Colonel Grodekoff's Ride from Samarcand to Herat [Translated] by C. Marvin

Front matter

■ COLONEL GRODEKOFF'S RIDE TO HERAT. Colonel N. Grodekoff COLONEL GRODEKOFF'S RIDE FROM SAMARCAND TO HERAT, THROUGH BALKH AND THE UZBEK STATES sir AFGHAN TURKESTAN ; WITH HIS OWN MAP OF THE MARCH-ROUTE FROM THE OXUS TO HERAT. i:v CHARLES MARVIN, AUTHOR OF " THE DISASTROUS RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE AKHAL TEKKE TURCOMANS," "OUR PUBLIC OFFICES," ETC. " There can be hardly a doubt that the whole of Northern Afghanistan, from the Oxus to the Hindoo Koosh, will, by the force of circumstances, become included within the sphere of the immediate influence of Russia." — Colonel L. Soboleff, St. Petersburg, April, 1880. " The frontier on the Oxus ought to constitute, as in antiquity, not only the political, but also the ethnical frontier."— Arminius Vambery, London, April, 1880. LONDON : WM. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL, S.W. 1880. [All Rii/lits Reserved.] PRINTED AT THE "GUARDIAN" PRINTING WORKS, WARRINGTON AND CREWE. IM&icateo, WITH SINCERE ESTEEM, TO MY FRIEND RICHARD KEMP.

Preface

. Colonel N. Grodekoff's account of his Ride to Herat is entirely his own. All I have done is to translate the narrative, and to divide it into chapters. The Map of his march route is a sac-simile of one he sent me a short time ago, together with his portrait. His statement that Merv is not the Key of Herat, and the description he gives of the state of affairs in the region desolated hy the Turcoman scourge, deserve the attention of English writers on Central Asia. Chahlton, Kent, June, 1880. CONTENTS. Preface vii Introduction xv,

Chapter I. From Tashkent To Mazar-e-shereef

My interview with General Kaufmann — I set out on my ride to the Caspian — My followers — No masquerading — Arrival at the River Oxus — Patta Keesar — Courtesy of the Afghan Envoy — I cross over to Afghanistan — The Eeshagasi — Text of the pass furnished me by General Kaufmann — "In Russia one law: in Afghanistan, another" — Afghan prisoners from Cabul — My "row" with the Eeshagasi — We set out for Mazar-e-Shereef — The ruins of Seeyageerd — Incidents of the ride — I find myself guarded — The Afghans discuss whether they shall murder me — Arrival at Mazar-e-Shereef — The Eeshagasi's trophy — Our ride through the streets of the capital of Afghan Turkestan CHAPTER n. A SKETCH OF AFGHAN TURKESTAN. My Residence at Mazar-e-Shereef — The Eeshagasi leaves with a Lie in his mouth — General Stolietofl's room — Mahomet Musin Khan — A drunken Envoy — An Afghan dinner — Mustapha's complaints against the Afghans — I am conducted to the Palace of the Governor-General of Afghan Turkestan — Appearance of the Afghan soldiers — Khosh Deel Khan — Afghan Turkestan described — Andkhoi — The subjugation of Maimene — Sack of the city and slaughter CONTENTS.

X 23 of 18,000 people— Aktcha, Goorzevan, Darzab, and Badakshan — Ill-treatment of the Uzbeks — Awaiting their deliverance by Russia or Abdurrahman Khan — How the natives are tortured — Seizure of suspected Russian spies — Military strength of the Afghans beyond the Hindoo Koosh CHAPTER in. MT IMPRISONMENT AT MAZAR-E-SHEREEF. The interview with the Lueenaib— Bokharan civility and Afghan churlishness — Khosh Deel Khan refuses to allow me to proceed — Colonel Matvaeff and his visit to Badakshan — Am not allowed even to return to Bokhara, to await there the arrival of the answer from Shere Ali — My quarrel with the Lueenaib — Harmony restored, though not confidence — The Afghan guard under inspection — General Razgonoff — The Governor-General borrows my uniform — Refusal to convey my letter to General Kaufmann — I explode with anger — The guard increased over my lodgings — A council of war — We obtain and secrete weapons — Our plan of escape 49

CHAPTER IV. THE CAPTIVE BECOMES GUEST.

