133 



Russian Mission from Orenbourg to Bokhara. 



[July 



the Russian government, whose support was in truth necessary to him 

 on account of his incessant quarrels with the Khan of Khiva. The day 

 after our arrival, the Sultan came on horseback to visit Monsieur Negri. 

 He was accompanied by a hundred Kirghiz, and wore a turband, though 

 it is not customary in the desert, but considered as a mark of piety in a 

 Mahomedan who is desirous of being distinguished from the general 

 mass of the Kirghiz. All the people that had accompanied him insisted 

 upon entering the ambassador's tent, and as many as it could hold made 

 their way in, and immediately squatted down after their fashion. 



The interior of the tent filled with these bearded faces, had a most 

 grotesque appearance. The Sultan was the only person with a fair 

 complexion, fine and Jarge black eyes, and a mild though serious ex- 

 pression, denoting a character of strong natural sense. He remained 

 an hour and a half. The following day 1 returned his visit. On the road 

 we encountered about fifty Kirghiz, assembled to carry into execution 

 the sentence awarded by the Sultan against one of their countrymen, 

 who had stolen a horse. He was condemned to death according to the 

 law of the Koran, — but the elders of the Kirghiz interceded for him 

 that providence may prosper the journey on which they were going, 

 and that mercy extended to the culprit may be a favourable omen to 

 their union with the Russians. The Sultan yielded to their solicitation, 

 and substituted a corporal punishment for the senience of death, which 

 had first been awarded. This was immediately carried into execution 

 in the following manner. The robber, half naked, having about his 

 neck some stripes of black belt, was forced by two men on horseback 

 who carried large whips, to run to the nearest tent, where his face was 

 blackened with soot and marched through a group of Kirghiz; they 

 then tied him to the tail of a horse, and forced him to hold a cord be- 

 tween his teeth. He was thus constrained to run after the horse which 

 was pushed into a smart trot. The rest of the Kirghiz followed flog- 

 ging the culprit with whips. The greater part of those engaged shouted 

 and laughed with all their might. In a few minutes he was set at liber- 

 ty, and immediately went to thank the Khan, promising never more to be 

 guilty of theft. During this time the horse of the robber suffered the 

 punishment at first intended for his master ; the throat was cut, and the 

 carcass divided into pieces, and instantly portioned among the spectators, 

 but not without much noise, disturbance and blows of the whip. 



After witnessing this scene, I proceeded to the habitation of the Sul- 

 tan, who made me wait some minutes, to enable him to decorate and ar- 

 range his habitation. At last we entered, and found him seated, in the 



