274 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



vessels cross in two days to Mungishlauk ; so that, 

 in twenty-four days, the Eussian goods can be sent 

 from one of their large towns directly to the capital 

 of Turkistan. If the Khan of Khiva and his succes- 

 sors consult their own interest by giving protection to 

 merchants, I think there is very little doubt of their 

 having the whole of the Russian trade with Northern 

 Asia carried through their city. 



August 3d. I have been too busy with office matters 

 to resume this rambling journal up to this date ; in the 

 meantime, the following occurrences have taken place : 

 Brutus has returned to Herat ; the Khan Huzarut has 

 made over to me all the Eussian prisoners, and I am 

 to take them to a Eussian fort on the eastern shore 

 of the Caspian. The announcement of this determina- 

 tion put the mettle of my establishment to a severe 

 test. The sufferings of Captain Abbott and his party 

 among the Cossacks have not been forgotten ; and as 

 I gave out that I should take ship at Nova Alexan- 

 droff, it is hardly surprising that some of the muleteers 

 and understrappers should have begged to be excused 

 sharing my fortunes any further. Old Brutus seemed 

 to consider it a matter of course that I should take 

 him ; and on my first breaking to him my determina- 

 tion to send him back to Herat, he was loud in his 

 exclamations of the impossibility of returning without 

 me " He might live a thousand years, but he never 

 would return to Herat unless in my company. How 

 could he? would not his face be blackened to all 



