72 
THROUGH ASIA 
a Russian colonel, and given the order of the Cross of 
St. George. He is now, in manner, and speech, and 
dress, completely Russianized, lives in a well-appointed 
house in Tashkend, receives a yearly pension of .2^300 
from the Russian Government, and ^500 from the 
Emir of Bokhara, who, however, is his sworn enemy, 
lie leads a life of ease and leisure, studies learned 
Oriental works, and is content with the great change 
which has taken place in his existence. But the story 
of his adventurous and exciting life, which he told me 
during the evenings I spent at his house, is indeed 
pathetic — a powerful Asiatic prince to become a Russian 
colonel ! 
To return to the dinner. It was truly sumptuous, 
with glittering candelabra and resplendent star-decorated 
uniforms. The only thing that served to remind the 
stranger that he was in Central Asia was the presence 
of the Oriental guests in their costly gay-coloured khalats 
(coats) and turbans. When the champagne was served, 
the governor-general rose and read aloud a telegram from 
the Tsar, and proposed his health. Standing, and with 
their faces turned towards the Tsar’s portrait, all the guests 
listened to the Russian National Anthem. Baron Vrevsky 
then proposed the health of the Turkestan army and the 
Emir of Bokhara, and was himself the subject of a speech 
by the governor of the province of Syr-daria. 
It was not however social enjoyments which kept me 
so long in Tashkend. I was busily engaged the whole 
time with preparations for the continuation of my journey 
eastwards. I worked off large arrears of correspondence, 
took a number of photographs in the Sart quarter of the 
town, adjusted my instruments at the observatory, and 
collected a good deal of information, both written and 
oral, regarding the Pamirs. All my instruments were 
in good preservation, e.xcept the quicksilver barometer, 
which had come to grief on the journey from Orenburg, 
and had to be thoroughly repaired by the German 
mechanic at the observatory. The only other thing 
which was the worse for the continual jolting of the 
