262 TEAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



Khan crossed the desert from Khiva to the Murghab 

 with 50,000 horse thus collected ; but on an emer- 

 gency he could easily assemble double that number, 

 and these froops could traverse a country where 

 Europeans would perish. To the honour of the 

 Khan Huzarut be it said, that he has put an end to 

 all plundering excursions, excepting on the countries 

 or kafilalis of nations with whom he is at war. The 

 hospitality of the Turkomans is more in proverb than 

 reality. I have been the guest of several, and always 

 gave my host in coin more than double the value of 

 everything I received ; and I never knew any scruple 

 made as to accepting the money, though I have had 

 complaints as to the smallness of the amount given ; 

 and they have often refused to sell me sheep at less 

 than three times the proper price. This nation is 

 very bigoted in its religious faith much more so than 

 the Afghans. Brutus and my party are much abused 

 for eating with me, as I am considered a Tcafir or 

 infidel Brutus gets very wroth on these occasions ; 

 he refers them to the Koran, which bears witness to 

 the truth of the New Testament, and he asks indig- 

 nantly whether in the Koran it is written that man 

 shall smoke intoxicating drugs, eat opium, drink 

 wine, and commit other vices too horrible to mention, 

 and (continues he to the gaping Turks) "If these 

 things are not permitted, how dare you presume to call 

 yourselves Mussulmen 1 " Any other man speaking 

 out so plainly would most assuredly be put to death ; 