Arrival of a courier from Cabul — The Afghans consent to convey a letter to General Kaufmann — A second interview with the Lueenaib — I am treated to a little Afghan music — The Governor-General's opinions respecting the war with the English— The Lueenaib refuses to give permission to my attendants to walk about the streets of Mazar-e-Shereef — Dull days of my captivity — I find myself the "guest" of Shere Ali— Arrangements for my ride to Maimene and Herat— Composition of the military escort — The Lueenaib refuses to give a parting interview—I make my peace with Mahomet Musin Khan —The strength and equipment of an Afghan cavalry regiment— Easy manners of Afghan officers— Afghan officers rarely have recourse to the " cat " CONTENTS, XI

CHAPTER V. INCIDENTS OF THE RIDE FROM MAZAR-E-SHEREEF.

Departure from the capital of Afghan Turkestan — Takhtapool and Sheerabad — Attention and foresight displayed by Mahomet Musin Khan — Effects of being a guest of the Ameer — Mustapha becomes Mustapha Khan — Courtesy of the Afghan soldiers — The River Balkh, and the ruins of ancient Bactra — Tha bridge across the stream — The decadence of the town — Arrival at the shrine of Zeinal Obedin Baimar — A Lahore monk who had never heard of the existence of the Russians — Meer Ali Khan's misbehaviour — The Afghans endeavour to pillage the nomads — Meer Ali Khan beaten, both morally and physically — Effects of kind treatment on the nomads — Meer Ali Khan's misbehaviour forgiven and forgotten ; 75

CHAPTER VI. THE RIDE TO SARIPOOL.

Departure from Mazar Zeinal Obedin Baimar — Hospitality of the people of Salman — A race after antelopes — The plain of Sheebeerkhan — A fresh escort— Absence of wheeled vehicles in Afghan Turkestan — Houses of refuge along the road — The River Saripool — Djeedailik — Unhealthy character of the Valley of Saripool— Curious designations of the settlements — Arrival at the town of Saripool 86 CHAPTER Vn. ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION AT SARIPOOL. Saripool — The populace escort me to my quarters — Mustapha exhorts the people not to take so much interest in me — ■ Display of feeling in the streets — Our ride from Saripool to Maimene — Mountains, dales, and gorges — Koortchee — Meer Ali Khan again illtreats the people — The defile of Beltcherag — The escort reinforced by troops from Maimene — Unpleasant dilatoriness of the officer in command — I insist on entering Maimene without stopping on the road to break the journey — I lose all command over myself and threaten the officer — Arrival at last at Maimene CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VIII. MAIMENE.

Description of the city— Its siege by the Afghans — Cause of the protracted investment — The appearance of the Afghan troops at Maimene — Major Goolam Mahomet takes his departure— The Governor of Maimene refuses to see me —March— Routes to Herat — The Zmaini Regiment- Adjutant Hamid Khan— Aspect of the country beyond Maimene— The rumour that Russia had purchased Herat —Mustapha Khan becomes Mustapha Bey — The valley ofthe River Almar— Brutality oE the Afghans towards the Uzbek villagers — A dinner obtained by bloodshed— The River Kaisar — Ravages of the Turcomans — A description of Tcharshambe — A holy man-stealer — My refusal to receive him 110

CHAPTER IX. MERV AND THE TEKKE TURCOMANS.

