(H. de la V. de
Khotan, 2, 17, 23; also see J. R. G. S. XXXVI. 165, and Cathay, 130,
564; Ritter, II. 213; Shaw's High Tartary, pp. 98, 473.)
[On the 11th January, 1895, Dr. Sven Hedin visited one of the chief places
where Jade is to be found. It is to the north-east of Khotan, in the old
bed of the Yurun Kash. The bed of the river is divided into claims like
gold-fields; the workmen are Chinese for the greater part, some few are
Musulmans.
Grenard (II. pp. 186-187) says that the finest Jade comes from the high
Karakash (black Jade) River and Yurungkash (white Jade); the Jade River is
called Su-tash. At Khotan, Jade is polished up by sixty or seventy
individuals belonging to twenty-five workshops.
"At 18 miles from Su-chau, Kia-yu-kwan, celebrated as one of the gates of
China, and as the fortress guarding the extreme north-west entrance into
the empire, is passed." (Colonel M. S. Bell, Proc. R. G. S. XII. 1890,
p. 75.)
According to the Chinese characters, the name of Kia-yue Kwan does not mean
"Jade Gate," and as Mr. Rockhill writes to me, it can only mean something
like "barrier of the pleasant Valley." - H. C.]
NOTE 3. - Possibly this may refer to the custom of temporary marriages
which seems to prevail in most towns of Central Asia which are the
halting-places of caravans, and the morals of which are much on a par with
those of seaport towns, from analogous causes. Thus at Meshid, Khanikoff
speaks of the large population of young and pretty women ready, according
to the accommodating rules of Shiah Mahomedanism, to engage in marriages
which are perfectly lawful, for a month, a week, or even twenty-four
hours. Kashgar is also noted in the East for its chaukans, young women
with whom the traveller may readily form an alliance for the period of his
stay, be it long or short. (Khan. Mem. p. 98; Russ. in Central Asia,
52; J. A. S. B. XXVI. 262; Burnes, III. 195; Vigne, II. 201.)
[1] Pein may easily have been miscopied for Pem which is indeed the
reading of some MSS. Ramusio has Peym.
[2] M. Vivien de St. Martin, in his map of Hiuen Tsang's travels, places
Pima to the west of Khotan. Though one sees bow the mistake
originated, there is no real ground for this in either of the versions
of the Chinese pilgrim's journey. (See Vie et Voyages, p. 288, and
Memoires, vol. ii. 242-243.)
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
OF THE PROVINCE OF CHARCHAN.
Charchan is a Province of Great Turkey, lying between north-east and east.
The people worship Mahommet.
