File:Scottish geographical magazine (1885) (14597569609).jpg

Identifier: scottishgeograph18scotuoft (find matches)
Title: Scottish geographical magazine
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: Scottish Geographical Society Royal Scottish Geographical Society
Subjects: Geography
Publisher: Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Geographical Society
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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y nominally under the rule of the Czar ; asfar as tribute goes, they have remained as they were before the occu-pation of Turkestan. Their mountainous and often inaccessible countrylends itself admirably to keeping away all desire after official control. It is impossible to make even an approximate estimate of the numberof individuals included in the Kirghiz people. Some speak of 300,000or 400,000, but they are certainly more numerous than that. However,even the chiefs of a village do not know exactly the number of themembers of the aid, though they know that of their herds of cattle. The Kirghiz have no very definite ranks of society. They oweobedience to no one, save of course to the Russian Government.However, the latter has nominated responsible chiefs in each tribe, orrather it recognises the authority of the persons whom the aids elect ascivil and judicial representaties of Russia. According to the importanceof the tribe these are called Kcdiehi, Chirtai, or Boloch. These chiefs
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402 SCOTTISH GEOGRAPHICAL MAGAZINE. only enjoy prestige if they are rich. It is they who decide the differ-ences which arise between tribes and individuals, and who punish thoseguilty of a crime or misdemeanour. But it must be confessed that theyhardly ever make use of this prerogative ; rather than incur unpopularitywith their subjects, they prefer to leave matters to arrange themselves. The Kirghiz have always been, and will be for a long time to come,a pastoral people. Some have wished to accustom them to agriculture,and an attempt in this direction has been made near Pijivalsk. Butthey scarcely felt any vocation for it, and the fields of oats were quicklydeserted for the lofty solitudes of the Thian Shan. Nevertheless, agri-culture might be made to succeed wonderfully in these regions, for thesoil is fertile and there is never any lack of water. It would bringwealth to the country and easy circumstances to the inhabitants. For the Kirghiz, a simple people, devoid of all ambition,

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