The Earth and Its Inhabitants/Asia/Volume 1

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Vol. V
The Earth and Its Inhabitants (1884)
by Élisée Reclus, translated by Augustus Henry Keane and Ernest George Ravenstein
Vol. VI: Asia, Vol. I: Asiatic Russia: Caucasia, Aralo-Caspian Basin, Siberia
Vol. VII
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A translation of Reclus's Nouvelle Géographie Universelle ("New Universal Geography").

Élisée Reclus4583620The Earth and Its Inhabitants — Vol. VI: Asia, Vol. I: Asiatic Russia: Caucasia, Aralo-Caspian Basin, Siberia1884Augustus Henry Keane and Ernest George Ravenstein

​ 

THE

E A R T H   A N D   I T S   I N H A B I T A N T S.

——————


A   S   I   A   .


by

ÉLISÉE RECLUS.


edited by

E. G. RAVENSTEIN, F.R.G.S., F.S.S., Etc.,

and

A. H. KEANE, B. A.,
memb. of council, anthropological institute.


VOL. I.

ASIATIC RUSSIA:
CAUCASIA, ARALO-CASPIAN BASIN, SIBERIA.


ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS AND MAPS.



NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,
1, 3, and 5 BOND STREET.
1884.

​

CONTENTS.


ASIATIC RUSSIA.

