66 THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST, 



literary men ) in Bokhara, for converting the musselmans 

 Hving in Russia. Hoshbegi examined the diploma in my 

 presence, and stated that it contained nothing more than 

 the assertion that D — had undergone a severe examination 

 in the Arabic language, to the satisfaction of his examiners : 

 thus he was acquitted ; but his accusers caused hitn to be 

 brought before the Emir, when he and his diploma were 

 again examined, with, however, the same result. 



A short time before my departure, Hoshbegi requested 

 me, by the bread and salt whith I had eaten in his house, to 

 write to him from Russia, informing him whether this eidjee 

 ( ambassador ) was a Christian or a musselman. I was of 

 opinion that it could be easily ascertained, even at Bokhara, 

 by examining his body ; besides that, his light hair indicate, 

 that he was not an Arab. The minister probably did not 

 like to urge the matter any further, because Monsieur D. had 

 brought him some valuable presents. When I entered 

 Bokhara, I was forbidden to write ; and I did not transgress 

 that prohibition. It is probable that the Englishmen who 

 came shortly after my departure to Bokhara (Colonel Stod- 

 dart and Captain Conolly) acted otherwise, which led to the 

 discovery of their being spies, on account of which they were 

 beheaded. Dr. Wolff, whose acquaintance I made at Lahore, 

 and whom I saw last year in England (at the Isle Brewery, 

 near Taunton), told me that these two Englishmen had 

 been taken as spies and convicted, and that it was Ubd-ool- 

 Sumet Khan, a Persian rogue, who informed against them, 

 and afterwards caused Hoshbegi to be beheaded ; and who, 

 eventually, was himself decapitated. 



In consideration of my attendance on the various patients, 

 I obtained, by order of the minister, permission to pass 

 on horseback through all the bazzars of the holy city, 

 accompanied by a servant of his. Nevertheless, I observed 

 many fanatic students plotting against me, on whom I had 

 my revenge, although not intentionally. I am sorry to 

 say that a student of the high college died in consequence 

 of an operation performed by me. My enemies, however, 

 could do me no barm, as I had effected several important 



