JOURNEY FROM HERAT TO ORENBURG. 279 



Caspian, thirty-eight near Orenburg, and thirty-one 

 bought or seized from the Persians. The last- 

 mentioned chiefly belonged to the regiment of 

 Eussian deserters which was in the Persian army 

 under Samson. I gave each man a ducat, and 

 have hired a camel for every two. They all seemed, 

 poor people, very grateful, and altogether it was one 

 of the pleasantest duties I have ever executed. This 

 evening one of the Eussian women came to me in 

 great distress, saying that her two children were still 

 detained in Khiva. I have promised to secure their 

 release. The other Eussian prisoners have told me 

 of several of their countrymen who are still in 

 captivity, and the collecting them will cause much 

 delay. The minister came out here to see me this 

 morning, which is considered a very high honour. 

 I took the opportunity of speaking to him re- 

 garding the two children and the other slaves still 

 detained, and he has promised to have them sent 

 to me. 



August 5th. Started at sunrise and marched 

 fifteen miles, nearly the whole of the road through 

 rich cultivation. Gardens are to be seen on every 

 hand; small villages and detached farmhouses are 

 very numerous. At nine miles passed a large village 

 called Caizabad, where there is a considerable bazaar, 

 one mile from which crossed a very fine canal about 

 thirty-five yards in breadth. The halting-place was 

 at one of the numerous formal gardens. Before sun- 