Merv as it used to be — Its capture and destruction by the Bokharans — Turcoman forays — One beneficial result of the capture of Khiva — An estimate of Turcoman courage — Preparing for the Alaman — Attacks on caravans — Sufferings of the captives — Pate of the prisoners — The long captivity of Gunner Keedaeff — Wonderful fertility of the oasis of Merv — Reconstruction of the broken dam — How the power of the Tekkes might easily be destroyed — My desire to go to Merv — Napier — Terrible condition of the region ravaged by the Tekke Turcomans — Departure from Tcharshambe — Hamid Khan refuses to take the easiest road to Herat 126

CHAPTER X. MERV NOT THE KEY OF HERAT.

The ride from Tcharshambe to Osobi Kof — Desolate aspect of the country — The ascent of the Kara Djangel — Arrival at the banks of the River Moorgab — Ruins of Bala Moorgab — Hamid Khan takes his leave — Crossing CONTENTS, XIII the Moorgab — Excessive care displayed by the Afghans for my safety in traversing the ford — We encounter a band of Hazares, and the survivors of a caravan pillaged by the Tekke Turcomans on the 11th of November — Quarrel with Meer Ali Khan — The Hazares — Arrival at Kalai Naoo — Fear of the Afghans lest I should be poisoned — Dervishes — Crossing the Paropamisus — Plan of a fortified village in the valley of Herat — Merv proved not to be the key of Herat— March route from Merv to Serakhs 144

CHAPTER XI. MY STAY AT HERAT.

Djan Mahomet Khan arrives to escort me to Herat — Cabul grapes — Shere Ali's order for me to be treated in the best possible manner — Our final ride to Herat — Dinner at Soorch Rabat: — First view of the city — Aspect of the valley — Strength of the field artillery at Herat — Our ride through the Bazaar — An awkward meeting — Sardar Mahomet Omar Khan — My lodgings — Mustapha astonishes the "Fifteen" — Once more at liberty — Generosity of the Sardar — I can have as much money as I like to ask for — My letter to General Razgonoff 165 CHAPTER XH. FROM HERAT TO THE PERSIAN FRONTIER. Visit to the Sardar — A portrait of myself — An elephant ride — Description of Herat — Its strategical importance — I bid good-bye to the Sardar, and set out for the Persian frontier — The banks of the River Heri Rood — Shekeevan — The Governor of Goorian — The Maoors — Devastation produced by the Tekke Turcomans at Koosan — Am interviewed by persons released from slavery during the Kliivan Campaign in 1873 — Their earnest desire for the intervention of Russia to put a stop to the Turcoman scourge — From Koosan to the Persian frontier — "The District of the 350 Ruined Villages "—Frightful aspect of CONTENTS. the country — I cross over into Persia, and once more feel myself a free man 17ft Concluding Remarks 190>

Appendix

. Samarcand to Mazar-e-Shereef 205 Pashino on Abdurrahman Khan 213 Foreign military missions in Persia 225 DIRECTIONS TO BINDER. Portrait of Colonel Grodekoff Frontispiece Sketch-Map of the Uzbek Khanates Page 38 Plan of a Village near Herat] Page 161 Map of Grodekoff's Mareh-Route At theJEnd-

Introduction

. On the 19th of January, 1879, the Novoe Vremya furnished a fresh topic for political conversation at St. Petersburg, by publishing the following paragraph :—" From the time that the first Russian soldier stepped on Turkestan soil, that region has been the scene of many daring exploits and expeditions, many of which, however, remain unknown to Russian society. A few days ago, there arrived at St. Petersburg Colonel Grodekoff, of the General Staff, who has just performed a journey, the extraordinary hazards and difficulties attending which far exceed anything that has hitherto been done in that way. It will suffice to say that Colonel Grodekoff, with out even resorting to any disguise, accompanied by a Kirghiz and two Persians, one of whom, Teimur Mustapha Rakh metulin, acted as interpreter, traversed all the north-western provinces of Afghanistan to Herat, through places constantly exposed to raids from the Tekkes, and over the whole of Northern Persia. On the 6th November last this intrepid officer left Tashkent, and on the 15th of December reached

INTRODUCTION.