page
Chap. I. General Remarks on Asia 1
Plateaux: Highlands and Lowlands, p. 3. Geological Formation: Igneous Forces, p. 6. Climate: Diminution of Moisture, p. 8. Areas of Inland Drainage, p. 9. Rivers flowing Seawards, p. 12. Temperature, Rainfall, Vegetation, p. 14. Peninsulas, p. 15. Inhabitants, Culture, p. 18. Religions, p. 21. Historical Retrospect, Migrations, p. 23. European Influences, p. 24. Progress of Discovery, p. 25. Political Rivalries, p. 28.
Chap. II. Caucasia 33
I. Caucasia: The Ponto-Caspian Mountain System, p. 33. The Great Caucasus, p. 34. Geological Formation, Volcanic Action, p. 38. Water Systems, Snow-line, Rainfall, Glaciers, p. 40. Vegetation, Fauna, p. 43. Inhabitants: Varied Ethnical and Linguistic Elements, p. 46. Russian Conquests: Main Physical Divisions, p. 48. II. Western Caucasia: Kuban Basin, p. 50. River Systems: Kuban Basin, p. 50. Taman Peninsula, p. 53. Inhabitants: the Cherkesses, p. 54. The Abkhasians and Cossacks, p. 57. Topography, p. 60. III. Central Caucasus: Kuma and Terek Basins, p. 64. River Systems: Kuma Basin, p. 65. The Terek, p. 68. Inhabitants: the Kabards, p. 70. The Osses and Nogai Tatars, p. 71. Topography, p. 73. IV. Eastern Caucasia: Daghestan, p. 78. River Systems, p. 79. Inhabitants: the Chechenzes, p. 79. The Lezghians, Tats, and Tatars, p. 83. Topography, p. 86. V. Inoúk, Rion, and Chorukh Basins: Mingrelia, Imeritia, Svania, Lazistan, p. 88. The Climate, Flora and Fauna, p. 91. Inhabitants: the Svans and Raebians, p. 92. Imeritians, Mingrelians, and Lazes, p. 94. Topography, p. 96. VI. The Kura Basin: Georgia, Transcaucasian Tatary, p. 100. River Systems: the Kura, p. 100. Agriculture, Irrigation Works, Climate, p. 104. Lower Kura Basin: Apsheron Peninsula, p. 106. Inhabitants: the Georgians, p. 111. The Khevsurs, Pshavs, and Tûshes, p. 116. The Tatars, Talishes, Slavs, and Germans, p. 119. Topography, p. 120. VII. Russian Armenia: Ararat, Ala-göz, Plateau of Lake Gok-chai, and Araxis Basin, p. 130. Orography: Ararat, Ala-göz, p. 130. Lake Gok-chai, the Karabagh, Flora and Fauna, p. 136. The Araxis Basin, p. 139. Inhabitants: the Armenians, p. 140. Topography, p. 145. VIII. General Condition and Administration of the Caucasus, p. 150. Land Tenure, Agriculture, p. 152. Population, Industries, Trade, Education, p. 154. Religions, Finance, Administration, p. 158.
Chap. III. The Aralo-Caspian Basin: Russian Turkestan, the Turkoman Country, Khiva, Bokhara, Region of the Upper Oxus 161
I. General Survey, p. 164. II. The Pamir and Alaï, p. 165. Flora, Fauna, Lakes of the Pamir, p. 170. The Alai Highland, p. 171. III. The Tian-shan, p. 175. Orographic System, p. 176. Katûn and Yulduz Highlands, p. 179. Semirechinsk Region, p. 182. Alatau Highland, p. 183. Lake Issîk-kul and Western Tian-shan Highlands, p. 184. IV. Tarbagatai Highlands and Balkhash Basin, p. 189. Lake Balkhash, p. 191. Semirechinsk River System: the Ili, p. 192. V. The Aralo-Caspian Hydrographic System, p. 193. The Turkestan Deserts, p. 194. Flora and Fauna of Turkestan, p. 195. Water System: the Sir, p. 198. The Oxus River System, p 201. The Aral Sea, p. 208. The Turkoman Deserts and Highlands, p. 213. The Atrek and Gurgan Rivers, p. 214. The Ust-urt Plateau, p. 215. East Coast of the Caspian, p. 217. VI. Inhabitants of the Aralo-Caspian Regions, p. 219. The Turkomans, p. 220. The Kara-Kalpaks and Kirghiz, p. 225. The Taranchis and Dungans, p. 231. The Uzbegs, p. 233. The Sartes, Tajiks, and Galchas, p. 234. VII. States of the Aralo-Caspian Basin: I. Baktriana, or Afghan Turkestan, p. 237. Wakhan, p. 238. Badakshan, p. 240. Kunduz and Bamian, p. 244. Khulm, Balkh, Andkhoi, p. 247. II. Merv: the Southern Turkomans, p. 250. III. Bokhara, p. 252. Shignan and Roshan, p. 253. Darvaz and Karateghin, p. 253. Hissar: the Iron Gate, p. 255. Topography: Bokhara, p. 257. IV. Khiva, p. 263. V. Russian Turkestan, p. 268. Ferghana Basin: Topography, p. 272. Samarkand, p. 272. Kulja Basin: Topography, 284. Administration of Turkestan, 287.
Chap. IV. Siberia 292
I. Siberia, p. 292. Progress of Conquest and Discovery, p. 293. Water Highways, Portages, Highlands, p. 297. River Systems, p. 300. Northern Seaboard, p. 303. Pacific Seaboard: Transbaikalia, p. 304. Climate, p. 305. Flora, p. 310. Fauna, p. 314. Inhabitants: the Chûdes, p. 317. II. The Altaï Highlands, p. 319. Flora and Fauna of the Altaï, p. 323. Inhabitants: the Kalmuks, Tatars, and Russians, p. 324. Topography, p. 327. III. The Ob Basin: Governments of Akmolinsk, Semipalatinsk, Tomsk, Tobolsk, Eastern Districts of the Governments of Perm and Orenburg, p. 329. The Irtish Basin, p. 330. Course of the Ob, p. 334. Inhabitants of the Ob Basin: the Voguls, p. 338. The Ostiaks, p. 340. The Ural Mining Districts, p. 344. Topography of West Siberia, p. 346. IV. Yenesei-Baikal Basin, p. 352. Basin of the Western Yenesei, p. 352. Inhabitants: the Chûdes, p. 355. The Soyots and Karagasses, p. 356. The Tunguses, p. 358. Topography, p. 361. The Baikal-Angara Basin, p. 364. The Tunka Highlands, p. 366. Lake Baikal, p. 368. The Angara Water System, p. 373. Inhabitants: the Buriats, p. 375. Topography, p. 378. V. Basin of the Lena: Shores of the Arctic Ocean, p. 382. The Lena and its Inhabitants, p. 384. The Yana, Kolima, and Indigirka Rivers, the Arctic Islands, New Siberia, p. 388. Inhabitants: the Yakuts, Yukaghirs, and Chuvantzes, p. 393. Topography, p. 398. VI. Bering Peninsula, Basin of the Anadir, and Kamchatka, p. 399. Bering Strait and Sea, p. 402. Fauna and Flora, p. 406. Inhabitants: the Chukchis, p. 408. The Koriaks and Kamehadales, p. 413. VII. The Stanovoi Highlands, Amur Basin, Russian Manchuria, p. 417. The Stanovoi Uplands: the Yablonoi Range, p. 419. The Daûrian Plateau, p. 420. The Amur River System, p. 423. The Sungari and Usuri Rivers, p. 425. The Lower Amur and its Delta, p. 428. The Manchurian Seaboard, p. 431. Climate of Manchuria, p. 432. Manchurian Fauna and Flora, p. 434. Inhabitants: the Golds and other Tungus Tribes, p. 436. The Tazi, Mandzi, Giliaks, and Russians, p. 437. The Kamenshaki, p. 440. Topography, p. 442. VIII. Sakhalin, p. 448. Highlands, p. 452. Climate, Fauna, Flora, p. 453. Inhabitants: the Ainos and Oroks, p. 455. Topography, p. 457. IX. Material Condition and Administration of Siberia, p. 459. Social Elements: the Exiles and Outlaws, p. 459. The Siberian Russians: the Commune, p. 463. Religious Sects: the Stranniki, p. 465. Agriculture, the Chase and Fisheries, p. 465. Mining Industries, p. 467. Manufactures, Trade, p. 469. Highways of Communication, the Trakt, Railway Projects, p. 471. Education, Administration, p. 472. Siberian Political Life, p. 474. Growth of the Russian Empire, p. 475. Merv, p. 478. The Dera-göz, 481. The Akhal Tekke Country, 483. Races of Asiatic Russia grouped according to their Affinities and Religions, p. 485.
Appendix: Statistical Tables 489
Index 497




