Cover of Travels Into Bokhara (Volume 2 of 3) Being the Account of A Journey from India to Cabool, Tartary, and Persia; Also, Narrative of a Voyage on the Indus, From the Sea — Story, Setting & Ideas

Travels Into Bokhara (Volume 2 of 3) Being the Account of A Journey from India to Cabool, Tartary, and Persia; Also, Narrative of a Voyage on the Indus, From the Sea — Story, Setting & Ideas

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Authors: Burnes, Alexander, Sir, 1805-1841 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2021 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Asia, Central -- Description and travel; Afghanistan -- Description and travel; Burnes, Alexander, Sir, 1805-1841 -- Travel; Bukhoro (Uzbekistan) -- Description and travel; Indus River Valley -- Description and travel Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

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Words 108,151

Reading time 471 min

Text sections 44

This digital edition of Travels Into Bokhara (Volume 2 of 3) Being the Account of A Journey from India to Cabool, Tartary, and Persia; Also, Narrative of a Voyage on the Indus, From the Sea — Story, Setting & Ideas is described by source-level measurements including 108,151 words, 7 hr 51 min estimated reading time, and 44 detected text sections.

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Source: Project Gutenberg record #64247

Burnes's second volume traces his journey through the Toorkmun desert, the Hindu Kush passes, and Khorasan, blending precise topographical data with observations on local customs, slavery, and the precarious politics of Central Asia.

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JOURNEY IN THE DESERT OF THE TOORKMUNS.

Journey to the Oxus.--Sand Hills.--Freezing of the Oxus.--Meanness of native Traders.--The Oxus.--Oxus of Alexander’s Historians.--Charjooee: its Bazar.--The Desert.--Slaves.--The Caravan.--Well of Balghooee.--Dangers of the Desert.--Seerab.--Camel’s Milk--An eastern Caravan.--Oochghooee and wandering Toorkmuns.--Ruins of Castles.--Moorghab.--Remarks on the Desert.--A Toorkmun Camp.--Orgunje Officers.--Precarious Situation 1-34

CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY IN THE TOORKMUN DESERT.

River of Merve.--Amusements.--Knights and Heroines of Merve.--Alarm.--Toorkmuns: their Laws of Plunder.--Training of the Horses.--Reflections.--Meeting of the Caravan.--Claims against us.--Continuation of the Desert.--Whirlwinds.--The High Lands of Persia.--Mirage.--Plants of the Desert.--Allamans.--Unsuccessful Party.--Arrival at Shurukhs.--Detention.--Alarms.--Dissipation of them.--Toorkmun Customs.--Fortitude of a Slave.--Toorkmun Song.--Toorkmun House.--Mode of Feasting.--Success of the Allamans.--Inconveniences.--Mad Camel.--Departure from Shurukhs.--Increased Caravan.--Entrance into Persia.--Moozderan or Durbund.--Approach to Meshid.--Tarantulla.--Adventure.--Ghoozkan Slaves.--Troubled Country 35-75

Arrival in Meshid.--Interview with Khoosrou Meerza.--Meshid described.--Shrine of Imam Ruza.--Grave of Nadir Shah.--Illumination.--Departure from Meshid.--Koochan.--Camp of the Prince.--European Officers.--Abbas Meerza.--Interview.-- Acquaintances.---Future Plans.--Separation from Dr. Gerard 76-99

JOURNEY AMONG THE TOORKMUNS OF THE CASPIAN.

Departure from Koochan.--Atruck River.--Boojnoord.--Toorkmun Discipline.--Travelling in Khorasan.--Tribe of Gireilee.--Toorkmun Acquaintance.--Running down Partridges.--Toorkmun Bard.--Goklan Toorkmuns.--Their Customs.---Toorkmuns of the Caspian.--Toorkmun Patriarch.--Noble Scenery.--Toorkmun national Songs.--Quit the Country of the Toorkmuns.--Arrival at Astrabad.--Plague.--Arrival on the Caspian.--Adventures.-- Gardens of Ushruff.--Fortunate Escape.--The Plague.--Quit the Caspian.--Mazenderan.--Peasantry 100-127

JOURNEY THROUGH PERSIA.--CONCLUSION OF THE NARRATIVE.

Quit Mazenderan.--Pass of Gudook.--Gudook the “Pylæ Caspiæ.”--Feerozkoh.--Cure for the Taste of Quinine.--A Koord.--Vexations of a Traveller.--Arrival at Tehran.--Presentation to the Shah.--Return to India.--Route to the Coast.--Quit Persia.--Conclusion 128-142

GENERAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR ON PART OF CENTRAL ASIA.

Notice regarding the Map of Central Asia 147

AN ACCOUNT OF THE KINGDOM OF BOKHARA.

Limits and Extent.--Natural and political Divisions.--Physical Geography: Face of the Country.--Climate and Phenomena.-- Rivers.--Mountains.--Mineral Productions.--Vegetable.--Necessaries of Life.--Fruits and Wines.--Domestic Animals.--Wild Animals.-- Birds.--Silk Worms.--Diseases: Guinea Worm.--Cities and Towns.--Population of the Kingdom 153-185

THE RIVER OXUS, OR AMOO; WITH SOME NOTICE OF THE SEA OF ARAL.

Source and Course of the Oxus.--Sea of Aral.--Capabilities of the Oxus.--Depth, Current, and Slope.--Inundation.--Freezing.-- Craft on the Oxus.--Mode of navigating them.--Wood of the Oxus.--Political and commercial Advantages of the River 186-199

ON THE VALLEY OF THE OXUS, ETC.

