mels as had not been shot; this Russian force did not exceed 10,000 fighting men and forty pieces of artillery. The reports so industriously spread in India of an intended invasion on our provinces were altogether without foundation, as no idea of an immediate advance beyond Khyva could have been entertained. The expedition failed from the excessive severity of the winter, which destroyed all the camels: but, apart from this, when it is remembered that from Ourenbourg to the mouth of the Oxus is a distance of 800 miles, and that in the whole extent there is not one fixed dwelling; that no supplies whatever could be procured, and that even fuel was not to be found;-I say, when these obstacles are taken into consideration, we can hardly be surprised at the failure of the expedition. There are two men appointed to collect and superintend the hired camels, of which I find we require 220. One of these is a Cuzzack, by name Niaz, an enormously fat creature without any beard, but of a pleasing, good-humoured expression of face; the other is a haggard, dissipated-looking Chowdoor Turcoman, from whose face I have no hopes. To add to my annoyances, they have given the power of collecting the Russian prisoners to this man, whose name is Khojah Mahomed. Now the Chowdoors are the chief dealers in Russian slaves; they are settled about Mungisbauk, and have seized at different times several fishing boats; in these they embark, and capture the unfortunate Russian fishermen on the Caspian. It is not likely that any of this tribe should assist me in collecting the Russian prisoners, especially as it is known that one of the objects of my journey to the Caspian is to put a stop to their piracy! Accordingly, Khojah Mahomed made great protestations of his zeal and promises of activity, but did nothing whatever. The Russian prisoners released themselves occasionally and came to me, but none were brought by him. At last two Russian prisoners, with chains on their feet, escaped from Khojah Mahomed's own house, and came This was too much for my patience, and I declared my determination of bringing his rascality to the Khan Huzarut's notice; but Caruley and Niaz begged me to overlook the man's offence, saying, that the Khan Huzarut would cer to me. tainly have put him to death if I complained of him. The creature, too, humbled himself before me, and said he had eaten dirt, and begged me to forgive him, binding himself by all possible oaths to behave better in future. He had the collecting of half the camels, and it would be difficult to get away without him, so I consented at last to spare him; but there is no hope of the man, villain is written too legibly on his face, and he will be a « calamity during the whole march. I have a Yamoot with me, by name Beerdee, an ugly little fellow, but invaluable; he has been once or twice to Heraut, and been treated very kindly by Major Todd. The minister wrote to me, saying that the two children, concerning whom I spoke a few days back, were in the hands of a very influential person, a lady in the palace; that after much negotiation he had succeeded in procuring the release of the youngest, a boy, whom he sent to me, but that it was impossible to effect the liberation of the other child, a girl nine years of age. The mother on hearing this became frantic, vowing that nothing should tear her from her child, and that she would prefer remaining in slavery with her darling Shureefa to freedom without her. She then taunted me with the promise I had made to effect the child's release; and, to make a long story short, I at last ordered my horse, and rode that night into Khyva, arriving about ten in the morning. My arrival occasioned some alarm to the minister, who was exceedingly anxious to know the cause of my sudden visit; but I considered it advisable to lead him astray on this point, saying I wished to see the Khan on various subjects, and hoped to be admitted that evening this request was complied with, and after discussing many points, I was at length told I might retire. There is a Turcoman superstition regarding a petition made by a person on the eve of departure, and to refuse this request is supposed to bring ill-luck on the journey. Taking advantage of this, I urged that his majesty had given me all the prisoners, but that there was in his own palace a child detained. The khan urged that she did not wish to go; I pleaded her not being of age. He was silent for some time; at length, turning to the minister, he mutter VOL. III. : 41 ་་ ed, « Give him the child. Shortly afterwards, a beautiful little girl was brought to me. It was very dark, so, taking a lamp, I advanced to have a closer view of my hardly-earned prize, when the little puss screamed out lustily, vowing nothing should make her go to that Russian slave-dealer!» The Turcomans were greatly amused. Luckily, I had brought Beerdee Yamoot with me, and the little Shureefa » made no objection to going with him, jumping up behind his pony," and looking much alarmed when I approached. She was about nine years old, and I think I have seldom seen a more beautiful child. We rode the whole of the night on our return to our camp, and Shureefa gave Beerdee an account of her separation from her mother, which he translated to me. « She was torn from me, and, striking me on the forehead, exclaimed, Oh, luckless one, would that thou hadst never been born!» On reaching our camp, the Russians gave a shout at the sight of Shureefa; and the next morning she and her little brother were brought by their mother to make their bow to me. But still the little rogue feared my Persian robes, and appeared much alarmed. August 12th. That rascal, Khojah Mohamed, still fails in bringing in any of the Russian prisoners, and I fear I shall be detained here for some days. Fortunately, the khan is coming here on his road to a shooting excursion, and I shall be able to see him if necessary. August 14th.