  ​

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


MAPS PRINTED IN COLOURS.

page page
1. Hypsographical Map of Asia. Frontispiece. 4. The Delta of the Amu-daria 205
2. Ethnographical Map of the Caucasus 46 5. Ethnographical Map of Northern Asia 303
3. Lakes Balkhash and Issik-kul 191 6. Victoria Bay, or Gulf of Peter the Great 432


——————


PLATES.

Cliffs in the "Yellow Earth," north of Tai-yuen, Shan-si To face page 11 Kirghiz Horsemen To face page 226
The Upper Yang-tse-kiang 13 Kirghiz crossing a River 229
The Darial Defile 42 Tajiks of Bokhara 234
Jews of the Caucasus 56 Colossal Idols, Upper Bamian Valley 245
Patigorsk—View taken from the Mashuka Slopes 73 The Iron Gate Defile on the Karshi-Derbent Route 257
Svan Types 92 Bokhara—Assembly in front of the Mosque 258
Mingrelian Types and Costumes 95 Khiva 265
Georgian Types and Costumes 111 Bukhtarma Valley—Altaï Highlands 319
Imerian Types and Costumes—Group of Dancers 115 Ostiak Types and Costumes 341
Khevsur in Armour 118 Yekaterinburg 348
A Street in Tiflis 124 General View of Tobolsk 350
Armenian Types and Costumes 140 General View of Omsk 351
Town of Girùsi 149 Tungus Types and Costumes 359
Shchovskiy Glacier 173 Irkutsk—View taken before the Fire of 1878 380
Kizil-kum Desert—Dussibai Wells 194 Chukchi Types and Costumes 408
Lake Iskander-kul 202 General view of Petropavlovsk 416
Shores of the Caspian 208 Gold Types and Costumes 436
Turkoman Customs—Pursuit of the Bride 222 Port of Ayan, Sea of Okhotsk 442
​

ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT.

ASIATIC RUSSIA.
fig. page
1. Plateaux and Plains of Central Asia 3
2. Parallelism of the Main Asiatic Ranges 4
3. Mount Everest 5
4. The Han-haï: a dried-up Sea-bed 8
5. Arid Regions and Closed Basins of Asia 11
6. Isobars in January 13
7. Isobars in July 14
8. Curves of the Eastern Asiatic Seaboard and Islands 16
9. Density of the Asiatic Populations 17
10. Distribution of the Asiatic Races 19
11. Chief Religions of Central Asia 22
12. Chief Itineraries of Central Asia 27
13. European Influence in Asia 29
 