. Asterabad, having traversed a distance of nearly 1,500 miles." This information, with several additional particulars, appeared in the Globe on the 28th January, i.e. five days before Lord Loftus's despatch, containing a translation of the Novoe Vremya paragraph, reached the Foreign Office.* On the 6th February, or three days after Lord Loftus's despatch arrived at Downing Street, the Marquis of Salisbury received a letter from our Minister at Teheran, dated December 10, 1878, in which, among other matters, was stated as under : — -" I have the honour to inform your Lordship that a Russian officer, whose name resembles Kerdinhoff, reached Meshed on the 27th ultimo, having come from Tashkent, vid Balkh and Herat. Two hundred Afghan horse escorted him through the Herat territory. He only remained three days at Herat, but was twelve days at Balkh.

On his arrival at Meshed he telegraphed to the Russian General at Tashkent, informing him that he had been received at Herat in a most satisfactory and cordial manner. He appeared to be going on immediately to Russia, by way of the Caspian Sea." The same day a second despatch was received from Mr. Ronald Thomson, dated December 17, and containing the sub joined additional particulars respecting Grodekoff: — "The Russian officer, of whose movements I had the honour to inform * Blue Book " Central Asia No. 1. (1880)."

INTRODUCTION.

. XVII your Lordship in my despatch of the 10th instant, started from Meshed on the 30th of November. While there, it is said that he stated that he had left St. Petersburg on a special mission at the end of last September, and that he was going back there at once ; that when at Balkh he had come across the Envoy despatched by the Government of His Majesty the Czar, on his return from Afghanistan, and that from him he had heard that Ameer Shere Ali Khan had stated that should he find himself unable to withstand the advance of the British army, as might possibly be the case, he had the intention of retiring to the hill country." Accompanying these two despatches arrived also a third, on the 6th February, from Mr. Ronald Thomson, dated Teheran, December 31, and containing two translated enclosures received from the English news-writer at Meshed.

One of these was dated December 7, 1878, and ran as follows : — "Eight days ago the Russian officer left for Asterabad ; he sent back a Cossack, native of Khokand or Tashkent, who had been travelling with him to Meshed, giving him a pass port to the effect that the bearer was his servant and returning home, and that therefore no one was to prevent or molest him. The officer said that the Afghan troops were not disciplined, but merely an imitation ; that he met the Russian Envoy at Balkh returning from Cabul ; and he said that Ameer Shere Ali had told him that whenever the English troops marched against him, as he is unable to resist them, he would take

INTRODUCTION.

. to the mountains ; he (the officer) had further added that he had left St. Petersburg two months previously, and that he was now returning there direct ; that for 300 farsakhs of the road between Orenburg to Tashkent there is no railway, but there is a cart road by which the post arrives in eight days at Tashkent, and that the railway will be finished in another year." * The second communication, dated a week later, referred chiefly to Cabul affairs, but it contained one or two particulars respecting Grodekoff. " The fourth Russian officer came to Maimene and thence to Herat. His journey had been notified by the Ameer to the Herat authorities, instructing them to pay him every attention. He arrived at Herat on the 16th of November, and was received with much ceremony. Quarters were prepared for him in the Chehar Bagh, the Governor's own residence.

He only remained there three days, and then asked for an escort to convey him to the Persian frontier, en route for Meshed. This was granted, and took him as far as Kareez. I presume he was an officer of high standing in Russia, but here he did not give out his rank or who he was at all ; he did not discuss any political topics with the Governor; it appears that he merely came to visit the place. On reaching Meshed he intends proceeding to Russia via Gez." The letter bag from Teheran received at the Foreign Office * Grodekoff could never have made such a preposterous statement as this about the railway. Our Blue Books would excite less ridicule if they were carefully weeded of such obvious canards — CM.

INTRODUCTION.

