was afterwards called Jagatay, as being assigned to Jagatai, the son of Zingis, together with the country to the W. of the Beloor. The Persian writers usually called it the kingdom of Khashghar, being that part of it which was nearest to them, and best known by them. In the life of Timoor Bek, it is never called Little Bukharia, but is considered as part of Mogulestan and the country of the Getes. By Edrisi it seems to have been described under the name of the country of the Taghaz Gaz Toorks, bounded on the N. by Kaymak, which seemingly corresponded to the western part of the modern Soongaria, and his Kaymaks seem to be the modern Kalmucks. As it has been inhabited by Toorkish tribes from the remotest antiquity, Edrisi was correct in classing it as a Toorkish region; and his Taghaz Ghaz seems to be the Taugas of Simocatta a Byzantine writer of the 6th century-a Toorkish tribe which conquered Northern China, and gave birth to the Suy dynasty, which took Nanking in 589, A.D., conquered Southern China, and reunited both under one head in the time of the emperor Mauritius. Eastern Toorkistaun is, therefore, or ought to be, the true name of this extensive region; but the appellation of Little, or The Lesser Bukharia, has obtained such firm footing amongst modern writers and geographers, that we are hereas in former instances-compelled to conform to modern usage, in assigning to this region the name of Little Bukharia.

Boundaries.] Little Bukharia is bounded on the N. by Soongaria, already described; on the E. by the Mongolian desert; on the S. by Western Tibet, the unknown parts of Great Tibet, and the N.W. extremity of China; and on the W. by the Beloor or Thsoungling range. But while we have thus stated its general boundaries, candour obliges us to say, that we cannot fix its southern boundaries with all that precision the subject requires. Being ignorant of the northern frontier of Eastern Tibet, we cannot, consequently, determine the southern frontier of Little Bukharia in this part.

Superficial Extent.] In the Memoires sur les Chinoises, Little Bukharia is said to extend 16 degrees of longitude in the parallel of 40° N. lat., and 5 degrees in breadth from S. to N., or 800 British miles, by 380 of mean breadth; thus making a surface of 300,000 British square miles. But, in this estimate, the eastern parts of this region are omitted, namely, the large districts of Toorfaun and Khamil, as these have been subject to China since 1720. Including these, Little Bukharia may be said to have more than 25 degrees of longitude in the parallel of 43° N. lat.,

and above 20 degrees in the parallel of 40° N. lat., or more than 1,040 British miles; and we may venture to extend its breadth in the eastern part as far S. as 35° N. lat., to the northern base of the Kwanglung, the frontier of Tibet. Its general breadth in the N.W. part is from 38' to 44° N., and in the S.E. part from 35° or 36° to 44° N. lat.; but this, it must be remembered, includes the Great Desert, or Shamo, of which Marco Polo has given such a fearful picture. The whole may include a surface of 500,000 British square miles.

Historical Notice.] The history of this region in early times may be said to be unknown, as the ancients knew little or nothing either of the country or its inhabitants, but classed it as a Scythian region to the W. of Serica. In times more modern, all we know is, that it was successively subjected to such of the nomadic hordes as were, for their short and uncertain hour, lords of the military ascendant, and the Eluth Kalmucks were its last masters. When the domination of the Eluth khan, Taidsbas, was annihilated by the superior power of China in 1759, Bukharia fell into the hands of the victors.

Physical Aspect.] On this we can say but little; but, if we may judge from the course of the rivers, the country seems to decline towards the N.E., and the celebrated lake of Lop is the lowest level. N. of this lake, the country rises towards the mountains of Alak; and to the E. it rises again towards Hami, which in its turn is separated from the Desert by a range of mountains.

