.REVIEW. — MOORCROFT’S TRAVELS. 277 
his character ; for, as he observes of himself, “ his obstinacy was 
almost equal to his enthusiasm,” in which, however, for obstinacy, 
his friends would substitute perseverance. Accordingly, having 
wrung from the government of India a reluctant acquiescence in 
his journey to Bokhara for the purpose of procuring horses, he also 
obtained its permission to carry with him such articles of merchan- 
dize as he thought likely to be most in demand. The ultimate 
proceeds of these articles were to be expended in the purchase 
of horses, which were, in the first instance, to be offered to 
the Government for sale: such as they disapproved of were to be 
disposed of through other channels. The principle of the experi- 
ment was, no doubt, creditable to Mr. Moorcroft’s patriotism ; but 
many disasters, and much delay — eventually the cause, perhaps, 
of his death — may be ascribed to his incumbering himself with 
heavy packages amidst impracticable routes, and amongst people 
who are little better than organized robbers, and who welcome the 
stranger merchant to their haunts merely that they may revel on 
his plunder.” — Preface . 
In the paragraph hereto subjoined, but which in the work pre- 
cedes the extract we have just concluded, Mr. Moorcroft appears 
in the noble character of an adventurous and intrepid explorer of 
countries unknown to other parts of the world, amid all the perils 
and dangers and countless obstacles with which such enterprizes 
must ever be beset. He was not a man, however, to be turned 
from his purpose. Exposure, fatigue, sickness, but delayed, frus- 
trated not his object. If, as an undaunted and undauntable traveller, 
he had a fault, it was probably that, at times, he would assume a 
little authority beyond what he was legitimately armed with, and 
hence some little bickering on occasions between John Company 
and himself. There was also one other little point on which John 
and he did not exactly hit it, and that was the exchequer he was 
during his travels furnished with or permitted to draw upon as 
necessity required. That Moorcroft was either particularly econo- 
mical or particularly scrupulous, we think no one who reads his 
“ Travels” will discover : at the same time that he was — what we 
have asserted him to be — a man of first-rate talent, indomitable 
energy, and untiring perseverance, we think will everywhere 
appear; and, as such, could, properly managed, have proved 
nothing short of a most valuable servant to the Company, at the 
same time that he was promoting science in every commendable 
manner. With these few remarks, we shall continue our extracts 
from the “ Preface” of the work, leaving those we have made from 
the " Travels” to another occasion. 
* * * * * 
Pp 
VOL. XXI. 