. XIX on the 6tb February contained a final despatch from Mr. Ronald Thomson, dated December 31, with the annexed item *rom the English news-writer at Asterabad. " December 24. On the 17th a Russian officer arrived here from Meshed via Shahrood. He remained two days at the Russian Consul's house, and then left for Ashoorada by Gez. This officer has been to Herat." * Shortly after Colonel Grodekoff's return to St. Petersburg, the Czar, displaying an appreciation of intrepidity which might advantageously be imitated by our own Sovereigns when our Burnabys and MacGregors come back from their rides into the dark region of Central Asia, gave the gallant staff-officer a private audience at the Winter Palace, and presented him with a decoration, which, all will admit, after reading his narrative, the Colonel fully deserved.

The Russian Government attached such importance to Grodekoff's knowledge of Herat and Afghan Turkestan, that he was not allowed to return again to his duties at Tashkent, but was kept, for purposes of consultation, at St. Petersburg. Recently he received orders to keep himself in readiness to proceed to the Caspian to join SkobelefFs expedition against the Akhal Tekke Turcomans. One result of this was that the narrative of his journey through Afghanistan was greatly abridged, and, unfortunately, that portion suffered the most from curtailment which, otherwise, would have rendered * Blue Book " Central Asia No. 1. (1880.)" XX

INTRODUCTION.

. Colonel Grodekoff's ride as popular, perhaps, in this country, as Major Burnaby's ride to Khiva. Early in May he set out from St. Petersburg for the Caspian, and a Russian letter from Fort Alexandroosk men tions, that among the officers who arrived there on the 13th, with Adjutant General Skobeleff, to inspect the place, was Colonel Grodekoff. His desire to visit Merv thus stands a good chance of being gratified at no distant date. COLONEL GRODEKOFF'S RIDE FROM SAMARCAND TO HERAT

CHAPTER I. FROM TASHKENT TO MAZAR-E-SHEREEF.

My interview with General Kaufmann — I set out on my ride to the Caspian— My followers' — No masquerading — Arrival at the River Oxus — Patta Keesar — Courtesy of the Afghan Envoy — I cross over to Afghanistan — The Eeshagasi — Text of the pass furnished me by General Kaufmann — " In Russiaone law : in Afghanistan, another " — Afghan prisoners from Cabul — My " row " with the Eeshagasi — We set out for Mazar-e-Shereef — The ruins of Seeyageerd — Incidents of the ride — I find myself guarded — The Afghans discuss whether they shall murder me— Arrival at Mazar-e-Shereef — The Eeshagasi's trophy — Our ride through the streets of the Capital of Afghan Turkestan. In September, 1878, I presented to the com mander of the troops in the Turkestan military district my leave-report, permitting me to relin quish my duties at Tashkent and to proceed to St. Petersburg or Odessa, by way of Afghanistan and Persia.

In the event of his acquiescence, I begged Adjutant-General Von Kaufmann to furnish me with documents giving me a free B passage through the countries referred to. The General not only warmly acceded to my request, but also offered me pecuniary assistance for the journey. This offer, for various reasons, I de clined ; but accepted twenty silver articles for presents on the way. My leave -report was presented on the 18 th of September. I trusted to accomplish the distance to Asterabad in fifty days, i.e., before winter commenced in Afghanistan and Khoras san, and consequently had to hasten my departure. To the observation of General Kaufmann that I should have to wait some time for the permission of the Ameer, Shere Ali, I suggested that, instead of waiting for this permission at Tashkent, I should leave with the courier, who would convey the letter of the Governor-General to Cabul ; the courier would travel faster than I should, and, moreover, the arrangements for the journey would detain me a few days at Samarcand ; and thus, by the time I reached Mazar-e-Shereef, the administrative place of residence of the Governor-General of Afghan Turkestan, the courier would have reached Cabul and returned to that town with the pass.

General Kaufmann agreed to this view of the matter, and, furnished with an open letter signed and sealed by the Governor-General himself, I set out from Tashkent for Samarcand, by the post road, on November 6th, having despatched thither in good time beforehand my servants and luggage. Having made my final arrangements for the journey, I rode from Samarcand on the 9th of November, late in the afternoon, bound for Herat and the Caspian. I was accompanied by three followers. The first, acting as servant and interpreter, was Mustapha Rakhmetulin, a native of Gulistan, near Meshed. Eleven years previous he had been taken prisoner by the Merv Tekkes, sold as a slave in the city of Bokhara, and afterwards liberated in consequence of the suppression by the Russian Government of slavery in Khiva and Bokhara.

