*7
NARRATIVE
OF A
MISSION TO BOKHARA.
Vol. II
NARRATIVE
OF A
MISSION TO BOKHARA,
IN THE YEARS 1343-1845, TO ASCERTAIN
THE FATE OF COLONEL STODDART AND CAPTAIN CONOLLY;
BY THE
REV. JOSEPH WOLFF, D.D., LL.D.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED, FOB, THE AUTHOR,
BY JOHN W. PARKER, WEST STRAND.
M.DCCC.XLV.
vi CONTENTS.
Russian Slaves refused Liberation. Conversation with the Officers of the Nayeb. Hassan Shirazi ----- 24 — 47
CHAPTER XIV.
Disasters of the Seikh Army in Lassa. Csoma de Koros; his Re- searches ; publishes a Dictionary of the Thibet Language. The Sur- veillance over Dr. "Wolff grows more rigid. Barhurdar, an Arme- nian, ordered not to visit Dr. Wolff by the Ameer. Nasir Khayr Ullah, a Kaffer Seeah Poosh, mistaken for Colonel Stoddart from the fairness of his complexion. Conversation between Dr. Wolff and the Nayeb. Letter of Sir Richmond Shakspeare. The Nayeb detains in his possession the Letter of Lord Ellenborough to the Ameer. Nayeb alarmed ; advises Dr. Wolff to communicate to the Ameer the fact of the Letter having arrived; Dr. Wolff does so. Hassan Caboolee dispatched. Dr. Wolff discovers that, though apparently sent, he did not really go. Affghaun Bear Leader imprisoned as a Spy; he tells Dr. Wolff that the Ameer sent a Lion to Russia as a Present to the Czar, for which his Ambassador was munificently rewarded; but that the Czar refused after the Execution of the British Officers to hold any further Intercourse with the Ameer. The Ameer goes to war with Khokand and Oratepa; orders in his absence the Guards over Dr. Wolff to be doubled, and tells him that his Departure will depend on the success of his Expedition. Dr. Wolff writes to Lady Georgiana and his Son. Conversations with Dil Assa Khan, Abdullah, and others. Dr. Wolff bribes the Guards. Previous War with Khokand ; King made Prisoner and put to death by the Ameer of Bokhara ; his Wife and Child barbarously murdered. Abdul Samut Khan the chief Agent in the Slaughter. At the news of the Death of Stoddart and Conolly the Inhabitants of Khokand renew the War. The Ameer retreats before them and the Khivites. Dr. Wolff contrives to acquaint the British Envoy at Teheraun of the movements of the Ameer, and warns the Town of Shahr Sabz of the King's intention to attack them. Ameer says that nothing prospers with him since the Death of the English Officers. The King of Kho- kand offers Dr. Wolff an Asylum in his Dominions - 48—60
CHAPTER XV.
The Mervee wish to know the Story of Napoleon ; Dr. Wolff recounts it in an Oriental fashion. He amuses the tedious hours of Captivity
CONTENTS. vii
by telling various Anecdotes. His Anecdote of the Arabian Derveesli reaches the ears of the Daster Khanjee, who reports it to the Ameer. The Kasi Kelaun assures Dr. Wolff that the British Officers were put to death, and that the King deeply repented of the act. The Kasi Kelaun warned the Ameer of the Consequences. All the Jews knew of the Execution the same day, and the Inhabitants of Bokhara, in town and country, speak of it as a matter well known. Dr. Wolff tells an Anecdote of Frederick the Great of Prussia. Dr. Wolff laughs at Ameer Sarog's Vanity, and tells him the Tale of the Derveesh with the White Beard 61—68
CHAPTER XVI.
Abdul Samut Khan told Dr. Wolff that he was the chief Instigator of the Slaughter at Khokand in the first War ; his Motives were to create a Feud between the States, which he trusted would end in the Death of the Ameer. Abdul Samut Khan said that the first Expedition against Khokand was by the advice of Russia. People of Khokand have since made an Alliance with Russia. Policy of Russia was to bring this about by urging the Ameer to war on them when they would require Aid. Russians intend to erect a Fortress at Hasrat Sultan. People from Cabal, Kashmeer, and Scinde call on Dr. Wolff; they praise highly Sir Charles Napier. Affghauns from Cabul ascribe the Disasters of the British Army to the Immoral Conduct of the Officers. Determined Conduct of Major Rawlinson ; he puts to Death an Affghaun for Murder. Manners and Customs of the Muhammedan Mullahs. Diligence of Muhammedans in copying the Koran; Propaganda and British and Foreign Bible Society discharge the same Office by the Christians. The Bible would be nearly extinct in the East but for these Societies. Arrival of Abbas Kouli Khan, the Persian Ambassador; he tells Dr. Wolff that the Shah, Haje, and Assaff-ood-Dowla had strongly recom- mended him to bring Dr. Wolff with him, or to send him on before him. Nayeb sends for Dr. Wolff; informs him that Yar Muham- med Khan had sent three Ambassadors to Bokhara, stating that Colonel Shell had called the Ameer a Robber in the presence of the Russian and Yar Muhammed Khan's Ambassadors, of Dr. Wolff, and the Bokhara Ambassador; therefore Yar Muhammed Khan advised the Ameer to strike off Dr. Wolff's Head. Nayeb offers Dr. Wolff his Protection. Turkish Officer dies suddenly in the Nayeb's Garden. Another Conversation with the Nayeb. The Nayeb reports Abba* Kouli Khan's Mission untruly. Dr. Wolff
viii CONTENTS.
tries to escape. The Nayeb violates his promise to protect Dr. Wolff. The King sends for him. Dr. Wolff charges the Nayeb with the Murder of Stoddart and Conolly; the Nayeb owns it. Dr. Wolff again tries to escape through a Water Hole from the Garden of the Nayeb to the House of the Yawer. While there a Woman is introduced to him; he is aware of the Stratagem to compel him by her means to embrace Muhammedanism, and drives her from him. Ordered by the King to appear before him ; leaves the Garden of Abdul Samut Khan; presents himself before the Ameer, who receives him sternly. Ordered to the Toora Khane and close Confinement ; calls on Abbas Kouli Khan, who vows to save him. The King sends word to him that he may quit Bokhara in two ways; leaves to His Majesty the choice of either. King sets out for Samarcand 69—82
CHAPTER XVII.
Jews obtain leave from the Ameer to visit Dr. Wolff; they sing with him, and ask for the Names of illustrious Jews who had embraced Christianity; he tells them of several, viz., Emanuel Veith, M.D., Dr. Mayers, Dr. August Neander, Dr. Ratisbon, Isaac da Costa, Dr. Kabbadose, Madame Dorothea Schlegel. Muhammed Bakher Nakash, the Servant of Conolly, abjures Islam, and says the Chris- tians are better Men than the Muhammedans ; he is brought before the Sheikh Islam ; persists in his Avowal ; is sent to Prison, and flogged. Ameer returns ; sends to Dr. Wolff a Mullah, to know whether he will embrace the Muhammedan Religion ; Dr. Wolff replies, Never. Executioner sent also. Letter from the Shah; Haje Ibrahim, the Brother of Abdul Samut Khan, informs the Nayeb of the Letter, and urges him to prevent Abbas Kouli Khan from receiving it. Muhammed Bakher saved by Dr. Wolff. Atrocities of Abdul Samut Khan; gets a Turkomaun beheaded, who came to save Stoddart; also Ephraim, a Jew, from Meshed; Prisoners in his Garden ; their Moanings and Wailings. Impression throughout the Muhammedan Countries that England and Russia will seize all those Regions. Remark to Dr. Wolff. Affghauns praise the English. Habeeb, weeping, tells Dr. Wolff that he is to die. Servants of Abdul Samut Khan announce his Death, and show a Letter from Abdul Samut Khan to that effect. Dr. Wolff makes up his mind to die, and writes in his Bible a Farewell to his Family 83—93
CONTENTS. ix
CHAPTEE XVIII.
