JOURNEY FROM HERAT TO ORENBURG. 225 



cumstance. This advance of the Russians on one 

 side, and our own in Afghanistan on the other, have 

 greatly alarmed the more intelligent among the Asia- 

 tics, 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 Merv, 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 Turkomans, and he now appears to be much 

 relieved. For my part, I am heartily glad of the 



VOL. II. P 



