Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 3.djvu/455

1834.] II. — Note of a Pilgrimage undertaken by an Usbek and his two Sons from Khokend or Kokan, in Tartary, through Russia, fyc. to Mecca. Obtained in conversation with the parties, by W. H. Wathen, Esq. &c.

About fourteen years ago, A.D. 1820. our father had a house and small estate in the city of Kokan: this he sold for four hundred gold pieces, (a tila of Kokan is equal to about eight rupees,) or rather more than three thousand rupees, and having determined to abandon worldly cares, and commence a religious life, he took leave of all his friends and relations, and proceeded on a journey, with the view of performing a pilgrimage to the sacred cities of Mecca and Medina. We went from Kokan to Tashkend, which is eight days journey of a caravan : this is a large city, enclosed with a wall, and had been lately taken by our king from Yunis Khoja's sons ; their father had held it as a fief from our government. At Tashkend we waited some days, until the caravan for Russia took its departure : the caravan consisted of about 50 or 60 persons, mostly Bokhara and Tashkend people. From Tashkend we then proceeded to a fortified town, called Turkistan, of rather smaller consequence than Tashkend. Leaving this city, we arrived in about ten days at a small place named Sozak. After this, we saw no more fixed habitations, until we had entered the Russian territory. The country consisted of immense Steppes of pasture land, the grass growing to a prodigious height, and it was occupied by hordes of Kuzzaks, who dwelt in small black tents, and ranged about from place to place. After passing through the hordes of Kuzzaks subject to our sovereign, we arrived at the river called the Kuk-Su, and on crossing it found the country occupied by Kuzzaks, dependent on the Russian king, (A.'k Padshah, or White King.) We then arrived at a small place called Shumi : here the Russians collected a toll from the people of the caravan ; but on being told we were pilgrims, they left us alone ; the caravan dispersed at Shumi. We staid at this town two months, and lodged with a Nogai Tartar. We were two months on our journey from Tashkend to the Russian territory. We hired three kibitkas from the Nogais, and went in fifteen days to Omsk, which is a lar^e fortified town. The Russian soldiers, dressed like yours, stopped us at the gates, but on being told we were pilgrims, allowed us to pass. We staid ten days there with a Nogai. We got a passport in the Russian language, from a great man, whom they called General; he had long festoons of gold hanging from his shoulders, and was dressed in black (dark-green). We left Omsk, and after passing through many places, the names of which we do not remember, we arrived at a very large and ancient city, called Kazan. We were allowed to pass at the gates on shewing the passport we had obtained at Omsk. We travel- 2 c 2