Travels in Central Asia Part 33

CHAPTER XXI.

COMMUNICATION OF CENTRAL ASIA WITH RUSSIA, PERSIA, AND INDIA ROUTES IN THE THREE KHANATS AND CHINESE TARTARY.

Of all the foreign countries with which Central Asia is in relation, Russia is that with which it has the most active correspondence.

(_a_) From Khiva the karavans proceed to Astrakhan and Orenburg, whence many wealthy merchants reach Nishnei Novogorod, and even St.

Petersburg.

(_b_) From Bokhara an uninterrupted correspondence--particularly active in summer--is kept up with Orenburg. This is the most usual journey, and is performed in from fifty to sixty days. Extraordinary circ.u.mstances may, indeed, render it longer or shorter; but except in times of unusual disturbances amongst the Kirghis, even the smallest karavans undertake it.

(_c_) From Tashkend karavans go to Orenburg and Kizil Djar (Petropavlosk). They reach the first in from fifty to sixty days, and the latter in from fifty to seventy. These are always the most numerous karavans, the district they traverse being the most dangerous.

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(_d_) The route from Namengan and Aksu to Pulat (Semipalatinsk) is frequented for the most part by Khokandi karavans, which proceed under strong escort, and arrive at their destination in forty days. Solitary travellers may pa.s.s among the Kirghis unmolested. Of course, I mean when they travel like Dervishes. Many of my fellow-travellers had performed the journey to Mecca by Semipalatinsk, Orenburg, Kasan, and Constantinople.

Thus far I have spoken of the communications of Central Asia towards the north. Towards the south they are far less important. Khiva is accustomed to send one or two small karavans to Persia by the way of Astrabad and Deregoz. Bokhara shows somewhat more activity; but no karavans have pa.s.sed by Merv to Meshed during the last two years, the Tekke having interrupted all communication. The most frequented route is by Herat, at which city the karavans separate, accordingly as they proceed to Persia or Afghanistan and India. The way by Karshi and Belkh to Kabul is only of secondary importance, because the difficulties of surmounting the Hindukush offer constant and serious obstacles, and during the last two years this route has not been much frequented.

Besides the above-named communication on a great scale, we must mention the slender thread of correspondence maintained by single pilgrims or beggars from the most hidden parts of Turkestan with the remotest parts of Asia. Nothing is more interesting than these vagabonds, who leave their native nests without a farthing in their pockets to journey for thousands of miles in countries of which they previously hardly know the names; and amongst nations entirely different from their own in physiognomy, {409} language, and customs.

Without further consideration, a poor inhabitant of Central Asia, [Footnote 151] following the suggestions of one sole dream, betakes himself to Arabia, and even to the most westerly parts of the Turkish Empire. He has nothing to lose. He seeks to see the world, and so follows blindly his instinct. The world I say, but I mean his world, beginning with China, and ending with the limits of the Turkish Empire. As for Europe, he admits, indeed, that it may be beautiful, but he regards it as so filled with magic and diabolical arts that he would never venture thither, even though he held in his hand the surest thread to guide him on his way through so perilous a labyrinth.

[Footnote 151: I say poor, for the rich rarely submit to the toil and inconvenience of a pilgrimage; but they have an expedient, for they find deputies. Their representatives supplied with the necessary funds are sent on to Mecca, where in their prayers they subst.i.tute the name of the sender for their own, but the latter only so far profits that he has the honour after his decease of having engraved upon his tomb the affix to his name, 'Hadji.']

Experience convinced me that the farther we advance in Turkestan, the greater is the disposition to perform these annual pilgrimages and toilsome journeys. The number of the Hadjis proceeding yearly from Khiva is, on an average, from ten to fifteen; from Bokhara, thirty to forty; but from Khokand and Chinese Tartary, between seventy and eighty. If we add thereto the rage of the Persians for pilgrimages to the holy places in Meshed, Kerbela, Kom, and Mecca, it is impossible not to be surprised at the great zeal in favour of such ramblings still prevalent in Asia. The seed from which sprang the migration of its ancient races, continues still to {410} exist, and but for the civilisation of the West and its mighty influence, that press closely upon Asia on all sides, who knows what revolutions might not already have taken place!

THE ROUTES IN THE THREE KHANATS.

A.

Routes in the Khanat or Khiva and the adjacent Country.

1. _From Khiva to Gomushtepe._

(a) Ortayolu, the middle of the three routes indicated by me in the commencement of my work, and which I myself took, has the following stations, and can be traversed easily on horseback in fourteen or fifteen days.

1. Akyap.

2. Medemin.

3. Shor Gol (lake).

4. Kaplankir.

5. Dehli Ata.

6. Kahriman Ata.

7. Koymat Ata.

8. Yeti Siri.

9. Djenak.

10. Ulu Balkan.

11. Kitchig Balkan.

12. Koren Taghi (a mountain chain).

13. Kyzyl Takir.

14. Bogdayla.

15. Etrek.

16. Gomushtepe.

(b) The route termed Tekke Yolu can be traversed on horseback in ten days, and is said to consist of the following stations:--

1. Medemin.

2. Doden.

3. Shahsenem.

4. Ortakuju.

5. Alty Kuyruk.

6. Chirlalar.

7. Chin Mohammed.

8. Sazlik.

9. Etrek.

10. Gomushtepe.

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This route seems infested by the Turkoman Alamans; the reason appears clear, because by the ordinary way they can go so rapidly over large tracts of land.

2. _From Khiva to Meshed._

The routes are two: the one by Hezaresp and Deregoz southwards through the desert (the traveller can perform this journey on horseback in twelve days); the other way pa.s.ses by Merv, and has the following princ.i.p.al stations or wells:--

1. Dari. [Footnote 152]

2. Sagri.

3. Nemekabad.

4. Shakshak.

5. Shur ken.

6. Akyap.

7. Merv.

[Footnote 152: Dari is reached on the first day from Khiva.]

3. _From Khiva to Bokhara (a high road)_.

From To Farsz. Parasangs [2-4 miles]

Khiva Khanka 6 Khanka Shurakhan 5 Shurakhan Ak Kamish 6 Ak Kamish Toyeboyun 8 Toyeboyun Tunuklu 6 Tunuklu Utch udjak 10 Utch udjak Karakol 10 Karakol Bokhara 9 60

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4. _From Khiva to Khokand._