st contradictory, as it may appear, there was a brief
respite during which things seemed to have got into their old groove of
happy prosperity; and the chief credit for this must be given to a
Mahomedan sub-governor of the Chinese viceroy. Zuhuruddin, such was his
name, had raised himself to the high post of Amban in Kashgar, a post
never before held by any other than a Khitay. By birth he was of
Kashgar, but he always represented himself as having been born and
brought up in Khokand, where he had been imprisoned for a political
offence. For seven or eight years he governed Kashgar to the perfect
satisfaction both of the people and of the Chinese, and among some of
his public acts may be mentioned the reconstruction of new forts outside
the cities, in the place of those destroyed in the recent revolts. These
were known now as Yangyshahr instead of Gulbagh. But in 1846
Zuhuruddin's rule was disturbed by hostilities on the part of Khokand
and the Khojas.

In 1845 Khudayar Khan had been called to the throne after the death of
Mahomed Ali, but his authority was not without its rivals. In the state
of confusion that then ensued, Khokandian adventurers urged the Khoja
princes, who were now represented by the sons of Jehangir, to renew
their old attacks against the Chinese. To these advisers the Khojas
turned a willing ear, and preparations were accordingly made for the
enterprise. At that time Khokand was full of adventurers to whom Mahomed
Ali had been able to give constant employment, but who now under the
more peaceful rule of Khudayar idled their time in the cities of that
khanate. Among these and the ever willing Kirghiz, it was not difficult
for the princes of Kashgar to raise an army, formidable in numbers, if
not remarkable for cohesion. At that time there were seven prominent
Khoja princes in Khokand, of whom we may here mention Eshan Khan,
usually called Katti Torah, Buzurg Khan, and Wali Khan. This inroad did
not take its name from any one of these, but from them all combined;
thus it was distinguished as Haft Khojagan, or that of the Seven Khojas.

With his brothers and relations and a considerable following, Katti
Torah advanced upon Kashgar, always the first object of these invaders,
which fell after a siege of thirteen days through treachery. This was
the only success they achieved; the other cities would have nothing to
do with them; and after two months' indulgence in unbridled licence the
Chinese beat them