YARKAND, yir-kand% Central Asia. (1) A city of Eastern or Chinese Turkestan, sit uated on the oasis of Yarkand. on the north side of, and at a little distance from, the river Yarkand, about 100 miles southeast of Kash gar, 3,900 feet above sea-level. It is enclosed by a ditch, and a thick mud wall with tower at intervals. The houses in general are built of sun-dried bricks. Those of the rich are in large open squares surrounded by high walls and well stocked with fruit-trees. The streets are in general too narrow to permit carts to pass. They are intersected by numer ous canals, and where three or four streets meet there is always a tank for water. There is a large covered bazaar wide enough to ad mit carts. The inhabitants, like those of Kashgar, are very mixed in regard to race The prevailing religion is Mohammedanism. There are 120 mosques and some caravan series. During the period in which Eastern Turkestan was severed from China a commer cial treaty was concluded at Yarkand in 14 between Sir Douglas Forsyth, representing Great Britain and Yakub Beg, who was then the independent ruler of Eastern Turkestan.
Commercial intercourse with India sprung up in consequence. The chief trade at present is carried on with Russia. Pop. 60,000 to 100, 000. The oasis of Yarkand is one of the rich est in Eastern Turkestan. It yields gold and precious stones and is rich agriculturally. It manufactures leather and saddlery. carpets. silk fabrics, and woolen and cotton gs)ods_ (2) A river of Eastern Turkestan. which rises in the Karakoram Mountains, flows generally in a northeast direction and unites with the Kashgar and Kotan-daria rivers to form the Tarim which flows east and enters the Lob Nor Lake, or series of shallow lakes.