which is said to have died within
the walls. From the _Memoirs of Hsuan Tsang_, we learn that, at the time of
his visit in the 7th century, there were in the city, or its vicinity,
about a hundred Buddhist convents, with 3000 devotees, and that there was a
large number of _stupas_, and other religious monuments. The most
remarkable was the _Nau Behar_, _Nava Bihara_ or New Convent, which
possessed a very costly statue of Buddha. A curious notice of this building
is found in the Arabian geographer Yaqut. Ibn-Haukal, an Arabian traveller
of the 10th century, describes Balkh as built of clay, with ramparts and
six gates, and extending half a parasang. He also mentions a castle and a
mosque. Idrisi, in the 12th century, speaks of its possessing a variety of
educational establishments, and carrying on an active trade. There were
several important commercial routes from the city, stretching as far east
as India and China. In 1220 Jenghiz Khan sacked Balkh, butchered its
inhabitants and levelled all the buildings capable of defence,--treatment
to which it was again subjected in the 14th century by Timur.
Notwithstanding this, however, Marco Polo can still, in the following
century, describe it as "a noble city and a great." Balkh formed the
government of Aurangzeb in his youth. In 1736 it was conquered by Nadir
Shah. Under the Durani monarchy it fell into the hands of the Afghans; it
was conquered by Shah Murad of Kunduz in 1820, and for some time was
subject to the khan of Bokhara. In 1850 Mahommed Akram Khan, Barakzai,
captured Balkh, and from that time it remained under Afghan rule.

See _Hsuan Tsang_, tr. by Julien, vol. i. pp. 29-32; Burnes's _Travels in
Bokhara_ (1831-1833); Ferrier's _Travels_; Vambery's _Bokhara_ (1873);
_Report of the Russo-Afghan Boundary Commission of 1884-1885_.

(T. H. H.*)

BALL, SIR ALEXANDER JOHN, BART. (1759-1809), British rear-admiral and
governor of Malta, came of a Gloucestershire family. He entered the navy,
and in 1778 was promoted lieutenant. Three years later began a close
association with Rodney, and, two days after his chief's crowning victory
of April 12, 1782, Ball was promoted commander, and in 1783 he became
captain. At this time he spent a year in France with the double purpose of
learning the language and living economically. Nelson, then a captain, was
at this time by no means favourably impressed by his future friend and
comrade, and spoke of him as a "great coxcomb." It was