Colonel Sheil. Bad Conduct of Dr. Wolff's Servants. Remark of Usbecks on the Treatment of Dr. Wolff. Questions put by the Makhrams by order of the King to Dr. Wolff. Kindness of Abbas Kouli Khan to Dr. Wolff; the noblest-minded Persian Dr. Wolff has seen ; sends Dr. Wolff Food from his own Table ; places a Servant with Dr. Wolff for his personal Safety ; sends his Physician to Dr. Wolff to treat him for the Rishta. Abbas Kouli Khan and Dr. Wolff read together. Various Reports of the Ameer's Proceedings. Abbas Kouli Khan's Religious Opinions. Conversation with People of Samarcand ; they tell Dr. Wolff of Gold Mines and Turquoises near Samarcand; of Ghengis Khan and Tamerlane. Letter of Abbas Kouli Khan to Lady Georgiana. Nayeb sends two thousand tillahs to Dr. Wolff. The Letter of Lord Ellenborough reported to be at Balkh ; arrives in forty days ; Seal broken. Abdul Samut Khan leaves Bokhara for Samarcand; his Message to Dr. Wolff. Vile Conduct of Abdullah ; tries to rob Dr. Wolff. Dr. Wolff wishes the Jews to take charge of Abdul Samut Khan's Money; they decline it, on the ground that Abdul Samut Khan would take it from them, and make them pay for it. Letters arrive at Bokhara from the Brother of Conolly; Dr. Wolff opens them. Abbas Kouli Khan's continued Kindness to Dr. Wolff. The Jews visit Dr. Wolff ; their curious method of Conversation. Dr. Wolff writes to the " Sovereigns of Europe." A second Letter, with strict Instruc- tions about Dr. Wolff's Safety, arrives from the Shah. Letter to Captain Grover. Return of the Ameer and Abdul Samut Khan to Bokhara. King reads Lord Ellenborough's Letter; determines in his own mind, Abdul Samut Khan says, to kill Dr. Wolff. Others say that Abdul Samut Khan advised him to do so. Abbas Kouli Khan, Dil Assa Khan, and Dr. Wolff, visit the Ameer; he does not look on Dr. Wolff. Letter to Lady Georgiana and his Son. All Letters sent open by Dr. Wolff. Mullah sent to Dr. Wolff to know if he would embrace Muhammedanism ; he replies, Never. Execu- tioner visits him. Dr. Wolff prepares for Death. Abbas Kouli Khan intimates to the Ameer that he has a Letter to deliver from the Shah. The Ameer receives it, and gives Dr. Wolff up to him - 94—108
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XIX.
Ameer sends for the Servants of Abbas Kouli Khan and Dil Assa Khan, but omits Dr. Wolff's by mistake, to give them Robes of Honour. Interview with the Nayeb. Presents from the King. The Ameer tells Dr. Wolff to ask a Favour of him ; Dr. Wolff declines doing* so. Ameer determines to send an Ambassador to England. Vile Conduct of Abdul Samut Khan. Audience of leave to depart. Ameer commends the Conduct of Dr. Wolff; censures that of Stoddart and Conolly. Reception in Bokhara by the People. Murders committed by Abdul Samut Khan. First Plan by which the Ameer might be effectually checked in his Atrocities. Second Plan for same. English Honour requires some Notice to be taken of the Ameer's Conduct. Character of Ameer ; brutal, lustful, tyran- nical, but not so to the Poor ; fond of Information ; deeply affected at having put to death Stoddart and Conolly. Dr. Wolff prefers Ameer to Abdul Samut Khan. Description of Bokhara by Mr. Mac- gregor. Population of Khiva. Trade of those Countries. Russian Trade. Dignitaries of the State. Ecclesiastical Dignitaries. 109—128
CHAPTER XX.
Departure from Bokhara. Dr. Wolff discovers a Plot to kill and rob him, en route. Thousands attend to witness their Departure. Dr. Wolff refuses to separate from Abbas Kouli Khan. Arrival at Jesman-Doo. Vile Conduct of Muhammed Taki. Abbas Kouli Khan expresses his Displeasure. Derveesh of Yarkand; Conver- sation with him. Affghaun Seyd; Conversation with him. The Calmucks; their singular Conduct. Remarkable fine sense of Smelling and Hearing in Turkomauns. Appearance of Usbecks. Conversation with Abbas Kouli Khan; he thinks Abdul Samut Khan was the Murderer of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly. Visit from a Mullah ; his Account of Timur. Shahr Sabz. Route — Jesman-Doo; Shahr Islam. History of Afrasiab. Reports of Guzl- Bash about the English. Mortesa and Abdullah advise Dr. Wolff to leave Abbas Kouli Khan; he refuses. Peikand. Karakol. The Governor of Karakol warns Dr. Wolff that a Plot is laid to take away his life. Hussein. Route — Allat. The Caravan lose their way. An attempt made by Ismael .and Mortesa to seize Dr. Wolff; he calls on the Merchants of the Caravan to protect him. Sayen. Dr. Wolff wishes to throw aAvay the Money in the Desert; Abbas Kouli Khan takes it in his keeping - J 29— 14.°>
CONTENTS. xi
CHAPTER XXI.
Arrival at Jehaar-Joo. Abbas Kouli Khan calls on the Caravan to protect Dr. Wolff*. Bokhara Ambassador demands Money from Dr. Wolff. Rafitak. Bokharese Horsemen from the Ameer demand Tribute. Dr. Wolff disconsolate. Arrival at Ujaaje. Mowr. Caravan declared Prisoners. Ameer of Bokhara orders the Turkomauns to release the Caravan ; they refuse to obey ; their Khaleefa threatens to leave them if they injure the Caravan ; they obey him. Conversation of Derveesh. Turkomaun. A Derveesh tells the Story of Scanderbeg. Fakeers. Sultan Sanjaar. The Khaleefa speaks of Ghengis Khan. Khaleefa's Son speaks ill of the Assaff-ood-Dowla. Tribe of Salor best of the Turkomauns. Ameer Sarog and Kaher Kouli lay a Plot to murder Dr. Wolff ; the Khaleefa frustrates it. Jews aid the Khivites against Bo- khara. Joseph of Talkhtoon. Turkomaun Tales of Sultan Sanjaar. Turkomauns, in despite of Treaty, kill the Messenger of the Assaff- ood-Dowla. The Khaleefa's Conversation the night of his depar- ture with Dr. Wolff 144— 15G
CHAPTER XXII.
Tribe of Tekka. Route— Olugh Baba ; Sarakhs. Abbas Kouli Khan ill-treated by the Turkomauns. The Turkomauns demand Robes of Honour. Dr. Wolff is obliged to assume Madness to preserve himself and Abbas Kouli Khan. Turkomauns demand Tribute again. Taking of Sarakhs by Abbas Mirza in 1832. Khojam Shokoor threatens to put the Caravan to Death. Arrival at Mostroon . Nasarieh. Dil Assa Khan disgraced by the Assaff-ood-Dowla. Gaskoon. Meshed. Dr. Wolff seized with Illness. Account of Meshed; its Rulers. Letter from Colonel Shell, announcing a Subscription to the Mission of three thousand Rupees from Captain Eyre. Second Letter from same, announcing a Subscription for the same Object from Cabul Relief Committee of ten thousand Rupees. Dr. Wolff never received these Amounts. Letter from Agra Bank, announcing further Subscription from the North-west Provinces of India. Third Letter from Colonel Sheil. Assaff-ood- Dowla takes Birjand. Earthquake at Kayen. Persian Agents not trustworthy. Kind Reception at Meshed of Dr. Wolff by Hussein Khan, Son of the Assaff-ood-Dowla. Hussein Khan wishes to punish Dil Assa Khan. Dr. Wolff intercedes for him on account
xii CONTENTS.
of his Family. Dr. Wolff gets Abdullah bastinadoed and impri- soned. Kindness of Mullah Mehdee to the English. Villany of a German named Dieskau. Mirza Askeree, the Imaam Jumaa, calls at Night on Dr. Wolff. Massacre of Allah-Daad. The Jew Rahmeem. Dr. Wolff's Letter to the Jews of Meshed. 157— 176
CHAPTER XXIII.