-The khan arrived this morning, and I obtained an audience. After pointing out the exertions I had made to recover the prisoners, I showed the khan a list of those whom I knew to be still detained, and said in plain terms, that unless assisted by him, I must beg to decline the share in the transaction which had been assigned me; that it was quite useless to go to the Russian frontier unless I could take all the prisoners, and that my head was confused with the trouble I had already taken in this matter. His majesty was astounded at my plain speaking, and gave his minister an order in a tone which made him shake. I have been advised to move one stage further, and have been promised all ་་ and every one of the prisoners, and have received an order threatening death to any one who shall detain them. August 15th.-Left Dusht Houz this day, and was delighted to find one of the officers of the household waiting with seventeen of the Russian prisoners. I have cross-questioned all the prisoners, and find there is the son of one of them still a prisoner on this side. The head of the village where he is detained has been sent for. The only others of whom I can hear are three on the other side of the river, and Caruley has sent troopers to fetch them. On the 18th, the head of the village came to camp, and swore on the Book that the lad concerning whom I had sent was dead; but the next day the father saying that he had positive intelligence of his son being concealed, and still alive, Caruley sent three troopers to the spot, and after much difficulty they succeeded in digging him out from a vault in the granary. From Dusht Houz to Arbogue, we marched a distance of 125 miles, along the alluvial soil near the river Oxus. There were frequently several khails of Turcomans in sight in all directions, but the only fixed village is Old Ooregunge, which is 109 miles from Khyva. It is on the site of the ancient city, which is said to have existed in the time of the Fire-worshippers. The Russian prisoners amounted to 416 souls, and as my own party was considerable, it was decided by the united wisdom of They the Tutor, Caruley, Niaz, and Beerdee, that half the Russian prisoners should march the first day under Niaz; that Caruley and his Sowars should accompany me on the second day; and that Khojah Mahomed should bring up the rear with the remaining half of the prisoners-I took the precaution of leaving ten of Caruley's Sowars as spies on Khojah Mahomed. This arrangement was found to answer very well; and, thanks be to God! not a man, woman, nor child, was lost during the whole of this most fatiguing march. We were most truly fortunate in every respect, the weather was most favourable, neither too hot nor too cold, and I am not aware of a single instance of any of the prisoners suffering from thirst or hunger. Not a horse or camel even was lost. When crossing one of the stages over this steppe, the whole of the prisoners were together-it was a glorious sight to pass them. They speak no European language but their own, and our only mode of salutation was the Az salam Alliekoum. This they shouted out to me as I rode by them; and thus the salutation which a true Mussulman will not exchange with an infidel, became the only greeting between Christians. The plain was so open that the camels crowded together, and marched over en masse, the children and women riding on panniers, singing and laughing, and the men trudging along sturdily; all counting the few days which remained ere they should rejoin their countrymen, and escape from what they must have long considered a life of hopeless slavery. The release of these poor wretches has surprised the Turcomans amazingly, and, to crown all, the Khan has granted orders, prohibiting, under the penalty of death, the seizure of Russian subjects, or the purchase of natives of Heraut. This prohibition of the slave trade is quite novel in Toorkestaun, and I humbly hope that it is the dawn of a new era in the history of this nation; and that ultimately the British name will be blessed with the proud distinction of having put an end to this inhuman traffic, and of having civilized the Turkoman race, which has been for centuries the scourge of central Asia. About eight marches from Nova Alexandroff, I sent one of the Russian prisoners with a Cuzzack to give information of our approach, sending by them an English letter to the governor of the fort. On their arrival at Nova Alexandroff, they were looked upon as spies; my letter could not be read, and the intelligence of the release and approach of so many fellow-subjects was too astounding to be credited! a whole night was necessary to convince the Russians in the fort of the truth of the good tidings. It was pleasing to see the rush of the prisoners to greet their countrymen. That evening we pushed on one stage, and the next morning approached the fort. The war between the Turcomans and Russians has hitherto been carried on with such barbarity, that it was not surprising that Caruley should remind me, about six miles from the fort, that he had already exceeded his instructions |