draining the valley joins the Gurgan, west of the Gunbuz, much diminished by irrigation-cuts by the way.

From the point where the streams leave the hills, the Persian border in the plain may be said to begin, for the Goklan and the Hajilar tribe are only nominally tributary. Thence a wide belt of forest and cane-brake, with scattered villages and clearing, extends along the base of the mountains as far as Astrabad. The edge of the forest everywhere marks the border; beyond, the open plain is in undisputed possession of the Yomuts. The villages in this forest tract are large and populous, the two beluks, or districts, Findarisk and Katul, into which it is divided, having, it is estimated, together with Kohsar, 100 villages and 20,000 houses. Of late years cultivation has much extended, owing to a rise in the price of wheat and the increased demand for cotton; and the forest has been cleared in parts up to the base of the hills. The present generation of Turkomans is also said to be more addicted to tilling the land than their ancestors, and more inclined to settle. The "Chumurs moving their camps but rarely and in a limited circle. These and other causes have much altered the face of the valley, and must continue to do so. Before many years are past, if even the present measure of good government and security continue, the trackless forest and collections of reed huts of a population in a chronic state of panic will have given place to a cultivated plain, combining the scenery of a well-wooded English country with the climate of Southern Italy, and studded with red-roofed villages, standing out boldly amongst orchards and gardens. As it nears the sea the banks of the Gurgan fall, and its current becomes sluggish. It is said to be fordable everywhere except after floods. It reaches the sea by two mouths through a barren flat, on which are camps of the Ogurjhily, the trading-tribe of Yomuts.

The largest tributary (or main stream) of the Atrak, the Germekhans, drains the plateaux lying north and east of Koochan, the western slopes of the Kelat chain, the Koochan Plain, and the mountains bounding it on the south; an area of about 2000 square miles, forming the upper part of the drainage-basin. Passing south of Koochan, it receives the waters of a large spring known as the Kara Kazan, the reputed source, also a small stream from the north of Shirwan. At 45 to 50 miles from Kill Yusuf Khan, the point at which it enters the Koochan Plain, it disappears in a narrow gorge known as the Tungi-Rezabad, and continues to flow thence between high mountains W.N.W. and w. for about 40 miles to Mana, a large village, 20 miles N.W. from Bujnurd by road, receiving small streams

from the Bujnurd, and the mountains forming the watershed, 15 to 20 miles distant, to the south; from the north the drainage of Kushkhana Plateau, 30 to 40 miles north-east.

From Mana, about 80 miles, to the Chat-i-Atrak, the point of junction of the Chandir stream from the north, the Germekhans flows through a country of low hills and plateau seamed with ravines. The spur or ridge of the "Atak" chain bounding it to the north rises high, and is difficult to cross; that to the south is easy.

The direct road to Mana from Shirwan is said to be very bad, and probably is so, for the gorge is narrow and winding.

From the south, from Minabad or Isferayin, two roads pass depressions in the ridge of the Kuh Salig, and crossing the Bujnurd Plain, reach the valley of Germekhans. (Routes 14, 15.)

From Sanghas two roads skirt the Kuh Buhar: one to the west, across the Shaoghan Plain, and west of Kuh Korkhud to the Su Germekhans, and thence to Peshkala (Route 14), a good bridle-road, crossing only one low ridge; the other to the west, crossing two ridges and passing Chalbash Karat to Chihl Guzr (Route 18), said to be more difficult.

From Nardin there is one road said to be passable for guns down the "Atak," and in all respects the best.

From Chihl Guzr a road follows the stream westward to the plain, and one from Gurgan to Kara Killa traverses the valley. This was the road most used by the Tekkeh in their raids south, when they had possession of Kara Killa.

In addition to these beaten tracks, there are innumerable footpaths and bridle-paths traversing the valley, which is, in fact, accessible to the active horsemen of the country at all points. Below Mana the valley opens slightly; the hills enclosing it are bare or scantily clothed with scrub and juniper, but the windings of the stream enclose many rich and fertile pastures, which at the "Chat" widen out into broad green prairies, unoccupied and unvisited, save by occasional passing "Alamans."

The Chandir drains the western spurs of Kuh Giffan, a high peak bearing about north-west from Shirwan, and from Charikolang flows west. It is traversed by three roads, given in Routes 14, 15, 18, and by the road leading from Gurgan to Kara Killa. After passing for about 70 miles through a rough hilly tract it receives from the north the Ab-i-Sunt, a sub-tributary, draining the most northern spur of the Atak chain. The junction is known as the Chat-i-Chandir. Thence bending south it joins the Atrak at the Chat-i-Atrak.

The Ab-i-Sunt drains the long high spur of the Atak chain, which forms the boundary wall of the "Atak," and runs north-west

past Kizil Arvat into the desert. To its north lies the "Dasht," a wide plateau, divided from the river by low ridges, and rising in a gradual slope up to the main ridge. North-west and east the enclosing mountains rise to a considerable height. At the edge of the "Dasht," on the spur of the mountain known as the Sunting Sur, or Sunt Sur, stands the fort of the Kara Killa. Its position commanding (as it does) the only good road on to the Dasht Plateau and then to the "Atak," it has been the scene of frequent struggles between the Turkomans and Shahdilu Kurds. Some four years ago the Saham-u-daula, Ilkhanni, or Chief of the Shahdilu, led a small force with a few guns against it, and succeeded in capturing it after a siege of some days, and two unsuccessful assaults. The current account of the affair is probably exaggerated as to the heavy losses sustained; but there is no doubt that the Turkomans, having their wives and families with them, fought hard. They numbered 300 or 400, and but few of them escaped.