Dissent among the Mussulmans. Sayed asserts Pilgrimages to be unne- cessary. Imaum Resa killed by Haroun Rashid. Muhammed Ali Serraf calls on Dr. Wolff; Dr. Wolff charges him with Neglect in not delivering the Letters of Sir Moses Montefiore and the Sultan ; Muhammed Ali Serraf shows a Letter from Colonel Sheil to justify his Conduct. Date of the Execution of Colonel Stoddart and Cap- tain Conolly. Argument for 1258 Hejirah; 1259 the right Date. Dr. Wolff regrets that the Sufferings of the Officers should have been so protracted, but cannot come, on reflection, to any other Conclusion than 1259 Hejirah, 1843 A.D. Character of Colonel Sheil. Evil of appointing Envoys that are not of the Established Church. Singular Conduct of Colonel Sheil. Letter from the Assaff-ood-Dowla. Christian Missions. Stations for them recom- mended at Semnaan, Damghan, Nishapoor, Meshed, Hasrat-Sultan, Tashkand, Shamay, Yarkand, Cashgar, Eele, Thibet, and Cash- meer; not at present at Bokhara. Khokand, Cashmeer, Ladack, and Lassa. Languages requisite : Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Chinese, Hindustanee, Hebrew, and Kalmuck. Sciences and Arts. Conduct required in a Missionary. The Character of a Missionary. Dialogue between Dr. Wolff and a Sooffee. Ameer Beyk, the Daoodee. Route — Askerea ; Shereef Abad ; Kadam-Gah ; Nishapore ; Sabz- Awar. Curious Report circulated there, at the first Visit of Dr. Wolff, that he was two hundred years old, and acquainted with all the Sciences of the Earth. Visited the second time by Crowds who conceived he had predicted the recent Earthquake. Route — Mas- sanan ; Abbas Abad ; Miyandasht ; Miyamey. Dr. Cormick died at Miyamey. Death of Abbas Mirza. Illness of Dr. Wolff. Con- versation between Sabhan Ullah Khan and Dr. Wolff. Route — Shah Rood; Deh-Mullah ; Damghan; DowlatAbad; Aghwan; Semnan; Lasgird; Deh Namak; Pah-Deh; Kish-Lagh. Arrival at Teheraun. Hospitable Reception by Colonel Sheil. Monsieur Le Comte Sartiges 177—194
CONTENTS. xiii
CHAPTER XXIV.
Dr. Wolff preaches at the Embassy. Noble Conduct of Count Medem. Colonel Sheil refuses to return the Letter of Lord Ellenborough. Kindness of the Russian Embassy. Khosrow Khan. Dr. Wolff writes to the Ameer. Reception by the Shah. Dr. Wolff thanks His Majesty for his Life. His Life twice preserved by the Court of Persia. Autograph of the Shah. Mullah Bahrain, the Gueber. Colonel Sheil demands the Date of the Execution of Colonel Stod- dart and Captain Conolly; Dr. Wolff gives 1258 Hejirah: Abbas Kouli Khan thinks it was 1259. Dr. Wolff, on further reflection, coincides with Abbas Kouli Khan. Persia could not under existing circumstances take Bokhara. Mirza Abdul Wahab. Letter of Abbas Kouli Khan to Lady Georgiana Wolff. Kindness of the Embassy to Dr. Wolff. Armenian Church. Recourse had to the Russian Embassy, and not to the British, by the Protestant Missionaries. Count Medem visits Abbas Kouli Khan, and thanks him for his Kindness to Dr. Wolff. Visit of Dr. Wolff to the Haje, the Prime Minister of the Shah ; their Conversation. Haje Ibrahim demands six thousand Tillahs; Dr. Wolff takes an Oath that he never received this Sum ; Dr. Wolff pays him three thousand Tillahs, and draws on Captain Grover for four hundred Pounds. Haje Ibrahim claims three thousand Tillahs as due from Conolly; Dr. Wolff protests against this Payment, and thinks Colonel Sheil ought to have refused to pay Haje Ibrahim anything for either Dr. Wolff or Captain Conolly. Inexplicable Conduct of Colonel Sheil. Letter from the Queen to the King of Bokhara. Visit to HajeBaba. 195-209
CHAPTER XXV.
Departure from Teheraun. Route — Kand; Sunghur-Abad ; Sepher- Khoja. Meeting here with Assaad Ullah Beyk. Route — Cas- ween ; Sultanieh ; Sanjoon ; Gul Teppa. Illness of Dr. Wolff. Kind Reception of Dr. Wolff at Tabreez by Mr. Bonham ; his Treatment by Dr. Casolani. Mr. Osroff and the Russian Legation. Introduction of Dr. Wolff by Mr. Bonham to Prince Bahman Mirza. The Prince presents Dr. Wolff with a valuable Emerald Ring. Letter of Prince Bahman Mirza. Russian Inhabitants of Tabreez consider it disgraceful to the British Government to permit the Stoddart and Conolly Affair to rest in its present position. Extracts showing the exact Position of these Diplomatic Agents. First,
xiv CONTENTS.
from Captain I. Conolly, Brother to the murdered Captain Conolly ; Second, Extracts from the Correspondence of Colonel Stoddart. Impolicy of Non-Interference. Holy Places visited by Persians. Dispute between Turks and Persians on Frontier Question. Colonel Taylor and Major Rawlinson. Disciples of John the Baptist; their singular History; their Report of themselves that tney are De- scendants of the Chaldeans and of the Brothers of Abraham. Triple Name of God. Baptism of John in the Wilderness. Two kinds of Priests ; one the Representative of the Baptist, the other of the Christ. Their Book, the Sadra Raba ; reported Authors of it, Seth and John the Baptist ; their Residences. Fruitless Attempts of Father Agatangelos to convert the Mandaye or Disciples of John the Bap- tist. Dr. Wolff, however, establishes a School which the Son of even the Ganz Awra, or Representative of Jesus Christ, attends; they affirm Boohyra to have been a Nestorian Monk ; also that they emigrated from Egypt with the Jews, and separated from them on the Institution of the Rite of Circumcision by Joshua; their Lan- guage Chaldean. The Ganz Awra has his Right Hand cut off by order of the Governor of Bosra; he maintained that numbers of their Sect were resident in Morocco. Catholicity shown to be a natural Principle from the Conduct of Sectarians. - 210 — 222
CHAPTER XXVI.
