The very small number of the Chinese
garrison of the districts Khotan and Keria (only about 200 men) bears out
this impression."
We may refer for the ancient sites, history, etc., of Khotan to the
Preliminary Report of Dr. Stein and to his paper in the Geographical
Journal for December, 1902, actually in the press.
5. - NUMBER OF PAMIRS. (Vol. i. p. 176.)
Lord Curzon gives the following list of the "eight claimants to the
distinction and title of a Pamir": (1) Taghdumbash, or Supreme Head of the
Mountains Pamir, lying immediately below and to the north of the Kilik
Pass. (2) The Pamir-i-Wakhan. (3) The Pamir-i-Khurd, or Little Pamir. (4)
The Pamir-i-Kalan, or Great Pamir. (5) The Alichur Pamir. (6) The Sarez
Pamir. (7) The Rang Kul Pamir. (8) The Khargosh or Hare Pamir, which
contains the basin of the Great Kara Kul. See this most valuable paper,
The Pamirs and the Source of the Oxus, reprinted from the Geographical
Journal of 1896, in 1896, 1898, and 1899.
[Illustration: Some of the objects found by Dr. M.A. Stein in Central
Asia.]
6. - PEIN. (Vol. i. p. 192.)
Dr. M.A. Stein, of the Indian Educational Service, appears to have
exactly identified the site of Pein, during his recent archaeological
researches in Central Asia; he writes (Prel. Report on a Journey of
Archaeological and Topog. Exploration in Chinese Turkestan, Lond., 1901,
pp. 58-59): "Various antiquarian and topographical considerations made me
anxious to identify the position of the town of Pi-mo, which
Hiuen-Tsiang describes as some 300 li to the east of the Khotan capital.
It was probably the same place as the Pein, visited by Marco Polo. After
marching back along the Keriya River for four days, I struck to the
south-west, and, after three more marches, arrived in the vicinity of
Lachin-Ata Mazar, a desolate little shrine in the desert to the north of
the Khotan-Keriya route. Though our search was rendered difficult by the
insufficiency of guides and the want of water, I succeeded during the
following few days in tracing the extensive ruined site which previous
information had led me to look for in that vicinity. 'Uzun-Tati' ('the
distant Tati,') as the debris-covered area is locally designated,
corresponds in its position and the character of its remains exactly to the
description of Pi-mo. Owing to far-advanced erosion and the destruction
dealt by treasure-seekers, the structural remains are very scanty indeed.
But the debris, including bits of glass, pottery, china, small objects in
brass and stone, etc., is plentiful enough, and in conjunction with the
late Chinese coins found here, leaves no doubt as to the site having been
occupied up to the Middle Ages."
Our itinerary should therefore run from Khotan to Uzun Tati, and thence to
Nia, leaving Kiria to the south; indeed Kiria is not an ancient
place.