Mountains.] Little Bukharia, including the Desert, is every where surrounded by lofty mountain-ranges,-as the Alak Tagh, the Mooz Tagh, the Beloor, and the range that connects the Bogdo with the Kwanglung. All these enclose a very lofty plateau, next, perhaps, to that of Tibet in elevation.-The northern chain of Alak has various appellations. It is called, in the Kirghisian language, Alak Oola, or the Speckled mountains;' the Musart mountains by Pallas; and by the Chinese, TeenShan, or the Celestial mountains,' or 'Mountains of heaven,' from their vast elevation; and also Ta-seue-shan, or 'Great snowy mountains;' while by Remusat it is called the chain of Hami, or Khamoul, because it extends from the W. of Khashghar eastward to the N. of Kamoul. The Teen-Shan, or Alak mountains, are spoken of by the Chinese geographers in terms of astonishment, for their height, and their icy, luminous glory; as being covered with eternal snow and glaciers; piercing the clouds; reaching to heaven; presenting an appearance of long chains, or spiral peaks, with cragged breaks, deep gulfs, valleys, and ravines, which prove these mountains to be the dragon-ancestors of all other mountains in the world. This chain is said to be volcanic; and the mountains of Beshbaligh, in 46° N. lat. and 78° 36′ E. long., and those of Toorfaun, in 43° 30' N. and 89° 36', are represented as constantly emitting flame and smoke. The Alak is connected with the Great Bogdo, and runs S. to the Desert, on the E. of Hami, and on the W. it is connected with the Kynder Tau and the Thsoungling. This western range is also called Thsoung-Shan, or 'Onion mountains,' as some suppose, from the abundance of plants of the allium species which are found upon it. But Remusat remarks, that the Chinese term, thsoung, is ambiguous, and signifies both an onion and the pale blue colour, and therefore chooses to call them the Blue mountains, as the more natural interpretation of the name. We have already described them in our account of Western Toorkistaun.-On the S. are the Mooz Tagler, or 'Icy mountains,' called

in Chinese Ping-Shan, which is just a translation of Mooz Tagler; and also sometimes named Naushan, or the Southern mountains;' and in Chinese poetry the Kwang-lung-Shan. In later times, the Thsoungling, or 'Blue mountains,' and the Nau-Shan, or Southern mountains,' have been taken the one for the other; and, in fact, both of these names have been applied to the Mooz Tagler. As these mountains are of the very first order in respect of massiness and elevation, the term Thsoungling-Shan, Cerulean,' or ' Azure blue mountains,' is a very appropriate appellation. This colour, which partakes of the azure of the high regions of the atmosphere, and of that golden light which lies upon distant objects, is a sure warning to the spectator, that, before these summits can be reached, many a valley must be passed. Such as are not acquainted with mountains of the first order can have no idea of that golden and transparent hue which tinges the highest summits of the earth. It is often by this alone that the eye is informed of their prodigious elevation; for, deceived in its estimation of heights and distances, it would confound them with every thing, which, either by its form or situation, is capable of imitating their magnificence, did not this species of celestial light announce that their summits inhabit a region of perpetual serenity, and justify their title of Teen Shan, or the Mountains of heaven.' The Mooz Tagler, or Kwanglung, stretches all the way E. from where it joins the Beloor, in 73° E. long. to the N.W. frontier of Sechwin in China, in 100° E. long. and 35° N. lat., a space of 27 degrees, or more than 1,500 British miles of length: being in its whole length the northern frontier of Tibet, as the Himmaleh is the southern. As it stands on a much higher base than the latter, its absolute elevation may be presumed to equal at least, if not surpass, that of the Himmaleh.

Rivers.] The chief rivers of this region have their rise in the southern range, the Mooz Tagler, and the Beloor, as the river of Khashghar which originates in the Beloor, in 41° 31' N. lat. and 71° E. long. by Waddington's map, at a place called Koksoo, where it is separated by an intervening ridge from the source of the Seehoon or laxartes. It runs first due E. through the mountains, and then generally E. by S. to Khashghar, a distance of 330 British miles by the caravan route, and thence runs E. till it joins the river of Yarchund. This latter stream rises (says Goes) 20 days' journey S.W. of Yarchund, in the mountain Con-Sangui-Kasch, or 'the stony mountain' (the same with the Karangoui Tagh of Sherefeddin, and with the Mooz Tagler). This river is called Melescha by Strahlenberg, and Ta-li-mou by the Chinese, and runs N.E. and falls into the lake of Lop or Lopoo, 600 miles to the E.N.E. of Yarchund. The third river is that called the river of Khotan, which rises to the S.W. of that city, in the same chain as the Ta-li-mou, and consists of three branches, named the Yorong-kash, or white jasper river;' Kara-kasch, or 'black jasper river;' and Yeschil-kasch, or green jasper river;'-all which meet below Khotan, and run N.E.; but whether it joins the Ta-li-mou, or is lost in the desert, is uncertain. Of the other rivers of this region we can say nothing farther, than that they are either lost in lakes, or absorbed in the sands of the desert.

6

Lakes.] This elevated plateau abounds in lakes towards its eastern extremity; and it is a remarkable feature of its physical geography, that none of the rivers which originate in it run out of it, but are all absorbed in lakes, or lost in the desert.-The Lopoo lake is the common receptacle of all the large rivers that water this region. We know