Two leading Sects amid Muhammedans, Sheeahs, and Sunnees. Ball by Mr. Bonham ; Dancers all Gentlemen. Death of Mrs. Bonham. Shamar Beyk ; Anecdote of him and General Neidhart. Chaldeans in the Mountains of Kurdistaun, not of the Ten Tribes, Dr. Wolff thinks, as commonly asserted. Nestorians or Chaldeans; their Assertion that they did not become Followers of Nestorius, but simply received him kindly among them; Episcopacy hereditary among them; oppressed by the Kurds; Sir Stratford Canning interferes in their behalf. Mai- Yohannan, Bishop of Oroomiah; his Letter, written in English. Accurate character of Mr. Ains- worth's Work on Asia Minor, &c. Armenians of Tabreez give Dr. Wolff a Public Dinner. Diploma from Bahman Mirza to Dr. Casolani. Daoud Khan. Attempt to abolish Ancient Forms by the Protestant Missionaries injudicious. Edward Burgess; his unfor- tunate Position ; Letter addressed by him to Dr. Wolff. Departure of Dr. Wolff from Tabreez. Route — Mayoon; Deesa Kbaleel; Tasuj; Sayd Hajee; Khoy. Dangerous travelling from tins point. Rob- bery cf Messrs. Todd and Abbott; the Kurds compel Mr. Todd to
CONTENTS. f xv
swallow his Pomatum. Impute — Soraba; Karaine ; Leyba; Awajick. Snow compels Dr. Wolff to go on Horseback. The Pasha of Erz- room sends a Guard of Honour for Dr. Wolff. Letters from Colonel Williams. 223—238
CHAPTER XXVII.
Route — Ghizl-Deesa; Utsh Kelesea. Nierses, the Katokhikos of the Armenian Church. Efforts of Czar to unite Armenian and Russian Churches. Route — Yuntsh Aloo ; Kara Klesea ; Mullah Suleiman ; Seydekan. Dr. Wolff injured by a Fall from his Horse. Route — Dehli Baba ; Komassur ; KopreKoy; Hassan Kaleh. Letters from Colonel Williams and Mr. Brant. Letter of Colonel Williams to Captain Grover. Arrival at Erzroom. Dreadful Sufferings of Dr. Wolff. Kindness of Colonel Williams, Mr. Brant, and Mr. and Mrs. Redhouse to Dr. Wolff. Letter of Dr. Casolani. Ambassador from Bokhara to England arrives at Erzroom. Letter from Sir Stratford Canning. Interview of Dr. Wolff], Mr. Brant, Colonel Williams, and Colonel Fariant, with Kamil Pasha; Kamil Pasha's Statement to them of his Interview with the Ambassador from Bokhara to England. Departure from Erzroom. Route — Mey Mansoor; Saaza; Massad; Bey boot; Jaajee Koy; Guinush Khane; Artasa ; Yerkopri ; YeaeerOglu. Letter from Mr. Stevens. 239 — 255
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Arrival at Trebizond. Folly of Land Quarantine there. Ambassador from Bokhara arrives. One of his old Friends the Makhrams calls on Dr. Wolff ; Dr. Wolff feels reluctant to renew the Intimacy. Visits received by Dr. Wolff when in Quarantine. Letter from Colonel Farrant. Letter from Sir Stratford Canning. Bokhara Ambassador gets Pratique one day before Dr. Wolff. Singular Conduct of the Pasha of Trebizond. Letter from Mr. Brant. De- parture for Constantinople. Sinope and Samsoon. Arrival at Con- stantinople. Dr. Wolff preaches on board the Virago. Letter from Sir Stratford Canning. Dr. Wolff waits upon Their Excellencies Sir Stratford and Lady Canning. Letter from the Honourable Mr. Wellesley. Kindness of the Legation. Letter from the Reverend H. D. Leeves. Arrival of seven Franciscan Friars at Constan- tinople, expelled from Russia for their refusal to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Czar. Sympathy excited for them, rower of
xvi CONTENTS.
the Romish Church greatly curtailed by the Czar. Letter from Sir Stratford Canning. Visit to Saint Sophia. The Missionaries call on Dr. Wolff. Schaufner ; his extraordinary Acquirements in Language. Kindness of Count Stunner. Sir Stratford Canning induces Sultan to abolish Punishment of Death for Apostacy ; the Declaration of the Porte. Introduction of Dr. Wolff to the Grand Vizier, the Reis Effendi, the Shekeeb Effendi, and the Sheikh Islam. Introduction to Greek Patriarchs. Liturgies of St. Chry- sostom, St. Basil, and St. Gregory. The Patriarch visits Dr. Wolff. Dr. Wolff preaches at the Legation, and in other Places. Kindness of Lady Canning. Letter from the Honourable Mr. Wellesley. Dr. Wolff embarks for England. Arrives at Smyrna. Meets there Lord Clarence Paget and the Reverend H. D. Leeves. Quarantine at Malta. Lord Lorton visits Dr. Wolff in Quarantine. The Bishop of Gibraltar also sees him in Quarantine. Then sails for Gibraltar ; on his arrival there receives Letters from the Governor, Sir Robert Wilson, and the Reverend Dr. Burrow. Reaches Southampton on on April 9th ; meets there Captain Grover, Lady Georgiana, and his Son. Starts for London. Returns Thanks to Almighty God for his Preservation in Trinity Church, Gray's Inn Road. Public Meeting at Exeter Hall. Noble Character of Captain Grover. Letter from the Rev. R. W. Stoddart, Vicar of Hundon. Conclusion. 256—277
APPENDIX.
I. The three Liturgies of St. Chrysostom, St. Basil, and St. Gregory, with various Rites and Ceremonies of the Greek Church, and separate Prayers - - - - 279
II. Narrative of Events which happened to Dr. Wolff at Bo- khara, and on his Journey thence to Teheraun; by Abdul Wahab -------- 293
III. Digest of English Policy relative to Asiatic States; by Cap- tain Conolly 313
INDEX 337
NARRATIVE,
CHAPTER XII.
Colleges of Bokhara. Manner of Lecturing. Derveeshes fed by Ameer. Jewish Synagogue at Bokhara. The King of Bokhara attached to the Jewish Religion. Bokhara and Samarcand. Singular Report of Dr. Wolff, that he understood seventy-two Languages, knew seventy-two Religions, and had conversed with seventy-two Nations, and that he had come from Sulmistaun to convert the Bokharese. Makhram sent from the Ameer with a Question, How the Authen- ticity of the Christian Religion is shown? Answer. Makhram sent again, with a Request that the History of Muhammed, as related by the Learned Men of Europe, should be written by Dr. Wolff, and transmitted to the King. Dr. Wolff consents, on the condition that he should not be forced to embrace Muhammedanism. Dr. Wolff writes the Life of Muhammed. Life of Muhammed.
The day following the conversation with the Nayeb, given in the previous Chapter (it was on a Monday), the Makhram, Dil Assa Khan, and myself, mounted our horses. Dil Assa Khan now began to ride near me, the Makhram Kasem spoke in a friendly man- ner, and pointed out to me the colleges of Bokhara, which are splendid and beautiful buildings.
In these colleges the writings of the learned Sunnees, as well as of the Sheahs, are read and dis- cussed. Oratory, rhetoric, poetry, and logic, are stu- died, besides the Koran ; disputations are carried on Vol. II. B
a NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
in a scholastic manner ; Jelaal, Beydawee, are read. They take as their guide the schools established in Yemen. And, as I have witnessed it when in Yemen in the year 1837, it is remarkable that the very mode of opening their lectures is taken from the manner adopted in Yemen. The teacher as well as disciple lifts up his eyes first to heaven, the palms of his hands are then turned to his face while the Fatkha is re- cited, and then they stroke their beards ; and I must observe that all judicial transactions are opened in this manner, and after a present is given from a superior to an inferior, it is also recited. The same custom exists in Yemen, and only in Yemen, by which it appears to me that Bokhara has taken her customs and manners from the learned of Yemen. They have a convent at Bokhara, dedicated to the famous derveesh Mawlana Jelaal Uddeen, who cen- turies ago went from Bokhara to Iconium. The derveeshes at Bokhara are fed at the expense of the Ameer, but he does not allow them any imperti- nent acts, and frequently bastinadoes and puts them to death.