He knew three languages — Persian, Toorkee, and Russian. The second was Ibrahim Moullah Hassan, a Persian, born at Samarcand. He spoke Persian and Toorkee, and was slightly acquainted with Russian. The third was a Kirghiz of the Sergiopol District, Urazali Kojanbergenoff by name. He spoke Russian, and, with the Persian, acted as groom. Our armament consisted of a cavalry Berdan b2 with 100 cartridges, and one of Smith and Ves son's revolvers with twelve cartridges. Later on, at Mazar-e-Shereef, we acquired two Afghan knives, and at Meshed a double-barrelled gun. The means of transport at our disposal com prised four riding horses (one for each of us), two pack horses/and another as a reserve ; in all seven. I did not have recourse to any disguise, but travelled in my uniform. I concealed neither my nationality nor my rank ; nor did I seek to hide the march route I intended to take on my way to the Caspian.

I believe that in the circumstances in which I at the time found myself placed, this was the best means of travelling in Asia. Any masquerade that I might have adopted would have only impeded my movements, on account of my unsatisfactory knowledge of Oriental languages, and my ignorance of the ceremonial observances which Mussulmans make use of at almost every step. I will omit from my narrative the excellent reception accorded to me by the Emir of Bokhara at Keetab, as well as my journey through that ruler's dominions, and will go on with the reception which I received on arriving in Afghanistan. In the afternoon of October 17, I arrived at the Amu Daria, at the Turcoman settlement of Patta Keesar, where the river is crossed by boats. On the Afghan side, at the moment of my arrival at the ferry, no one could be seen.

At the end of about two hours, however, on the left bank became vis ible a body of horsemen, who commenced to pitch two kibitlcas, or tents. The Bokharan official immediately informed me that these Mbitkas were intended for my reception, and the horsemen for my escort to Mazar-e-Shereef. This intelligence I easily believed ; because, while yet at Sheerabad, I had sent on in advance, to give notice of my approach, an Afghan belonging to a party of three appointed by the Afghan Ambas sador at the Court of the Emir of Bokhara to ac company me to the capital of Afghan Turkestan. I may here mention that the Afghan Envoy at the Court of the Emir of Bokhara was at Keetab when I passed through there. It was my desire, before proceeding to Afghanistan, to have an in terview with him. Without the permission, how ever, of the Emir this was impossible.

So much time was lost in my negotiations with Moozaffar Eddin that, having selected the 12th of October for my inspection of the Bokharan troops and for my departure directly afterwards for Shaar, I re solved not to carry out my idea of visiting the Afghan Envoy ; especially as I had no particular ob ject in doing so. The Afghan envoy, hearing during the morning ofthe 12th of my intended journey to his country, sent two officials to my quarters to enquire after my health. In the evening, it came to his ears that my projected interview with him would not take place, and in order to do me a service he sent me three of the men attached to his suite, with orders to escort me to Mazar e-Shereef. One of these men, as I have already said, I had sent on in front of me to herald my approach. A second one, on noticing the horsemen and the tents on the Afghan shore of the Oxus, I sent down to the waterside to some sandbanks stretching into the stream, with orders to shout to his countrymen and ask whether there was any obstacle to my crossing the river in the morning.

The sun was then beginning to set, and I was desirous of knowing whether any impediment existed to my entry into Afghanistan. In reply to the Afghan's shouts, the party on the other side answered that I could cross the next day; adding, that the escort and the kibitkas were ready for me. The following morning, October 18, I crossed over in a boat to the Afghan side with my men and horses. On touching the shore I was met by the Eeshagasi or Chamberlain, Shah Sevar Khan, with the officers of the cavalry escort that had arrived the evening before. This personage invited me to enter one of the kibitkas. Of these, as I have already said, there were two. I approached the nearest, in front of which was posted a guard ; but had hardly got to the door of it when one of the men flashed his sword over my head.

