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 800 BOKHARA BOL government. In the same year Vamb6ry, a Hungarian scholar, disguised as a wander- ing derviflh, traversed a great part of Turkistan. His two works, "Travels in Central Asia" (London and New York, 1865), and "Sketches from Central Asia " (1867), furnish the most valuable information respecting Bokhara, and its relations to the other khanates. (See Kno- KAN.) In 1850 the Russians established them- selves at the mouth of the Sir Darya, on the sea of Aral, and began to push southeastward along the course of that river. They overran Khokan, and in 1865 annexed the northern part, while the remainder was formed into an independent khanate under the protection of Russia. Mozaffar Eddin, who had succeeded Nasrullah, attacked this khanate in 1866, and was defeated by the Russians, who took posses- sion of the whole region of the Sir Darya. A treaty was entered into in November, 1867 ; but hostilities broke out again in the following spring. The Russians took Samarcand, and moved toward the city of Bokhara. The eldest son of the emir raised an insurrection against his father, and Mozaffar Eddin threw himself upon the protection of the Russians, ceded to them Samarcand and the adjacent terri- tory, promised to pay an annual tribute, and virtually became a dependant of Russia. In 1868 the emir became engaged in hostilities with Cabool, and by Russian aid gained the region as far south as the Jihoon, which in 1869 was established as the boundary between Bokhara and Afghanistan. In 1870 the fanatical princes of Shehrizebz made an incursion into the Rus- sian territory, but were defeated. Instead of tak- ing possession of Shehrizebz, the Russians made it over to the emir of Bokhara. The emir has a standing army of 40,000 cavalry, which in case of need can be increased to 60,000. II. A city, capital of the khanate, on a branch of the Zerafshan, in lat. 39 45' N., Ion. 64 25' E., 430 m. N. W. of Cabool ; pop. about 70,000. It is surrounded by a wall pierced by 1 1 gates, and is divided into two parts, the inner and the outer city, which again are subdivided into quarters. It contains upward of 100 mosques, and about 80 medreses or colleges. The instruction given in these institutions is npon the Koran and religious casuistry, and there are a few books on logic and philosophy. Poetry and history are regarded as frivolous subjects of study, and even disgraceful. The number of students is represented at 5,000 from different parts of the khanate and the bordering states, India, China, and Russia. The poorer students have a yearly pension from the emir. The streets are narrow and tortuous, and the houses built chiefly of brick or mud with flat roofs ; glass is unknown except in the form of beads or other orna- ments, and the windows are furnished only with wooden shutters. The bazaars are mostly of wood, with mats stretched across ; very few are of stone. The emir resides in the citadel, which is defended by a few old brass pieces. The supply of water is scanty. A disease called the rishte is peculiar to Bokhara, and is attributed to the bad quality of the water. It consists of a boil from which issues a long worm like a thread. This is carefully extracted, and sometimes the whole infected place is cut out. In either case it leaves a hideous scar, completely disfiguring the person if attacked in the face. The favorite and universal beverage is tea, of which there are several excellent kinds superior in flavor and quality to those in western markets. European cotton and wool- len stuffs, cutlery, beads, &c., find their way into Bokhara through the medium of Persian traders and dervishes. Coarse woollen and cotton goods, as also the finest silks, and leather boots, are manufactured. Bokhara is supposed to be the Trybactra of the ancients. In the middle ages it was successively the capital of Turkistan, of the Samanides, and of various Mongol rulers. In 1219 it was captured and burned by Genghis Khan, but was rebuilt soon after. In 1370 it was captured by Tamerlane, whose dynasty reigned there till 1498. Since that time the history of the city is merged in that of the khanate. See "Bokhara, its His- tory and Conquest," by Prof. Arminius Vam- bery (London, 1873). BOL, Ferdinand, a Dutch painter and etcher, born at Dort in 1611, died in Amsterdam in 1681 or in 1686. He was the pupil of Rem- brandt, and is best known by his admirable portraits in the style of that master, though he likewise executed historical paintings. Many of his works are still to be seen at Amsterdam. END OF VOLUME SECOND.