ngan, and he certainly was a truculent and
self-confident potentate. He refused to abide by the stipulations of the
Treaties of Kuldja and Pekin, and in petty matters as in great, set
himself in direct opposition to Russia. For five years he pursued his
career undisturbed by exterior influences, and during that period he
tolerated the inroads of his subjects into Russian territory, urged the
Kirghiz tribes beyond his frontier to revolt, and forbade Russian
merchants to enter his dominions. On a small scale, he aped the manners
subsequently adopted by Yakoob Beg. But he was only a minor and
insignificant despot. His people groaned under his tyranny, and the
75,000 slaves within his dominions were only too anxious to be relieved
from their bondage by any deliverer whatsoever. The state of Kuldja, as
administered by Abul Oghlan, was pre-eminently one that would fall to
pieces at the first rude shock from outside. For five years, or
thereabouts, the Russian authorities at Vernoe, Naryn, and in
Semiretchinsk put up with his veiled hostility; but when it became
evident that his state was on the eve of falling into divers fragments,
of which Yakoob Beg would, probably, come in for the lion's share, the
Russians, whose patience had become well-nigh exhausted, resolved not to
be forestalled in Kuldja, either by the Athalik Ghazi, or the Tungani
Confederation. A kind of _ultimatum_ was presented to Kuldja, in which
Abul Oghlan was given a last chance of retaining power, if he consented
to ratify the terms of the past treaties with China. He does not appear
to have distinctly refused to do so, when he was required to enter into
this agreement with Russia. But he prevaricated and delayed, until at
last the patience of the Muscovite authorities was quite exhausted. They
resolved to destroy the government of Abul Oghlan, to annex Kuldja, and
to bring their frontier down to the Tian Shan.

In May, 1871, Major Balitsky crossed the river Borodshudsir, which
formed the boundary between the two countries, and, at the head of a
small detachment, advanced some distance into the dominions of Abul
Oghlan. His force, however, was small, and, after a brief
reconnaissance, he retired within Russian territory. Six weeks
afterwards the main body under General Kolpakovsky crossed the frontier
into Kuldja and marched on the capital. That invading army consisted of
only 1,785 men and sixty-five officers. At first the forces of Abul
Oghlan offered a b