230 TKAVEL, ADVENTITKE, AND SPORT. 



mah ; we take the former, as it has more water. It 

 is said, however, to be the longer by two or three 

 stages. Brutus thinks the governor of Merv means 

 to play us false. The man he has sent with us has 

 suddenly decided that it is impossible to take the 

 Eah-i-tukht, as the river is not fordable. Brutus 

 says that the other road is often dangerous ; and, at 

 any rate, the camels we have with us are only sufficient 

 to carry water and grain for our party with the 

 assistance of wells, and I have ascertained that for 

 four days I should find no water whatever on the 

 Rah-i-chushmah ; so sending for the guide, and hear- 

 ing all the pros and cons which he could urge, I told 

 him that I had made up my mind either to return to 

 Merv or to go by the Eah-i-tukht. He talked a good 

 deal about impossibilities, &c., and went to make 

 some inquiries. I hope, by the assistance of the Jew, 

 to turn his flank, by getting a guide from this khail. 

 I had secured one at Merv, but the governor sent for 

 him, and told him not to come with me. The Jew 

 has succeeded in getting a guide for me, who agrees 

 to take me half-way to Khiva, on condition that I 

 give him his food while with me, and eight tilldhs 

 for his trouble. The demand is most exorbitant, but 

 I see no other way of avoiding returning to Merv. 



May 11th. After many intrigues, on the part of 

 the governor's servant, to detain me and to prevent 

 the guide I procured yesterday from coming with 

 me, I at last got away from the khail, and marched 