The Synagogue of the Jews at Bokhara is a very ancient building, but quite out of repair. The Ameer gave his consent during my stay there to the Jews, to repair the synagogue a little, but not to extend the ground. They have here an ancient MS. of Daniel, and in Chap. VIII. is the number two
MxriCL AOCUU* tru/uUKta.-
IMS ©BL»B CAM VE KOMLMSJL
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 3
thousand four hundred, instead of two thousand three hundred.
Though the King of Bokhara is a friend to none, yet he seems to have some predilection for the cere- monies of the Jewish religion, and frequently goes to the house of Rabbi Simha on the day of Taber- nacles, and sees them celebrate that feast, and partakes of their dinner. He has never seized on a Jewish woman, as he has done on the wives of his great ministers. He has even seized on the wife of the excellent Grand Cazi, whose awful portrait we subjoin. He is also anxious to learn from them their views of the Messiah.
I shall now take this opportunity of saying a few words on the cities of Bokhara and Samar- cand.
Bokhara is situated in 39° 27' north latitude, 80° 19' east longitude. It is surrounded by deserts, and watered by the little river Waf kan, which flows between forests of fruit-trees and gardens. It has eleven gates, and a circumference of fifteen English miles ; three hundred and sixty mosques, twenty- two caravanserays, many baths and bazars ; and the old palace called Ark, built by Arslan Khan one thou- sand years ago, and has about one hundred splendid colleges. The houses have neither roofs nor win- dows. The population amounts to one hundred and eighty thousand, composed of Tatshicks, Nogays,
B 2
4 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
Affghauns, Mervee, Usbecks, and ten thousand Jews, who are dyers and silk traders, and must wear a small cap, and girdle around their waist, to be distinguished from the Muhammedans. There are several thousand slaves. There are about three hun- dred merchants from Scinde, and many derveeshes. Whole streets contain nothing but shops and maga- zines for merchants from all the parts of Turkis- taun, Cashgar, Hindustaun, and Russia. There are great numbers of country houses, with gardens called Jehaar-Baghs, all around Bokhara. Most delightful villages are to be found eight miles around Bokhara. A sickness prevails, chiefly in the city, called Rishta — an immense worm comes out of the knees, and makes people frequently lame for life ; it is ascribed to the water. Ophthalmia is also prevalent. There is only one Jewish physician of some skill, who prides himself on knowing the sense of the word " antimonial," and perpetually uses it, as Abdul Samut Khan prides himself on knowing how to say, 41 Halt! front!"
Karkee, near the Amoo, is a strong town, with one hundred and fifty houses, about one hundred English miles from Bokhara.
In the cities of Oratepa, Karakol, and Jesagh, the Usbeck chiefs called Serkerdeha have their country houses, but they are now much oppressed by Nasr Ullah Behadur, the present King of Bo-
OP DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 5
khara, who often takes possession of their wives and sons. *****
The chief of the mullahs at Bokhara has the title of Mullah Kelaun (grand mullah), a man of excellent character, who deplores the murder of poor Stoddart and Conolly.
Of Samarcand, the rival city, formerly the place of residency of Timur, in the midst of the beautiful valley Soghd, I have to remark that it was not long since the seat of the King of Bokhara in the time of winter, but as this town is frequently in a state of mutiny, he seldom goes there. It was known in the time of Alexander the Great by the name of Marakanda Regia Sogdianorum ; and con- tains the sepulchre of Timur. It is still the seat of Oriental literature, and called " The Ornament of the Face of the Earth." It has a wall of clay, and forty thousand inhabitants ; a beautiful palace, and many houses of marble ; many mosques and colleges. It was formerly inhabited by Chinese, who manufac- tured paper of silk, and it once had the name of Bokhara-Tsheen, but received the present name from the Conqueror Samar, after Christ 643. Oologh Beyk erected there an observatory. There are two thousand Jews there. Near it is a little town called Sheeras, and it is probable that the poet Hafiz alluded to Sheeras, near Samarcand, in his lines :
6 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
l^^jLa^j ^ «X*,3-4**i -oi^S\J (j^A*-* 4^^
If that Turkish girl of Sheeras would give me her heart, I would give for one mole of her cheek, Samarcand and Bokhara. '
For there are no Turkish girls at Sheeras, in Persia.
A report was spread abroad, I found, throughout the whole country of Bokhara, that Mullah Joseph Wolff, the grand derveesh from England, was ac- quainted with seventy-two languages, with seventy- two religions, and had conversed with seventy-two nations of the earth. That further I had been in Sul- mistaun, i. e. the land of Darkness, Tartarus, and that I had called on the Ameer to compel all the inhabit- ants of Bokhara to embrace the religion of Jesus.
The Ameer sent one day to me the Makhram, with the following question, of which I was obliged to write down the answer : " How do the Christian mullahs prove the truth of their religion ?"
I replied: I. That its Divine Founder, Jesus, and his religion, were predicted, centuries before his coming on earth, by the prophets of old.
II. By the miracles which Jesus performed, and which miracles were admitted to have been per- formed by Him by his own enemies.
III. By the life and conversation of Jesus.
IV. By the prophecies which He uttered and
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 7
which were fulfilled ; as, for instance, the destruc- tion of Jerusalem was predicted by Him.
V. By the effect which Christianity produced. Christianity teaches a man to set a proper value on human blood. The Christians feel more horror, consequently, than many other nations at the shed- ding of human blood.
VI. Christianity fills the heart with compassion and love, even towards others who are not our own people. The Christians are the only people who have established houses for the sick, where they receive attendance and medicine without money, and also houses for aged people and for widows and orphans.
On another day, when surrounded by many Kalmucks, Merve, Usbecks, Jews, Kafer Seeah Poosh, Hindus from Chicarpore, together with Dil Assa Khan, His Majesty sent to me his Makhram, with the following command, — that I should give him the History of their Prophet Muhammed, as related by the learned men among the English and other European nations. This was rather a delicate point, and I therefore asked His Majesty first, whether this would lead to any attempt at forcing me to become a Muhammedan. He sent me word, "Not in the least." I wrote down as follows :
May God preserve Nasir Ullah Behadur, Ameer of the Mussulmans, and Shaheen-Shah of Bokhara, the most learned of the Ulema of the Bokhara Shereef.
Your Majesty's wisdom, anxious to know the customs
8 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
and manners and religious sentiments of other nations, imi- tating in this respect your great ancestor Timur Kurikanee, has graciously ordered me to write down the History of Mu- hammed as related by Christian historians ; a task most diffi- cult for me to perform, since, 1st, I am not so well versed in the Persian language as to write it in an elegant style, as such a subject deserves; 2nd, I wish to perform the task in such a manner that it may be consistent with truth, and at the same time not to wound the feelings of any one. But as, accord- ing to the religion of Jesus, we must obey the commands of Kings as far as their commands do not insult the commands of Jesus ; and Your Majesty having promised that my under- taking will not lead to a renunciation of my religion, I sub- mit to Your Majesty's command by thus writing down the History of Muhammed the son of Abd Ullah, the Prophet of the Mussulmans.
The Empire of Pome was in the decline; the followers of Jesus forgetting the precepts of the Anjeel (Gospel) — given up to vice; Persia was enervated; the Government of the Yoonaanean, residing in the place called at that time Byzan- tium, and now Stambool, was given to bad morals; and Ara- bistaun was divided by internal dissensions in the affairs of this world as well as in religion. No wonder that God sent his chastisement upon all these nations. A man, therefore, was wanted to achieve the overthrow of Asia and part of Africa. Such a man appeared in the person of Muhammed, of the family of Hasham, of the tribe of Koreish.
