gentleman, of mild and winning manner. He took us to his khail near the road, and gave us buttermilk, and sent his son to show us the road. His khail was a large one; the khurgahs, of which there were about twenty, were arranged in lines, and the calves and lambs inside the square. The females seemed very busy at their domestic arrangements, and the children fat and happy. My old friend said he had suffered very much from the Persian force, which, during the late siege of Heraut, was sent to this valley; he and all his tribe, with every moveable thing, retreated to the hills; but they fled so precipitately, and to so great a distance, that they lost several hundred cattle. We marched eighteen miles during the night; the first half of the road is through the different little valleys close to the banks of the Khoosh, the remaining distance is along the bed of the river, which you cross at a tolerable ford.

At sunrise started again, and moved twelve miles along the banks of the Khoosh. Our place of rest during the heat of the day was ill chosen; heat great, flies troublesome, grass indifferent, and water distant. Total distance thirty miles.

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May 19th.-Travelled six and three-quarter hours last night; road generally good, but many quicksands in crossing the Khoosh ; in one of them the Wolf got a most effectual ducking, and lost his gun, which, however, we found again after some search. The sleeping-place was in a damp grassy spot; but if it had been in the bed of the river, I don't think I should have objected, being most completely tired. At sunrise loaded and mounted again, and marched five and a quarter hours total distance forty-four miles, to the Moorghaub, a muddy, rapid stream, the banks of which are thickly fringed with tamarisk jungle. Here we found a kafilah of grain bound for Heraut, and a man with a note from the Cazee of Yellatoon to Major Todd, in which I found it written that Captain Abbott had not only succeeded in stopping the advance of the Russian army, but had reached St. Petersburg, and procured an order for the return of the force and the destruction of the forts. I don't believe this, though what on earth could make this Cazee of Vellatoon write such a

falsehood, is difficult to imagine. At any rate, I shall go on to Khyva; I have decided on sending the Wolf back with this letter; he promises to reach Heraut in two days, and to return to me at Merve on the sixth day from this date.

May 20th.-Before starting yesterday, the Cazee came to my tent and said that three Turcomans were carrying away some natives of Heraut as slaves. On coming out, I found young Daood had seized the bridle of the leading Turcoman, and was bringing the party to our camp. There were ten slaves, two females, and the rest boys-mere children. I am ashamed to say that I was silly enough to let my anger lead me into the absurdity of expressing the disgust and horror which I felt, and was guilty of the folly of lecturing Turcomans on the evil of their ways. The poor children seemed thin and harassed, but not the least frightened, nor very anxious for their release; though it is possible that fear of the three Turcomans prevented their speaking out on this subject. I asked Brutus to sit by me and write the names of the slaves, of their relatives, and the people who sold them. They had been sold, it appeared, by the Jumsheedees and Hazarehs. I had no power to release these poor creatures, and had I taken upon myself to do so, I should most probably have defeated the object of my mission, which will amongst other things, I hope, lead to the cessation in toto of this most detestable traffic. Had I turned the poor children loose, they would soon have been retaken. We let the party therefore go, and passed them again about three miles from the river. Both the females and the smallest of the boys were mounted on the camels. I trust that this humane arrangement was not made merely while I was passing. My party could not be restrained from showering curses on the Turcomans; and Fazil Khan begged me with moist eyes to release the slaves. We moved this night twenty-two miles; plenty of wood and grass along the road, which is generally good, though there are some steep sandy ascents. The valley of the Moorghaub, along which we are now moving, is narrow, and bounded by sandhills, which are covered with bushes of camel-thorn and other stunted herbs. The valley itself has a fine soil, and has been

highly cultivated in former years, but it is now deserted. Stopped to sleep and feed the cattle for a few hours, and started a little after sunrise; passed a place called Sundook Koochan. Connected with this spot is a tradition, viz, «That once upon a time a box fell to the ground here. (The ark?) This is all I could get from the Turcomans, who grinned and said, "Yes, a box fell there, and therefore it is called Sundook Koochan. »

May 21st.-Started before sunset, and marched twenty-two miles. This particular spot is much dreaded by travellers and kafilahs, as the Turka Turcomans often cross it when on plundering excursions. Very heavy jungle on this part of the road, which is still along the Moorghaub; slept and fed the cattle at about two miles from the Bundi-i-Yellatoon, or bank which throws the water of the Moorghaub into the canal of Yella⚫toon. The flood this year has been so great as completely to destroy this bank, and the canal is consequently dry. At sunrise, started again, and rode ten miles; heat oppressive; total distance thirty-two miles.

