The country west of 88* E. long., and between the Tarim River and the Thian Shan Mountains, contains a much larger portion of culti vable ground, especially in the valleys of the Barun Yulduz, or Kaidu River. The hills inclosing the valley rise probably more than 1000 feet above their base, and are used es pasture-ground. Along the bare of the southern ridge of hills are also considerable tracts of cultivated land.
Farther west, between 84' and 80° E. long., the hilly country is not so wide, extending only to the distanco of 40 to 50 miles from the Thian Shan Mountains. The hills also have leas elevation, and yield only a scanty supply of water for irrigation. Between 77° and 80° E. long. is the valley of the Aksu Davie, which is inclosed by high hills, and in its upper part contains very extensivo tracts of fertile land, which are cultivated with great care, producing every kind of grain, and a variety of excellent fruits. The rich pastures feed herds of horses, sheep, camels, and cattle.
In the plain, west of the Akan Daria, which extends between the Kashgar Daria and the Thlan Shan Mountains, the cultivated land seems to be almost entirely limited to the bottom of the Kezyl Dania, where considerable tracts produce rico and other grain In abundance, as well as rich crape of cotton. The uplands north of the river pro duce abundance of grass during some parts of the year, and are used as pasture-grounds by the Kara Kirghis, or Black Kirghis, who go in summer with their berth] of horses and camels to the Titian Shan Mountains. The uplands between the Kezyl Darla and the Kashgar DaHa have a sandy soiL The western districts of the Thian Shan Nanlu, or those which extend at the base of tho Tartashling, are not more favourable to cultivation than the worthern districts which we have just noticed. It le chiefly OS the banks of the rivets that the ground Is cultivable. The principal ohleetla of agriculture are rice, wheat, barley, and millet, with beans led votestaia. The mulberry plantations are extensive, and large quantities of silk are collected at Yarkland ; cotton, hemp, sod flax are also grown. Fruit-trees are abundant. Melons and cucumbers are of excelleut quality. The greater part of the country Is covered with mrpeeildly those traota which are mountainous, sod accordingly it 'bowed' lo horses and sheep. The wool collected In these parts is of very fine quality. There are numerous herds of cattle and camels.
Alone the babe of the Thsungling our kuowledge is limited to the treats that surround the town of Khotan, where a large district is under cultivation, and produces rice, wheat and millet, cotton, hemp, and Sax ; large quantities of silk of the first quality are collected.
The vineyards are extensive. Some plants are raised which yield dyeing-stuffs, which are exported to China. Amur; the domestic animals the yak is numerous, end also horses and slice?. North of this cultitated tract Is tho desert of Kara-kitai, or Itikistan, meetly covered with sand, and extending westward to the vicinity of Yarkiang, and northward to the banks of the Yarkiang-Daria.
tliateste.—The climate of the Thian Shan Nanlu is distinguished by that dryness which is characteriatio of all table-lauds which are con siderably elevated above the sea. heavy gals are very frequent, and often so strong as to throw down travellers and their beasts of burden. The moisture required for the growth of plants is derived from the mountain rivers, which yield an abundant supply of water for about two or three mouths of the year. In the districts south of the Thian Shan Nanlu Mountains largo reservoirs have bean made, which are filled by the watercounes after the melting of the snow, and from these reservoirs the greater part of the water supply is taken. The western districts are much colder in winter; at Yarkiang the river is for three months covered with thick ice, and caravans pass over it with their beasts of burden. The heat lo summer is very great all over the country, but the cold of the winter seems to decrease as we proceed from west to east, as frost is hardly known at Hami. The country is subject to earthquakes. An extinct volcano exists io the Thiau Shau Mountains, and traces of volcanic action are frequently met with in that range.
The domestic animals of Europe abound, with the exception of hogs, which are only kept by the few Chinese settled in the country; the other inhabitants, being Mohamtnedaus, hold this animal iu abhor rence. Camels are kept in the plains and on the mountains. In the Tart/Aiding Mountains the yak is reared by the Kirghia ; the larger species of the domestic animals are found in a wild state in the deserts of Thian Shan Nanlu. Of wild sheep there appear to be several kinds. On the Thiele Shan Mountains the argali is found, and on the Tartash ling the kutch-kar and the rasa above mentioned. Among wild animals are jackals, tigers, wolves, lynxes, and foxes. On the Thian Shan Moontains a black eagle of great size is met with, and on the Tartash ling a still larger kind, called eyrym.