Sketch of the Countries upon it.--Koondooz.--Budukhshan.--Ruby Mines.--Lapis Lazuli.--Mountain Districts North of Budukhshan.--Their Language.--Pamere.--Singular Animal, the Rass.--Chitral.--Gilgit.--Iskardo.--Their Language.--Kaffirs.--Their Descent from Alexander questioned.--Their Customs 200-213

ON THE REPUTED DESCENDANTS ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

Traditions regarding them.--Actual Condition of these reputed Descendants.--Examination of their Claims.--Conjectures 214-219

ON THE SOURCES OF THE INDUS.

Interest attached to the Subject.--Received Opinions.--Their Error.--Description of the Shyook, the great Head of the Indus.--The Western Branch.--Country enclosed by both.--Name of Cashgar misapplied.--Errors pointed out 220-226

NOTICE OF YARKUND, AND ITS INTERCOURSE WITH PEKIN, BOKHARA, AND TIBET.

Chinese Province of Yarkund.--Sketch of its History.--Mode of governing it by the Chinese.--Singular Mode of communicating with Pekin.--Inhabitants.--Kalmuks, curious Customs.--Anecdote of the Chinese Police.--Country between Yarkund and Tibet.--Communications with Bokhara.--Notice of Kokan 227-237

ON THE MOUNTAINS OF HINDOO KOOSH.

Range so called.--Height.--General Features.--Productions.-- Formation of the Rocks.--True Mountain of Hindoo Koosh 238-248

TOORKMANIA, OR THE COUNTRY OF THE TOORKMUNS.

Toorkmania: Country so called.--Nature of it and the Toorkmuns.-- Origin of the Toorkmuns.--Tribes.--Language.--Account of Merve.-- General Characteristics of the People of Toorkmania 249-261

ON THE INROADS OF THE TATARS, WITH A NOTICE OF THE TRIBES IN TOORKISTAN.

Invasions of the Tatars sketched.--Sources from whence they sprung, investigated.--Exaggerated Numbers.--Probabilities of Success in modern Times.--Only two great tribes, Toorks and Mundshoors.--Appearance of Tatars.--Physiognomy.--Chaghtye and Uzbeks.--Kalmuks.--Kuzzaks and Kirgizzes.--Citizens of Toorkistan.--Tatar and Magi Religion.--Concluding Observations 262-270

ON THE HORSES OF TOORKISTAN.

Toorkmun Horse.--Tradition of its Lineage.--Mode of Feeding.--Varieties of the Toorkmun Horse.--Extent of the Trade.--Great Characteristics of this noble Animal 271-277

AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE COUNTRIES BETWEEN INDIA AND THE CASPIAN SEA.

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In this second volume, Burnes continues his account from the desert of the Toorkmuns, where he notes the freezing of the Oxus and the meanness of native traders, before crossing into Persia. The narrative is punctuated by detailed measurements—elevations, river gradients, and temperatures—that ground his observations in empirical data. Yet alongside these scientific notations, Burnes records the human landscape: the dangers of the desert, the laws of plunder among the Toorkmuns, and the fortitude of a slave. The text oscillates between the impersonal precision of a surveyor and the engaged eye of a traveller navigating volatile territories.

Elevation and Extremes

Burnes repeatedly quantifies the landscape. He records the height of Cabool at 6600 feet, the passes of Hajeeguk and Kaloo at 12,400 and 13,000 feet respectively, and notes that the peaks of Koh-i-Baba are covered with eternal snow. The thermometer in May stood below freezing at sunrise, yet at mid-day the heat and reflection from the snow were insufferable. This contrast is not merely descriptive; it serves a scientific purpose. Burnes is aware of the interest attached to the height of perpetual congelation, and he offers an estimate that here it lies beyond 13,000 feet. The variability of climate at these elevations is underscored by the fact that inhabitants plough as soon as the snow leaves, reaping in early October what they sowed in late May. Such details reveal a mind attuned to the interplay of altitude, latitude, and agriculture.

The Valley of the Dungeon

One of the most striking passages describes the defile called Dura-i-zundan, or the Valley of the Dungeon. Burnes notes that the road passes at the base of mural precipices rising 2000 to 3000 feet, and that the valley forms distinct enclosures every half mile, like fortified positions, with the view bounded on every side. The height was such as to exclude the sun at mid-day. He also recounts that an earthquake seven years earlier precipitated a huge mass of rock, blocking the river for four days. The watercourses have excavated channels over ages, leaving walls that resemble cut stone or brick. This combination of geological observation and evocative naming—the Valley of the Dungeon—gives the landscape a menacing character, reinforced by the inability to take star altitudes from Bameean to within thirty miles of the plains.

Customs and Perils Among the Toorkmuns

Burnes devotes considerable space to the Toorkmuns, detailing their laws of plunder, training of horses, and customs. He describes a Toorkmun camp, the fortitude of a slave, and a Toorkmun song. The caravan's journey is fraught with alarms: claims against them, a mad camel, and the success of allamans (raiding parties). The desert itself presents dangers—whirlwinds, mirage, and the well of Balghooee. Burnes's account is not merely a catalogue of hardships; it is an attempt to understand a society where plunder is codified and hospitality coexists with predation. His reflections on the precarious situation of the caravan and the troubled country underscore the constant negotiation required to move through these territories.

Readers should attend to the way Burnes interleaves measurement with anecdote. The elevations and distances are not dry data; they are the framework within which human encounters—with Toorkmun bards, Persian princes, and European officers—take place. The volume rewards those who read both the numbers and the narratives, as each illuminates the other.

Burnes measured deserts with the same patient care he afforded a man’s hospitality, and I have always found that quiet arithmetic soothing. It reminds me of another volume, Overland through Asia; Pictures of Siberian, Chinese, and Tartar Life — Background and Themes, where the steppe asks not for conquest but for a traveler’s unhurried attention. Both books keep the same company: vastness, and the small human kindnesses tucked within it.