KARAITES 318 KARELINITE cessfully under Milosh Obrenovitch who caused his rival, Black George, to be murdered, in 1817. The Obrenovitch dynasty remained in power until 1903, when its reigning representative, Alexan- der, was assassinated by his own officers on account of his corrupt tendencies. Peter, the senior representative of the house of Karageorge, then living in exile in Paris, was thereupon called to the throne, on which he has remained ever since. KARAITES (kar'a-itz), the descend- ants of the ancient Sadducees. Their system was revised by Anan ben David, A. D. 761 or 762. They reject tradition, and in this respect bear the same rela- tion to the Talmudic Jews that Protes- tants do to Roman Catholics. They number a few thousand. They are found in Russia, Galicia, Constantinople, Jerusalem, etc. KARAK, or KHARRACK (ka-rak') (the Icarus of Arrian), an island of Asia, in the Persian Gulf, belonging to England, 35 miles N. W. of Bushire. Area 13 square miles. This island is of some importance as affording a secure anchorage for ships, and a station where they may water and refit. It has suc- cessively belonged to the Dutch, Arabs, Persians, and French. The English finally took possession of it during the war with Persia in 1839. KARAKORUM (ka-ra-ko'rum), (1) The Mustagh or Muztagh range is that part of the Himalayas which lies to the W. of the Indus and extends as far as the head of the Gilgit valley. It em- braces some of the loftiest peaks of the Himalayan system. (2) The name prop- erly appropriate to a pass (18,550 feet), the culminating point of the route be- tween India and East Turkestan. The old Mongolian capital, to the N. of the desert of Gobi, on the Orkhon, a tribu- tary of the Selenga river; the ruins re- main. KARAMAN (ka-ra-man'), a town of Asiatic Turkey, in Karamania, 58 miles S. S. E. of Konieh. It is situated at the foot of a spur of Mount Taurus, and, though formerly a large place is now un- important. Manufactures cotton fabrics. Karaman was the capital of a Turkish kingdom, which lasted from the time of the partition of the Seljuk dominions of Iconium till 1486, when Karamania was subjected by the Ottoman sultan, Ba- jazet II., from which time Konieh be- came the seat of the pashalic. Pop. between 7,000 and 8,000. KARAMNASA, a river in the presi- dency of Bengal, British India; after a course of 146 miles, during which it forms for some distance the dividing line between Bengal and the Northwestern provinces, enters the Ganges. The Hin- dus hold it in the greatest abhorrence, and will neither drink nor touch its waters, though they are of crystal clear- ness and abound in fish. KARA (ka'ra) SEA, the portion of the Arctic Ocean between Nova Zembla and the Yalmal Peninsula, off the Siberian coast. The Obi and Yenisei rivers discharge their waters into its N. E. corner. Since Nordenskjold's famous voyage in the "Vega" (1875), various navigators have demonstrated the navigability of the sea. The Kara Sea being thus navigable for about two months (July to September) in the year, can be made available for trade with Siberia. KARATEGIN (ka-ra-ta-gen), a coun- try of central Asia, forming the E. prov- ince of Bokhara, and having the Russian province of Khokand on the N.; area 8,310 square miles. It is a highland region (6,000-7,000 feet) and is tra- versed from E. to W. by the Surkhab or Kizil-su, a tributary of the Amu- Daria. In winter (October to May) the climate is very severe; nevertheless much fruit and corn are grown. The people, Tajiks by race, number about 100,000, and about 5,000 nomad Kirghiz. The native khans claimed to be descended from one of Alexander's captains, and only lost their independence, to Bokhara, in 1868. KARAULI (ka-ra-le'), a native State in Rajputana, India, separated by the Chambal river from Gwalior; area 1,242 square miles; pop. about 200,000, mostly Hindus. It is a hilly country, especially rich in timber. Capital Karauli, 75 miles N. W. of Gwalior, defended by a sand- stone wall two miles in extent; pop. about 30,000. KARELIA (kar-a-le'a), an old name for the S. E. part of Finland, annexed to Russia by Peter the Great in 1721. The Karelians properly so called are a branch of the Finnic race, and about a million dwell in the E. parts of Finland and the adjoining provinces of Russia from Archangel to Tver. KARELINITE (kar'e-lin-it) , oxide of bismuth, with formula BiOs. Massive, with crystalline structure; color, lead- gray; luster metallic when cut. Is found at the Savodinsk mine, Altai Moun- tains, mixed with earthy sulphide of bis- muth.