CAUCASIA.
14. Bed of the Caspian 35
15. Geological Formations of the Central Caucasus 37
16. Hot Springs and Naphtha Regions in the Caucasus 39
17. Profile of the Caucasus as seen from Patigorsk 40
18. Rainfall of the Caucasus 41
19. The Kazbek: View taken from the Kazbek Station 43
20. Kazbek and Devdoraki Glaciers 44
21. Forests of the Caucasus 45
22. The Western Caucasus seen from off Cape Kodor 50
23. The Akhtari Liman 52
24. The Kuka-Oba Mud Volcano 51
25. Abkhasian Type 58
26. Cossack Sentinel 59
27. Valley of the Bzib 61
28. The Taman Peninsula 62
29. Valleys of Erosion in the Kuban Basin 63
30. Passanaùr, on the Tiflis-Vladikavkaz Route 65
31. The Elbruz Group 66
32. Ramification of the Kalaûs 67
33. Delta and flooded Districts of the Lower Terek 68
34. The Terek Floods of 1863 69
35. Patigorsk and the Region of Thermal Waters 74
36. The Vladikavkaz-Ananur Route through the Terek Valley 76
37. The Tebulos-inta Group 77
38. Mouths of the Terek and Lower Sulak 80
39. The Kuba District 81
40. Nogai Youth 84
41. Mount Gûnib 85
42. Derbent 87
43. Mouth of the Rion 89
44. Upper Ingûr Valley 93
45. Mingrelian Lady 95
46. Kutaïs and the Rion and Kvirila Junction 97
47. Poti 98
48. Batûm 99
49. Akhalkalaki Plateau 101
50. Tatar Type 102
51. The Kura and Araxis Confluence 103
52. Mouths of the Kura 106
53. Chief Regions of Earthquakes in Caucasia 108
54. Oscillations of the Baku Coast during the last 1,500 Years 109
55. The Apsheron Peninsula 110
56. Mtzkhet, Ancient Capital of Georgia 112
57. The Khevsur, Tûsh, and Pshav Lands 117
58. The Suram Pass and Mesk Mountains 121
59. The Kura Valley between Gori and Mtzkhet 122
60. Tiflis 125
61. Yelizavetpol and Vicinity 126
62. The Telav Basin 127
63. Baku and Cape Bail-Burni 128
64. Lenkoran 129
65. Recent Russian Conquests 131
66. Ararat 132
67. Mount Ararat 133
68. Ala-göz 135
69. Lake Gok-chai 136
70. The Alapolarim Lava Streams 137
71. Araxis and Zanga Basin 143
72. Armenian Woman 144
73. The Kars-chai Valley: Kars and Alexandrapol 146
74. Nakhichevan 148
75. Progress of Russian Conquest 150
76. Fever Districts in Caucasia 151
77. Density of the Population of the Caucasus in 1873 per Square Mile 153
78. Highways in Caucasia 154
79. Section of the Route from Vladikavkaz to Jufa 155
80. Shiahs and Sunnites in Eastern Caucasia 156
81. Baku Harbour 157
82. Stavropol 159
 
THE ARALO-CASPIAN BASIN.
83. Routes of Explorers in the Aralo-Caspian Basin 163
84. Russian Encroachments in Turkestan 164
85. Routes of Explorers in the Eastern Pamir 166
86. The Alaï and Trans-Alaï Range 168
87. Relief of the Highlands and Plateaux between the Hindu Kush and Tian-shan 170
88. The Alaï Plateau 172
89. The Shchurovskiy Glacier 173
90. Routes of Explorers in the Western Pamir 174
91. Relative Area of the Tian-shan, Alps, and Pyrenees 175
92. Relative Relief of the Tian-shan, Alps, and Pyrenees 176
93. Chief Crests of the Tian-shan 177 ​
94. Eastern Chains of the Tian-shan 178
95. Routes of Explorers in the Eastern Tian-shan 180
96. Ovis Karelini, Argali, Ovis Poli 181
97. The Aktogoi Defile 183
98. Western Chains of the Tian-shan 186
99. Routes of Explorers in the Western Tian-shan 187
100. Saûru and Tarbagatai 190
101. Vegetation of the Kilil-kum 196
102. Range of Vegetation in Turkestan 197
103. Petrov Glacier 198
104. Lower Part of the Iir-tash Glacier 199
105. The Sir Delta 201
106. Lake Victoria, or Sari-kul 203
107. Map in the Catalonian Atlas of 1375 206
108. Valley of the Uzboi at the Aidin Wells 207
109. The Balkan Gulf 208
110. Inundation of the Oxus in 1878 209
111. The Aral Sea 210
112. Old River Beds of the Aralo-Caspian Basin 211
113. Ak-tau and Mortviy-kultuk 212
114. Entrance to the Kara-boghaz 213
115. The Tuk-karagan Lakes 214
116. Tentiak-sor 215
117. Ogurchinskiy Island 216
118. Kulali Island 217
119. Turkoman Female Head-dress 221
120. Tekke Turkoman Oasis in the Atok 223
121. Area of the Turkoman Raids South of Kizil-arvat 224
122. A Wealthy Kirghiz 227
123. A Kirghiz Woman 228
124. Population of the Ili Basin 232
125. Sarte Type 233
126. Population of Ferghana 234
127. A Tajik Mollah 235
128. Kila-panja, on the Upper Oxus: Forts at the Foot of the Pamir 239
129. East Badakshan 241
130. Badakshan and Kunduz 242
131. Bamian Pass and Kunduz Route 243
132. Ruins of Balkh and Mazar-i sherîf 244
133. Saripul and Shibirkhan Valley 246
134. The Maimene Valley 247
135. Khanates of Afghan Turkestan West of the Oxus 248
136. Merv and Sarakhs Oases 251
137. Ak-tash Valley and Mountain 254
138. Shehr-i-sebs and Karshi 256
139. Bokhara: Ruins in the Interior of the City 259
140. Oasis of Bokhara 260
141. Khiva 261
142. A Minaret in Khiva 262
143. Khiva: Exterior of a Mosque 263
144. Krasnovodsk Bay 264
145. Cheleken Island and Michael Gulf 266
146. Hassan-kaleh Bay 267
147. Ashur-adeh 268
148. Valleys of the Atrek and Gurgen 269
149. Samarkand 270
150. Samarkand: Approach to the Citadel 271
151. Samarkand: The Gur-emir Tomb of Tamerlane 272
152. Varzaminor: Upper Zarafshan Valley 273
153. Oasis of the Zarafshan 275
154. From Kokan to Marghilan 277
155. Khojend: General View 279
156. Khojend and Neighbourhood 280
157. Plain of Tashkend 281
158. A Street in Tashkend 282
159. Kulja and Neighbouring Mines 285
160. Disputed Territory in Kulja 286
161. Chinese Type, Kulja 287
162. Projected Railway Lines in Western Asia 289
 