The office of Superintendent (Shereef ) of the Kaaba at Mecca, had been at first hereditary in the family of Ishmael; afterwards, for some centuries, it was vested in the tribe of Khoza; and in the year 464 after Jesus, the tribe of Koreish deprived the Khozaites of this office by cunning, and after- wards by open force. The office of Shereef of the Kaaba was connected with certain advantages : he that occupied so high a situation enjoyed not only great influence over the city of Mecca, but also, as the holy house was an object of
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 9
veneration amongst all the tribes, over the whole of Arabia. This high dignity, combined with the government of Mecca, descended through four generations to Abd Almutaleb, son of Hasham, grandfather to Muhammed, the prince and chief of his tribe. Abd Almutaleb had rendered the most essen- tial services to his country. To prevent general famine, the father of Abd Almutaleb had in aforetime made provision by permanent regulations for regular importations of corn, by means of two numerous caravans, which departed and re- turned regularly ; and Abd Almutaleb himself had liberated his country by his valor and prudence from the yoke of the Abyssinians. His liberality was not only extended to men, but the birds of the air and the beasts of the field felt the effect of his benevolence. On a certain day of every month he fed all the poor of the city upon the roof of his house; and also directed his servants to carry appropriate food to the beasts on the hills. Abd Almutaleb was crowned also by the plenitude of domestic blessings : he had thirteen hopeful sons and six beautiful daughters. Abd Ullah was one of his younger sons, and his favourite child. He was the jewel of Arabian youths. But not less beautiful and modest was Amina, Waheb's daughter, a Jewess of the noble family of the Zarhites.
Abd Almutaleb married his favourite son to this beautiful girl. But in the fourth year of her marriage, when she was about to have a child, her husband, on a journey which he had undertaken for commercial purposes, died at Yatreb, now called Medinah. Abd Ullah had had no time to acquire riches ; the whole property he left to his disconsolate widow consisted of five camels and one Abyssinian slave-girl, Barek by name. Two months after the death of her husband, on the 12th day of Raba (April 10, 569 A.D.), in the afternoon, Amina gave birth to a boy, who received from his grandfather the name of Muhammed.
To celebrate the happy delivery of his daughter, Abd Almutaleb prepared a splendid feast, to which he invited the
10 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
most distinguished of his family ; and in their presence he gave to his grandson the name of Muhammed; and the Arabian historians add, that the family of Koreish, asto- nished at this, said to Abd Almutaleb, " Why dost thou call the boy thus, as no other of thy tribe bears that name?" Abd Almutaleb replied, " God shall glorify him in heaven whom He has created on earth." We Christians, however, say that the miraculous events which are said to have taken place at his birth, according to Abulfeda, Elmakin, and Ma- soodee, are evidently imitations of the Gospel narrative of the birth of Christ ; for instance, that rays of light appeared in heaven, which illuminated all the towns, villages, and markets throughout Arabia and Syria; and even many Muhammedan writers doubt these facts, even among the Sunnee.
Muhammed was consigned to the care of a nurse, Halima by name; and when he was old enough he kept the flock of his foster brothers and sisters. The boy grew up thriving, lively in spirits, and strong in body, but was attacked by epileptic fits, which rapidly increased to such a degree, that Halima, in fear, returned the boy to the care of his mother. But his mother died in his sixth year, on a journey to see her uncle, and was buried at Al-Aba, between Medinah and Mecca. Abd Almutaleb undertook the guardianship of Mu- hammed; but in the boy's eighth year he also died, at the age of a hundred and ten years ; and in his dying hour recom- mended the orphan to the care of Abu Taleb, who became his successor in the office of Shereef.
Abu Taleb was a wise man, highly respected at Mecca and in the whole surrounding country; he was merchant, warrior, and hunter. He undertook the education of Muhammed, exercised him in military hardihood, and tried to inspire him with courage, by taking him with him in his expeditions for hunting the lion. Besides, he made the boy acquainted with mercantile business, for which purpose he took him on a journey to Syria. Among his travelling companions were Abu-Bekr and Belal, who be-
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 11
came afterwards his most zealous partisans in the promul- gation of his new religion. On that journey they came near Bosra, in Syria, near to Damascus, where Abu Taleb was acquainted with the monks of the Mandaye, who resided there. The. monk Boohyra, of that convent, observed, "Mu- hammed will become a great man," and Muhammed believed himself the more to be a chosen vessel in the hand of Provi- dence. He had frequently heard wise men, in the house of his uncle, express the necessity of combining together the conflicting religions of the Arabs into one pure religion, and reducing all the tribes of the nation under the obedience of one common creed. Besides, the historical traditions of the Arabs had much analogy to those of the Hebrews, and coin- cided with them in a great number of points ; for, as they were of the Shemitic race, they deduced their origin from Abraham and the other holy patriarchs of the primitive world. Hence the traditions of a purer faith, and the simple patriarchal worship of the Deity, appear never to have been totally extinguished among the Arabs. In this manner a spark was thrown into the glowing imagination of Muham- med, which produced that mighty Arabian conflagration whose flames were scattered to Turkistaun, Hindustaun, and Affghanistaun by the sons of the Desert.
After their return to Mecca they resumed their usual occupations, Muhammed, as before, spending his time in commercial pursuits and military exploits ; and on account of his tall figure and graceful deportment, he was considered the finest and handsomest man in Arabia. When he was twenty years of age, a feud broke out between the tribe of Koreish and the two tribes of Kenan (the Rechabites) and Hawazan. Under the order of Abu Taleb, Muhammed had the command of a small body of horse ; and he distinguished himself so much by his courage and intrepidity, as well as by his judicious arrangements, that, by the unanimous voice of his allies, as well as his opponents, the victory was ascribed
12 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
to the valour of Muhammed. Abu Taleb, and the house of Hasham were much gratified with the military glory of Muhammed.
Other circumstances also combined to raise the reputation of Muhammed. Long before the time of Muhammed, the Kaaba of Mecca had been constituted the great sanctuary of Arabian worship. It contained the Black Stone, the object of the religious devotion of the Arabs from a very ancient period. We meet with a similar form of worship among the Seikhs at Lahore, with regard to the stone called Salkram. When the tribe of Koreish began to rebuild this temple they were at a loss to know how the Black Stone should be fixed in the wall, and what hands should touch it, when, unex- pectedly, the lot fell to young Muhammed. He received from this moment the name of Alameen, the trustworthy. Khadijah, a rich widow, took him into her service. On behalf of his mistress he returned to Syria, and renewed his acquaintance with Boohyra at Bosra. Boohyra made him acquainted with the contents of ancient books; and Solo- mon the Jew spoke to him of the expectations of the Jewish nation; and the hope, which the Jews still entertained, of the future coming of a Deliverer and Prophet, operated powerfully on the mind and imagination of Muhammed.
In the service of Khadijah, Muhammed undertook other journeys to distant Arabia and the Persian Gulf; crossed the Euphrates, and stood on the ruins of Babylon, and visited Mesopotamia and Persia. He no longer travelled as a mere commercial agent, but tried to enrich his mind and intellect by various sciences ; wherever he came he tried to make himself acquainted with the state of the country, with the laws and character of the natives, and especially the different religions ; and the never-ceasing divisions, wherever he came, were the chief object of his attention. Burning with a desire of knowledge, he associated with every one of whom he believed he could learn something. Sometimes he
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 13
frequented the company of the disciples of John the Baptist, of Zoroaster, Manichaeans, and other sects.
