24G TKAVEL, ADVENTUKE, AND SPORT. 



overpowered them. Abbott was four times beaten 

 to the ground, and in protecting himself from sabre 

 cuts, lost the fore and middle fingers of his right 

 hand, and received several other wounds. He was 

 found by the Kazi's son in a wretched state, seventeen 

 days after the attack ; three of his servants had been 

 distributed as slaves, and he himself had been allowed 

 but little food, and deprived of all his property. The 

 presence of the Kazi's son, and some of the Khan 

 Huzarut's sowars who accompanied him, frightened 

 the Cossacks, and Abbott was allowed to move to 

 the camp of a neighbouring Turkoman, who received 

 him very hospitably. After a short time the Kazi's 

 son accompanied him to the vicinity of Nova Alex- 

 androff, where they parted, Captain Abbott telling 

 him to wait three days, and if in that time no letter 

 arrived, to return to Khiva. 



On the fourth day, no news having arrived, the 

 Kazi's son came back to this city; but before he left, 

 he heard that Captain Abbott had been received by 

 the Russian authorities at Nova Alexandroff, by 

 whom he had been placed on board a ship which 

 was to carry him across the Caspian. Brutus's head 

 is in the skies in consequence of his son's valour and 

 perseverance ; and he may well be proud of him, for 

 there are few men who would have entered upon the 

 journey which he undertook, and but very few who 

 would have succeeded in reaching Abbott. I have 

 done my best to bring the young man's conduct to 



