1833.] and Dr. Gerard, from Péshdwar to Bokhdra. 15 
the Turkoman said, Make yourselves easy, I’ll call upon you at the 
caravanserai. Such civil treatment, in such acountry and by monstrous 
Tirkomans, deserves to be mentioned.” 
<< We were now in the most ancient and renowned city in the world, 
and when we looked at the ruin and recalled to mind, the dynasty of 
Bactria, and in later ages the thrones of Jenghiz and Tymir, with the 
neighbouring scenes of Bokhara and Samarkhand, the present and the 
past, it gave us a lively idea of the countless revolutions which had 
rolled away. There was nothing here by which we could recognise 
these memorable epochs, and judging from the aspect of the few inha-’ 
bitants left, the spot seemed more suited to the dead, than as a place of 
abode for the living. The ruins, which are mostly of mud, are very ex- 
tensive; but they only mark the modern site of the city. The msalubrity 
of Balkh is proverbial, and this calamity may be traced to the very 
effects of its former greatness. The eighteen beautiful aqueducts, by 
which it was irrigated, no longer guided by the art of the husbandman, 
have spread their waters over the face of the country, and transformed 
its fair landscape into a stagnant marsh. Here the Nazir had another 
opportunity of resuming his tricks: in our difficulties with Morad Bég, 
we had intrusted him with our passports; and forgot them at Mazar. 
He now pretended to have lost them, and we were preparing to visit 
him vi et armis, when the intercessions of our Hajee restored them with- 
out more acting. From Balkh to the Oxus is almost a desert; camps 
of Turkomans occur in some places, and the sand hills are well clothed 
with bushes. The high road was considered unsafe, and we followed 
the downward course of the valley. At one spot only we required an 
escort of Tirkomans, who are themselves the robbers, but find it more 
advantageous to compromise their habits by an easily earned recompense. 
They were the first of the race we had seen, and their peculiarities 
struck us with surprise and interest. Their features, their dress, address 
and gay agility upon horseback, were all favorable; and, in fact every 
thing about them, but their modes of life and predatory customs, were 
respectable. On the 15th of June after travelling twelve hours, the day 
dawned upon theshores of the Oxus, and atnine o’clock, we were encamped 
upon its margin; a point that had so long been in prospect, and glim- 
mered through so many vague and ill defined ideas of difficulty and peril, 
was now at our feet, and we were not satisfied till our feet were actually 
in its cool waters; and here we sat, slept, and passed three entire 
days, with more ease than we dare expect upon the banks of the 
Ganges, for here we had neither alligators nor enemies of any kind 
to dread. ‘ 
