Yakoob Beg came to the front,
and assumed the control of affairs until the fall of the contemptible
Buzurg. With great difficulty after the desertion of their Kirghiz
allies was a force of 3,000 men collected around the new Khoja in
Kashgar. Sadic Beg advanced on the capital with a much larger army, and
Yakoob Beg had for a time to remain on the defensive. Each day, however,
brought in recruits to his camp, while, the army of the Kirghiz leader
presenting no object of sympathy to the people, his rival's remained
stationary, if it did not decrease. An encounter at last commenced
between the two forces which was made general by the intrepidity of
Abdulla. The Kirghiz levies of Sadic were unable to withstand the
vigorous charges that were led against them, and broke after a short
combat into headlong flight. In the mountains the Kirghiz gathered
around their chieftain in force, and, hovering on the northern districts
of Kashgar, presented a danger that must be removed by Yakoob Beg before
he could advance farther. His troops were therefore directed to proceed
against the Kirghiz in their fastnesses, and it was not long before the
Kirghiz, driven into a corner, turned at bay on their pursuer. The
forces on either side were about equal, some 5,000 men in either army.
But, as is customary in the East, the Kirghiz army put forth a champion,
Suranchi by name, who had obtained great renown for his extraordinary
height and strength. The challenge did not remain unanswered, for
Abdulla stepped forward to the encounter. The fight, though furious, was
short, and the smaller Khokandian warrior was victorious over his more
ponderous antagonist. The Kirghiz power after this reverse was broken
up, and Sadic Beg took refuge with Alim Kuli at Tashkent. Yakoob Beg's
first campaign against the Kirghiz, who had sworn alliance with him, and
by whose invitation he was present in Kashgar, had thus ended
victoriously, and he was now able to resume the main purpose of
conquering Kashgar. Having rendered Kashgar secure from surprise on the
north, and leaving a force to maintain their hold on it, and to keep in
check the Khitay garrison, Buzurg and Yakoob proceeded south to occupy
Yangy Hissar. The town was occupied without difficulty, but an attempt
to storm the citadel in which the Khitay had taken refuge was repulsed
with loss. Sending Buzurg Khan back to Kashgar, Yakoob Beg resolved to
go on to Yarkand and endeavour to bring that city under their