One day, as Khadijah was walking with her companions on the terrace of her house, she saw Muhammed returning from his journey. Khadijah sent one of her slave girls after him, requesting him to become her husband; and she be- stowed her hand on him when his whole property consisted of five camels and an Ethiopian maid-servant. A splendid feast was given at the wedding, to which all the inhabitants of Mecca were invited. Twenty-four years Muhammed and Khadijah lived together, contented and happy, blessed with four sons and four daughters. None of the sons survived — the daughters grew up; their names were Fatima, Zaima, Eukaya, and Usu Khaltoon. He lived fifteen years, pursu- ing his public functions with great conscientiousness, treating all inferiors with great mildness, and was a most tender hus- band; his moral character without reproach — his outward conduct without blame.
He continued for some time his commercial journey ings, when suddenly he lost at once all desire to travel, loved retirement more and more, and at last retreated, during part of every year, to a cave three hours distant from Mecca, giving himself up to meditation; when suddenly he declared himself— first of all to Khadijah and his children — as the long- desired Rasool Ullah, Ambassador of God. It was in the night time of the 23rd and 24th of Kamadan, in the night of the divine decree, that Muhammed declared he had heard a voice upon the mountain of Abuk Beis. When he descended the mountain, — as the Arabian historians some centuries after his death relate,— a heavenly light suddenly illumi- nated the country around, and the Koran descended from heaven. The bearer was, according to your Prophet's ac- count, the angel Gabriel, who also had taught him to read; and he said he had been hailed by the angel Gabriel as the highest Prophet of God — which ice Christians do not believe.
14 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
The angel took the Koran back with him to heaven, but gave Muhammed the assurance that he would, from time to time, as the occasion arose, give him portions of it, divided into Suras. Khadijah declared herself his convert; Waraka, a Jew, and translator of the Bible, also became his convert ; after him Ali; and Abd Ullah, who received the name of Abu Bekr, the father of the virgin, as Muhammed married his daughter.
Abu Bekr, thirty-four years of age, a man of great weight, engaged other men of authority to embrace the doctrines of your Prophet. However, Muhammed confined himself first of all to his nearest relations and acquaintance, to whom he preached, sometimes in eloquent prose, at others in verses, the dogmas of his religion, and in three years he had made about forty converts. At last he declared that Gabriel had ordered him to preach openly and from the house-top to the whole nation.
He invited the tribe of Hasham to a frugal dinner ; after the repast was over he offered to them uninterrupted happi- ness in this life, as well as in eternity, by embracing his doctrine. The guests looked at him with much astonish- ment, believing him to be mad. Muhammed threatened them with eternal hell fire, which inflamed Abu Lahab, one of his uncles, with such fury, that he cast a stone at him, when Ali interfered, and declared that he would knock out the teeth, force out the eyes, tear the entrails, and break the bones of every one of those who dared to resist the Prophet. Muhammed was so rejoiced at the emphatic confession of Ali, that he embraced him as a brother; but when he went so far as to nominate Ali, who at that time was fourteen, as his Khaleefa, whom every one was to obey, all the guests burst out into a fit of laughter. The bad success of this first attempt was far from discouraging Muhammed ; under the protection of Abu Taleb, who, though not a convert himself, still favoured his nephew's enterprise, Muhammed
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 15
appeared before the people with the pretension of a Prophet, and announced his doctrine by the name of Islam. The more resistance he encountered, the more he pressed forward.
The Koreish attempted to crush him, but in vain. Mu- hammed, however, too weak to resist openly, advised his followers to fly from Mecca. Eighty-three of them, with their wives and children, took shelter under the King of Abyssinia; but Muhammed remained at Mecca under the protection of his uncle. The principal men of the Koreish went to Abu Taleb, and said: "Thy nephew reviles our religion and sage ancestors, and, accusing them of ignorance and infidelity, makes dissensions and rebellion." Muhammed replied, "Even if they were to place the sun to my right hand, and the moon to my left, they shall not bring me back from the road I have taken." However, when the Koreish made an attempt upon his life, he took an asylum in a forti- fied house upon the Hill Zaffa, near Mecca, defended by thirty-nine followers. He scarcely had remained there one month, when his party gained the important acquisition of two powerful men, — that of Hamsa, Muhammed's uncle, and Omar. Under their protection, Muhammed left Zaffa, and, with an armed escort, he approached the Kaaba, and boldly preached in the open market-places of Mecca. The Koreish challenged him to perforin a miracle. His answers were, on one occasion, " That he was commissioned to be a preacher only, and not a worker of miracles." At another time, he replied, "That God, out of mercy, would not perform miracles; for it would only redound to the greater con- demnation of the infidels, who after all would not believe."
The Koreish assembled in the valley of Mecca, in the plain of Muhazzab, in order to consult. The result of their consultation was, not to lay down their arms until they had exterminated the declared enemy of the state, with his whole family, either by the sword, dagger, or poison. This mighty conspiracy was reported to Abu Taleb; Muhammed
16 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
and the family of Hashani were sent for; they immediately fortified themselves in a country house of Abu Taleb, two miles distant from Mecca. When the Koreish saw that their conspiracy was discovered, "they openly pro- scribed and excommunicated Muhammed and his whole family and followers. They marched against him; but they were not able to succeed; he was already too pow- erful. They attempted to starve him by cutting off the wells and provisions; but he had already too many friends. In his fortress he pronounced his curse against Abu Lahab. They fought for three years with mutual success and defeat; but, during the four holy months, when the Arabs were obliged to observe a strict armistice, and in which it was not allowed to employ either sword or lance, Muhammed went forth from his fortress, and proclaimed himself to the people, and to the pilgrims journeying towards Mecca, as the Am- bassador of God. The persecutions he underwent by his opponents fired him with greater zeal: the natural effect of persecutions.
He spoke with amazing eloquence, — every sentence which he uttered fell upon the heads of his enemies like a clap of thunder, — great numbers were added to his party, among them the most distinguished citizens of Medinah. In this emergency of the state, when the downfall and the total overthrow of the constitution of Mecca was to be be apprehended, the Arabs chose Habeeb, one of their mighty princes, who had twenty thousand cavalry under his com- mand, as arbiter between them and the Hashamites. Habeeb was one hundred years of age, a Jew in his youth, then a Sabean, and after a Christian, but celebrated in Yemen for his love of justice and wisdom. He undertook willingly the office of arbiter, and encamped with three thousand horse in the plain of Muhazzeb. Muhammed appeared before the judgment seat of Habeeb, but here Muhammed knew how to state his case with such presence of mind, that he was
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 17
honourably acquitted by Habeeb, and even taken under his powerful protection. Habeeb observed to those around him, "Nothing will be able to stem this mighty torrent: he will succeed, and idolatry shall be crushed!" Tranquillity was restored thus at Mecca, but only for a short time.
Muhammed made use of the short period of armistice to get the sentence of excommunication recalled, which had been pronounced by the Koreish against the Hashamites, and which excommunication had been deposited in the Kaaba. He sent word to the family of Koreish, that God had revealed to him that a worm had been sent by him into the Kaaba, in order to gnaw through the document of ex- communication, deposited in the Ark, except that spot where the name of God ivas written. The family of Koreish exam- ined the document; and, on finding this to be the case, they annulled it altogether.
But, in the tenth year of his mission, his uncle Abu Taleb and his wife Khadijah died; and the greatest enemy of his family, Abu Suffian, of the tribe of Ummia, succeeded to Abu Taleb in the government of Mecca; many of his followers, from fear, left Muhammed; so that he undertook, in the company of his faithful disciple Sayed, a journey to Tayef, thirty miles eastward from Mecca, where he received but a cold reception, and was banished from the city as a madman.
