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. There are numerous towns and villages, and
the chief city of the kingdom bears its name, Charchan. The Province
contains rivers which bring down Jasper and Chalcedony, and these are
carried for sale into Cathay, where they fetch great prices. The whole of
the Province is sandy, and so is the road all the way from Pein, and much
of the water that you find is bitter and bad. However, at some places you
do find fresh and sweet water. When an army passes through the land, the
people escape with their wives, children, and cattle a distance of two or
three days' journey into the sandy waste; and knowing the spots where
water is to be had, they are able to live there, and to keep their cattle
alive, whilst it is impossible to discover them; for the wind immediately
blows the sand over their track.

Quitting Charchan, you ride some five days through the sands, finding none
but bad and bitter water, and then you come to a place where the water is
sweet. And now I will tell you of a province called Lop, in which there is
a city, also called LOP, which you come to at the end of those five days.
It is at the entrance of the great Desert, and it is here tha