286 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AXD SPORT. 



The head of the village where he is detained has been 

 sent for. The only others of whom I can hear are three 

 on the other side of the river, and Caruley has sent 

 troopers to fetch them. On the 1 8th, the head of the 

 village came to camp, and swore on the Book that the 

 lad concerning whom I had sent was 'dead ; but the 

 next day the father saying that he had positive intel- 

 ligence of his son being concealed, and still alive, 

 Caruley sent "three troopers to the spot, and after 

 much difficulty they succeeded in digging him out 

 from a vault in the granary. From Dusht Houz to 

 Arbogue, we marched a distance of 125J miles, along 

 the alluvial soil near the river Oxus. There were 

 frequently several Tchails of Turkomans in sight in all 

 directions, but the only fixed village is Old Ooregunge, 

 which is 109 miles from Khiva. It is on the site of 

 the ancient city, which is said to have existed in the 

 time of the Fire- worshippers. For many years it has 

 been altogether deserted, the river having changed its 

 course. A prophecy has descended from generation 

 to generation, that in the latter days Ooregunge shall 

 be again inhabited ; and within the last five years the 

 river has returned to this side and filled the bed of a 

 considerable stream, from which canals have been cut 

 for irrigation, and people are fast collecting, there 

 being now about 1000 families resident here, and 

 a considerable market twice a- week. I tell the Turko- 

 mans that the sooner they repent of their slave-dealing 

 and other sins the better, for the fulfilment of the 



