A P P E N D I X II.
T a r ta r ian rhubarb brought to K ia ch ta by the B u ch a n
a n Merchants— Method o f examining and purchcijing
the roots— Different fpecies o f rheum which yield the
jin e jl rhubarb— Price o f rhubarb in R a ff ia— Exportation—
Superiority o f the T a r ta r ian over the Indian
rhubarb.
T j 'U R O P E is fu p p lied w ith rh u b a rb from R u ffia and
th e Ea ft Indies. T h e fo rm e r is g en e ra lly k n ow n b y
th e name o f T u r k e y rh u b a rb , b ecaufe w e u fed to im p
o r t it from th e L e v a n t in o u r com m erce w ith th e T u rk s ,
w h o procured it th ro u g h Perfia from th e Bucharians.
A n d it f till retains its o r ig in a l n am e, a lth o u g h inftead o f
b e in g carr ied, as b e fo re , to C on ftan tino p le, it is n ow
b ro u g h t to K ia ch ta b y th e B ucha rian me rch an ts, and
Tsrarian, or th e re difpofed o f to th e Ru ffians . £ T h is appella tion is
T i rkew,
Rrosarb. indeed th e moft g e n e r a l; b u t it is mentioned o c cafion ally.
b y fev era l authors, u n d e r th e diffe rent denominations o f
R u ffian , T a r ta r ian , B u ch a r ian , and T h ib e t , R h u b a rb .
T h is fort is expo rted from R u ffia in la rg e roundiffi
pieces, freed from th e b a rk , w ith an ho le th ro u g h the
m id d le : th e y are e x te rn a lly o f , a y e llow colour, and
w h en cu t appear variagated w ith liv e ly reddiffi f t le ak s .
T h e
T h e o th e r fort is called b y the D ru g g ifts Ind ian R h u -
b a rb ; and is p ro cu red from C an to n in lo n g e r , ha rd er ,
h e a v ie r , more comp a ct pieces, th an th e fo rm e r ; it is
m o re a ftr ing en t, and ha s fom ew h a t lefs o f an aromatic
f la v o u r ; b u t, on accou nt o f its cheapnefs, is more g en e ra
lly ufed th an th e T a r ta r ian or T u r k e y R h ub arb .
T h e g o v e rnm en t o f R u ffia ha s re ferved to i t f e lf th e
e x c lu fiv e p r iv ile g e o f p u rch a fin g r h u b a r b ;. i t is
b ro u g h t to K ia ch ta b y : fom e B u ch a r ian merchants, w h o Rhubarb pro-
& . ■ r . . - . cured at
h a v e entered in to a contract to fu p p ly th e c row n w ith Kiachta.
th a t d ru g in e x c h a n g e fo r fu r s . T h e fe me rchan ts come
from th e tow n o f Selin, w h ic h lies South W e ftw a rd o f
th e K o k o -N o r , or B lu e L a k e towa rd T h ib e t . S elin , and
a ll th e towns o f L it t le B u c h a r ia ; v iz . K a lh k a r , \ e rk en,
A tra r , See. are fubje c t to C h in a .
T h e b e ft rh u b a rb p u rch afed at K ia ch ta is produced
upon a cha in o f ro cks , w h ich are v e r y h ig h , and fo r the
mo ft part deftitute o f wood : th e y lie N o r th o f Selin, and
ftre tch ais fa r as th e .K o k o -N o r . T h e go od roots are
diftin gu iffied b y la rg e and th ic k items. T h e T an g u ts ,
w h o are emp lo yed in d ig g in g u p th e roots, enter up on Xun'aL
th at b u h n e ls in A p r il or M a y . A s ta ll as th e y take th em Bucharia.
ou t o f the ea r th , th e y cleanfe th em from th e fo il, and
h a n g them u p on th e n e ig h b o u r in g trees to d ry , w h e re
they