Jaxartes

Jaxartes, or Sir-Daria, a river which rises in the Thian-Shan mountains between China and Turkestan, at a height of 12,000 feet. It has a total course of 1,500 miles, and is navigable for about 800 miles from its mouth. It bears three separate names in its descending course, and is not called Sir-Daria (river) until about the middle of its length. From Khojend, some way above this point, it takes a northerly direction, and ultimately empties itself into the sea of Azal below Aralsk. Its water is used for irrigation purposes like that of the Nile.