SIBERIA.
163. West Siberia, according to Herberstein 293
164. Sakhalin, according to La Pérouse 295
165. Gulf of Castries: La Pérouse Gate 296
166. Water Highways and Portages across Siberia 298
167. Duration of the Frost and Thaw on the Yenisei and Lena 300
168. Drift Ice on the Banks of the Yenisei 301
169. Shores of the Yenisei worn by Glacial Action 302
170. Banks of the Yenisei: Ice-formed Levee 304
171. Climate of Yakutsh 306
172. Northern Limit of Forest Vegetation 309
173. Trailing Larch 150 Years old: Quarter of the Natural Size 310
174. Larch Forest on the Boganida, a Tributary of the Katanga 312
175. Range of Animal Species in North Asia 313
176. The Chindagûtui, a Tributary of the Irtish, Province of Semipalatinsk 320
177. Lake Telezkoye 321
178. Zmeïnogorsk 328
179. Lake Zaïsan 330
180. The Ust-Kamenogorsk Defile 331
181. Lakes Chany and Sartlam in 1870 332
182. Dried-up Streams in the Barnaûl District 334
183. Projected Canals between the Ob and Yenisei 335
184. Network of Streams at the Ob and Ket Junction 335
185. Lower Course and Mouth of the Ob 337
186. Lakes and Marshes in the Iset Basin 345
187. Yekaterinburg and Berezovskiy 348
188. Upper Yenisei Basin and Minusinsk Steppes 353
189. Rock Inscription on the Banks of the Yenisei 361
190. Region of the Yenisei Gold Mines 362
191. From Krasnoyarsk to Kansk 363
192. The Munku-sardik Group 365
193. Munku-sardik and Kamar-daban 367
194. The "Cup" at the Source of the Oka 368
195. Depths of the Western Baikal 370
196. The Angara below the Padunskiy Rapid 374
197. Rapids of the Angara 375
198. Populations of the Irkustsk Government 381 ​
199. Coast of the Taimir Peninsula 383
200. Old Lake traversed by the Vitim 384
201. Lena Delta 386
202. Archipelago of New Siberia 389
203. Routes of Anjou and Wrangell 390
204. Konyam Bay: the Vega at Anchor 391
205. Yakutsk 397
206. Volcanoes at Cape Povorotnoii, South of Avacha Bay 400
207. Bering Sea 403
208. Bering Strait 404
209. Currents of the Bering Waters 405
210. Avacha Bay 415
211. Plateaux and Highlands of East Siberia 418
212. Lake Khanka 426
213. Isthmus of Kizi 428
214. Mouths of the Amur 429
215. Bay of the Golden Horn 430
216. Bay of Castries 432
217. Harbour of Olga 433
218. Herbaceous Vegetation on the Islands of the Amur 435
219. Blagovypshchensk, on the Amur 444
220. Nikolayevsk 445
221. America Bay 446
222. The Possiet Inlets 447
223. La Pérouse Strait 449
224. Sakhalin: Cape La Jonquière 450
225. Mamia Rinzo Strait 451
226. Sakhalin 453
227. Aino Girl 454
228. Sakhalin: the Dui Valley 456
229. Port of Muraviov 457
230. Density of the Siberian Population 460
231. Produce of East Siberian Sable-hunting from 1850 to 1855 466
232. Gold-washings in the Amur Basin 468
233. Vladivostok and the Eastern Bosporus 473





 

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