JOURNEY FROM HERAT TO ORENBURG. 211 



officer was absent from Khiva, Major Todd considered 

 it advisable to depute me to carry out the wishes of 

 Government, and on the evening of the 13th I made 

 my farewell call on the Vizier, Yar Mahomed Khan, 

 who insisted on accompanying me to my halting- 

 place, a village about two miles from the city. This 

 is certainly a delightful part of the world to one fond 

 of excitement. A fortnight ago I was thinking of 

 putting coloured glass in my windows, and making 

 other alterations in my quarters, as there appeared 

 every prospect of my remaining at Herat for many 

 a day ; it was then decided that I should go with 

 despatches to Cabul, and, just as my arrangements 

 were completed for this trip, I received instructions 

 to move towards Khiva ! If I fail in getting to Khiva 

 before the Eussians drive the Khan Huzarut from 

 that city, I have every chance of being carried away 

 in the uproar ; the whole country will be in con- 

 fusion, and, though my party is a respectable one, it 

 is anything but invincible. The chances, however, 

 are in my favour, as all the chiefs through whose 

 country I pass are in friendly correspondence with 

 us, and each of them knows that civility to me is 

 sure to be profitable to him. In short, the chances 

 of distinction are so great, and the hazard so slight, 

 that the heart of even a wren would be gladdened by 

 the prospect. I halted until the evening of the 14th 

 to take leave of all my native friends, and the party of 

 Englishmen with whom I have been so long and so 

 intimately associated. The farewell of the Afghans 