"

May 22d.-Marched nineteen to the camp of a friendly Turcoman, who did his little possible to make me comfortable, and brought me his son and a colt, both of which he said were my property. I of course thanked him, but I told him that I only received one kind of Peshkush, (present,) viz. slaves. At sunrise moved eight miles to Yellatoon, where there is a governor and cazee. Old Brutus was very anxious, when we came near this place, to see whether these worthies would come out to meet us, and at one time he fondly hoped they had done us that honour; for being short-sighted, and seeing some troopers coming towards us, a complacent smile crossed his coarse features, and stroking his beard, he muttered, After all, they are Mussulmen; but Daood soon dispelled the charming illusion, saying, «Oh father! these are dogs and sons of dogs, and have sent servants to meet us. » Great was the old man's ire, and deeply he vowed not to enter their tents; but seeing several people collected a little distance off, I made up to them, and, on dismounting, found they were the authorities of Yellatoon. They gave me a

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hearty, though rough welcome, and led me to a tent which had been pitched for the occasion. One or two words of prayer, and a stroke of the beard, took place immediately we were seated, and raisins and bread were brought in and devoured. The Turcomans have not the slightest pretensions to politeness; they do exactly whatever suits their fancy, and expect their guest to please himself in every way. They have one custom which I found sufficiently troublesome: they consider it impolite to leave their guest alone, and unless you keep the door shut, you have a constant flood of visiters, who enter, sit down, stroke their beards, and exit. Last year the governor of Yellatoon stole Mahomed Daood's cloak,-at least so sayeth Brutus. This governor is of the same tribe as the Khan Huzarut, upon whom he is entirely dependent. He is much interested in making it believed that the Russians have retreated, and seems much vexed if any one doubts this circumstance. This advance of the Russians on one side, and our own in Affghanistan on the other, have greatly alarmed the more intelligent among the Asiatics, who say, "Do you think we are such dolts as not to perceive what will be the end of all this? You and the Russians will meet and shake hands, and we shall be crushed in the operation.». Just as I was leaving Yellatoon, the governor brought me two superb hawks, which he begged me to accept. I pleaded the impossibility of carrying them with me; upon this he immediately gave me an old man to take care of them, and the only way of escape was to give the old man a couple of ducats, and tell him to look after the hawks until my return. Brutus says that the birds are celebrated for their speed, and worth at least four slaves each.,

May 23d.-Marched last night about ten miles, good road, and this morning came to Merve, about twelve more. There is a small shell of a fort here, and a considerable bazaar. We are shut up in a small enclosure, and no one allowed to come and see us. The authorities of this place were very anxious that Brutus should halt at some other spot, but he has refused most stoutly to leave me he is so enraged at the treatment which I have received, that he has done nothing since

our arrival but abuse the fathers, grandfathers, and relations of all Turcomans, and he now appears to be much relieved. For my part, I am heartily glad of the arrangement, and trust the exclusion of visiters will be continued, though officially I have remonstrated against it. The governor, in reply to my question, Whether the Khan Huzarut of Khyva wished me to be treated as a prisoner during my stay at Merve? » has sent a very humble answer, saying that he feared some of my property would be stolen, and my rest disturbed by visiters, and that therefore he prevented any Turcomans from entering the square assigned for my residence.

May 24th. Brutus very anxious for the visit of the governor, but I feel confident he will not do us that honour. To-morrow is the grand market-day, and horses, camels, grain, and slaves, may be had in great abundance. I must buy camels, as I have to carry water and grain for ten days for my party.

1

May 25th.-The governor sent his servant to say he could not call, as he was in mourning for his brother, who, by the way, died eight months back; he wants me to call on him, but this I have not agreed to. I said, if he had made the excuse the first day I would have called; but as he was a servant of the Khan Huzarut; who was our friend, I thought it due to the latter to make the customary present before leaving, so I sent a Cashmere shawl. He is a dog, but it is as well to throw him a bone, as I am compelled to pass through his kennel. The Wolf returned to me before sunset; he reached Heraut from the Moorghaub, a distance of 140 miles, in 36 hours; at Heraut he got a fresh horse, and rejoined me at Merve, a distance of 260 miles, in 105 hours! He has brought me an English newspaper dated 4th March, 82 days from London to Merve! Before his arrival I was talking over with Brutus the chance of his getting safely through the perils of the journey; Why," said Brutus, « fatigue can't kill him, and no one in this country will kill him, for it is more, profitable to sell him; and as the Wolf has already been three times sold to the Turcomans, a fourth will make no great difference. The horse he has ridden here