Not under standing what he meant by this, I demanded an explanation of the Eeshagasi, who replied that admittance into that tent was prohibited because it contained prisoners. I thereupon angrily asked him why he had not warned me of this in time. As an apology, the Eeshagasi struck the sentry, but I interposed with the remark that the man was not to blame for doing his duty, but only the Eeshagasi himself, who ought to have shown me the road. Entering the other kibitka we sat down upon a carpet. After the customary congratulations on my safe arrival, and enquiries respecting my health, the Eeshagasi asked me who I was, where I was going to, and what the object was of my journey. As a reply to these interrogations I handed him an open letter, in which was written in Russian, Persian, and Toorkee, the following announcement : — " The bearer of this, Colonel Grodekoff, accompanied by his servants, is proceeding to Russia, with my permission, via Afghanistan and Persia.

On that account I beg all functionaries who may be found along the route traversed by Colonel Grodekoff to accord him assistance and protection. September 21 (O.S.), 1878. Tashkent. The Go vernor-General of Turkestan, commanding the troops in the Turkestan Military District, Adju tant-General Von Kaufmann 1st." Having read this document, the Eeshagasi said that I should have to wait on the bank of the Oxus about two days, until I received the per mission of the Lueenaib, or Governor-General of Afghan Turkestan, to proceed to Mazar-e- Shereef* I had already noticed, while walking with the Eeshagasi from the river shore to the tent, that * The Governor-General of Afghan Turkestan at the time of my visit was Khosh Deel Khan. When the revolution took place at Mazar-e-Shereef after the death of Shere Ali, Khosh Deel Khan crossed the Oxus and sought refuge at Tashkent. the locality was a damp, unwholesome place, covered with reeds and bushes, and without any signs of a human habitation (one can hardly term the huts built by the Afghan fishermen human habitations) ; and had made up my mind before handing Kaufmann's letter to the Chamberlain that under no circumstances would I wait even an hour on the spot ; being determined, in the event of the Eeshagasi refusing, to proceed at once to Mazar-e-Shereef, to return to the Bokharan side of the Oxus and wait there for the arrival of the Governor's permission.

All this I intimated to the Eeshagasi ; adding that it was strange not to allow me, an individual almost unarmed, to proceed to Mazar-e-Shereef, when he himself had upwards of 30 soldiers to protect him ; that it was strange not to let me go forward when Afghan subjects were allowed to move about freely in Turkestan ; when our sovereigns were at peace with each other ; and when their respective envoys were residing, one at Cabul and the other at Tashkent. The Eeshagasi replied that in Russia there was one law, and in Afghanistan another. He could not think of taking upon himself the responsibility of letting me go forward. Finally, excusing himself with the plea that he had press ing business to perform, he went out of the tent, and left me in it alone. The pressing business to which he referred was the task of conveying across the river to Bokhara, Server and Eesaak Khan, the two cousins of Abdurrahman Khan who joined him in his flight to Badakshan in the winter of 1879.

For a long period they had been kept in prison at Cabul, but were now about to be sent across the Oxus to live in exile at Samarcand. It became clear to me now that the two tents had not been pitched for me, but for the relations of Abdurrahman Khan ; that the escort, instead of being sent to meet me, had arrived as the guard of the two prisoners ; and that, finally, the kibitka into which I had been refused admittance had contained Server and Eesaak Khan. In a few minutes' time the ferry boat was loaded with men and animals, and pushed off from the Afghan shore. The Eeshagasi remained the whole time alongside the water's edge until the boat had reached the Bokharan bank. He then returned to the tent. Immediately he entered the kibitka, I categori cally demanded of him : " Did he mean to let me go on at once to Mazar-e-Shereef or not I " The firmness of the question obviously disturbed Shah Sevar Khan.