The fact that the light guns taken with the force were able to break the walls of the fort is worthy of note, as showing that it cannot be very formidable either in position or construction. The Persian force returned after plundering the nearest "obahs," and the fort remained unoccupied. After the fall of Khiva, a body of Goklans, said to number 200 families, fugitives from thence, with the assent of the Ilkhani, took possession of, and repaired the fort. They did not, however, obtain undisputed possession, for the Akhal Tekkeh, who had opposed their passage of the desert, attacked them frequently, and there is said to have been some hard fighting. The Goklan still remained in possession, and are nominally tributary to the Ilkhani, and to, Persia-a rumour that they have leagued with the Akhal, and thus given offence to Russia, who still regards them as her subjects, and only awaits an opportunity to coerce them, though possibly without foundation, invests the little garrison with an interest to which it would otherwise have no claim. From the fort to the Chat-i-Chandir, the point at which a force attacking from that direction would enter the hills, is a distance of about 8 fursakhs. The road, with the exception of the last 2 fursakhs, is said to be not difficult, but the spurs of the Sung Dagh, a ridge lying north of the Chat, and running south-west, close in on the stream, and must form a difficult defile. The road from Kizil Arvat to Kara Killa (Route 14) is said to be passable for guns; but a force, if coming from the Atrak, seeking to attack from that side, must march for some days across a barren, waterless tract to turn the Atak range. Infantry marching from Balkhan to Kizil Arvat would

be dependent on the supply of water they could carry with them, at least between the three points where water is found.

From the Chat-i-Atrak, the point of junction of all the principal tributary streams of the Atrak, to the sea the river has a course of about 80 miles, bending towards the south, and away from the outer range. The fertile plain between it and the Gurgan lies on one side, varying in width from 12 to 7 fursakhs on the other, and stretching away far to the north, a wide expanse of barren desert.

The banks of the Atrak are said to have none of the surpassing fertility of the Gurgan Plain. There are pastures and patches of cultivation, watered by canals from the Atrak, but not the spontaneous and luxuriant vegetation of the tract further south. The ruins of large cities testify, however, to the fact that the northern plain in former times supported a large population. The existing canals from the river are shared by the Jafar Bai and Ata Bai clans of Yomuts. The former are in parts Russian subjects, the latter nominally Persian.

The Atrak flows into the Caspian at the head of a deep indentation, forming a bay or estuary known as Hasan Kuli. The shores of the bay are flat, sandy, and barren. On the north shore, near the river, is the Ogurjhily Yomut settlement of Hasan Kuli, and 2 fursakhs further down the fort of Chikishliar, the base of operations of Markosoff's column when acting in the direction of Khiva, and at one time held permanently by the Russians, but now abandoned.

Some miles above Hasan Kuli the plain becomes covered with fine pastures, which extend for 2 or 3 fursakhs up the stream. These are known as the "Atrak," and are always designated by that name, and not the river, unless it be specially mentioned.

From 100 to 150 miles north of the estuary lies the tract of country known to the Turkomans as Balkan. It is described as an elevated steppe, with rocky heights reaching to the shores of the Caspian, and long slopes to the south and east, merging into the general level of the desert. There are many fine pastures and springs. The snow, which covers the mountains and higher slopes in winter, melting in spring leaves numerous pools, around which the Yomut nomads from the Gurgan pitch their summer-camps.

On the bay of Balkan is the Russian settlement called by them Krasnovodsk, and known to the Yomuts as Kizil Su, and to the more distant tribes, the Akhal and Merv Tekkeh, as Shah Kadam, or Mullakari. It is the only spot yet permanently occupied by them on the south-east coast of the Caspian.

Krasnovodsk, or Kizil Su, is marked on our maps on the north shore of Balkan Bay; but the Turkomans place it on the south shore at the bottom of a little bay, known as Kizil Su, and on the shore of a tract known as Darya (? Daryacha), 3 or 4 fursakhs north of the first Russian settlement, called by them Kaifa Su. This is probably Mikailovsk, the first settlement on the east coast made under the orders of the GovernorGeneral of the Caucasus in 1859.

The position of Kizil Su is further fixed by reference to that of the Island of Cheleken, which may be presumed to be correctly placed in our latest maps derived from Russian sources. The Turkomans describe Kizil Su as lying opposite to Cheleken, and within a long gun-shot, the channel not so deep or wide as to prevent the passage of a horseman ; while Krasnovodsk, as at present placed, has the whole depth and width of the Balkan Bay between it and Cheleken.

The new fort is said to stand on the spur of a hill near the shore of the bay, naturally scarped on one side, and surrounded by a stone wall on the other.

Water was at first obtained only from two or three wells, and by distilling the sea-water on board the steamers, but a good supply is now procured from new wells. The whole Darya tract is said to be incapable of cultivation; the soil being barren and sandy, and the supply of water deficient, even for the Turkoman herds.

The one spot where there is water and soil, not loose sand nor impregnated with salt, is near Kaifa Su, on the margin of a large fresh pool, 2 or 3 miles from the shore, which was some years ago occupied by the Russians, who have built houses and planted gardens. At Deh Sharbat, 4 fursakhs from Kizil Su, and beyond the pool, are some "obahs" of the Jafar Bai, subject to Russia, and it was there that the Tekkeh made their late raid in defiance of the Russian General. The troops at Kizil Su are kept supplied from Baku, even live stock and bread being brought thence. There is regular steam com

munication.

Some distance round by sea from Kizil Su, at the head of the Balkan Bay, is what is described as the port, or landingplace, probably the point of debarkation of a portion of the Khivan Force (the main body appear to have landed at Kinderli, further up the coast). It is known as Shakadam, or Mullakari, and also by the Yomuts as Kaisa Su. The first two names mark wells of fresh water. The place is not permanently occupied, but is looked upon as Russian.

From Balkan to the nearest Tekkeh "obah" is a distance