Resistance and obstacles incited the more the audacity and courage of Muhammed. He returned again to Mecca, and, without taking the least notice of Abu Suffian's threats, he preached from the housetops to the swarm of pilgrims, and made hosts of proselytes, and gained over to his doctrine six of the most respectable citizens of Medinah, of the noble tribe of Khasredj and Aus, allied with the Jewish tribe of Karaites and Nadir, who had the greatest influence in Medina and throughout the Arabian republic. These six Vol. II. C
18 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
citizens swore allegiance to Muhammed, and bound them- selves by an oath never to forsake him, and to bear witness of his divine message to the family of Aus, and before all the rest of the tribes. The enthusiasm of these six citizens laid the first foundation of the worldly grandeur of Muhammed ; and his supremacy gave to the history of the world a new direction.
Till this period, Gabriel only was the person who initiated him as a prophet; but in the twelfth year of his mission he obtained a higher call. On the night of the 20th of the month of Rajab, while Muhammed slept in the valley between Saffa and Merva, suddenly he was awaked by a voice saying, "Sleeper, awake." When he opened his eyes, he saw Gabriel standing before him in his true figure, enwrapped in rays of light, having round his forehead a royal tiara, upon which was written, in strokes of fire, the words:
There is God, and nothing but God, and Muhammed the Prophet of God.
The angel announced to him that the Highest had called his Prophet to converse with Him. A horse, saddled and bridled, Al Barak, i. e. the lightning horse, stood near the angel, which had the head of a horse, but with the face of a man, two wings like an eagle, his colour gray, mixed with white, but resplendent like the stars when illuminated with the light of the sun. The horse was unruly, and when Gabriel reminded him that he stood before Muhammed the Prophet, it availed nothing until Muhammed himself pro- mised that a good stable in Paradise should be provided for his comfort ; then he was calm and resigned. Gabriel took hold of the bridle, and with the swiftness of thought they arrived at Jerusalem, where, at the gate of the Temple, a multitude of patriarchs and prophets were standing, desiring his intercession and blessing, and wishing him a happy journey. Barak was tied to a rock, and Muhammed ascended
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 19
with Gabriel on a ladder up toward heaven. For a few moments they stood before the gates of the heavenly realm. The porter, on being informed that Gabriel and Muhammed stood without, immediately opened the gate; when an old man came to meet the Prophet, who bowed with deep humi- lity, and recommended himself to the prayers of Muhammed. This old man was no other than Adam, the father of the human race.
The journey extended to the second, third, fourth, fifth, and seventh heaven. The first was of silver, set with jewels; the second of gold; the third of transparent diamonds; another vaulted entirely with the odour of roses and other flowers ; but the seventh consisted of nothing but splendour and divine light. He conversed with Abraham in the seventh heaven, and there he observed two angels continually occu- pied in writing the names of some men and erasing those of others.
In the seventh heaven the Angel Gabriel left him, and he alone continued his progress to the throne of God. When he approached his footstool, he read the inscription, w God and nothing but God." The Almighty laid his hands upon Mu- hammed's breast and shoulders. God revealed to his Pro- phet deep mysteries, and granted him many prerogatives— the knowledge of languages, and the privilege of retaining for his own private use the spoils taken in battle ; also an order from God to make his followers to pray fifty times a day, which, however, at his instant intercession, was reduced to five times.
He returned, accompanied by Gabriel, to Jerusalem, where he mounted his horse Al Barak, and was in the twink- ling of an eye again in the plain between Saffa and Merva, one mile from Mecca. The whole journey, which, according to Arab calculations, required eleven thousand years to per- form, was accomplished by him in less than an hour. Gabriel then took leave of him, and Al Barak, the horse, reminded
C 2
20 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
Muhammed most humbly of his promise to provide a com- fortable stable for him in Paradise.
But his friends begged him not to speak openly of his journey to heaven, as it would only expose him to ridicule. However, Muhammed openly proclaimed it, and Abu Bekr confirmed it ; but the family of Koreish declared that he must be either mad or an impostor; but he was more success- ful at Medinah, where the story was not only believed, but embellished by his followers. With the assistance of his dis- ciple Mozab, the greater part of Medinah was converted to him. Seventy-two men and women were sent to Mecca from Medinah to Muhammed to pay him homage, and they pro- mised him, after a secret conversation with him, to assist him in war, defensive and offensive. He nominated immediately twelve chiefs, whom he endowed with temporal and ecclesias- tical power. Before they returned, the Ambassador asked Muhammed, " After thy native place shall have acknowledged thy virtues and thy merits, wilt thou forsake us ?" He an- swered with a smile, "All is now common among us ; your blood is my blood; your happiness is my happiness; your mis- fortune my misfortune. The bonds of religion have united us together for ever; yea, the bonds of honour and general interest. I am your friend, and for ever the enemy of your enemies." They replied, "If we should fall in thy service, what would be our reward?" He replied, " Paradise." They said, "Muhammed, give us thy hand." He gave his hand as a pledge, and the union was made for ever ; and from that time Islam was the ruling and universal religion of the inha- bitants of Medinah.
This union produced general consternation among the tribe of Koreish. They determined to murder Muhammed, whose followers were scattered abroad; but he was saved by his nephew Ali, and Muhammed took shelter with Abu Bekr. They both escaped. Abu Bekr was oppressed with gloomy thoughts. " Why art thou cast down ?" Muhammed
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 21
asked him; "dost tliou not know that we are not alone?" « Who is with us?" asked Abu Bekr. « Ullah" (God), Mu- hammed answered.
They hid themselves in a cave in the mountains of Tur. The tribe of Koreish came near the cave, but did not observe them. After three days they left the cave. Abu Bekr procured two camels and a guide, by name Abd Ullah, an idolater, and they commenced their journey to Medinah. But suddenly they were overtaken by Sorak, one of the Koreish cavalry, who ran upon them with his lance; but his horse took fright, which gave Muhammed and Abu Bekr time to escape, and they arrived safely at Medinah.
This flight, called the Hejra, 622 A.C., was the beginning of a new era. After a fatiguing journey of twelve days along the sea shore, they at last arrived at Medinah on a Friday, when Muhammed made his solemn and pompous entrance, met by five hundred citizens, and all the fugitives who had preceded him. Muhammed sat on a she camel, and an um- brella of palm leaves sheltered him from the sun. Abu Bekr rode by his side, and Boreida before him, with a flag in his hand. Thousands saluted the Prophet in the street, and from the windows of the houses. He was received with shouts of jubilee and joy. Thousands desired him to be their guest, but Abu Tayeb had the honour of receiving the Prophet under his roof.
A few days after, he laid the foundation of a mosque and a house for himself and family. Both buildings were com- pleted in less than eleven months, for Paradise was the reward promised to the builders. He next began to exercise the functions of High Priest and King. He instituted public prayers ; he preached daily under a palm-tree ; appointed the times of fasts and ablutions. Magi, idolaters, Persians, and Jews came daily to Medinah to pay homage to the Prophet, and he made any reform he pleased in the state. At last he held a public levee, nominated civil and military officers, and
22 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
commanded every Mussulman to take the sword, or pay a contribution for the expense of the war, at the first summons of the Apostle; and every war declared by Muhammed was styled the holy war. He had a great seal, with the words engraved on it, " Muhammed the Prophet of God."
The battle of Bedr was fought in the year 623. Abu Suffian marched against Muhammed with seventy-five thou- sand men; the Prophet had only fifteen thousand to oppose to him. Already he was defeated ; shouts of triumph were heard from the camp of the enemy, when Muhammed him- self came forward with a detachment of troops from an ambush, and exclaimed, with a voice of thunder, "Angel Gabriel ! come down with eleven thousand angels !" Arrows were flying and darts hurled at the same moment; his already-defeated army, imagining themselves to be protected by invisible hosts of celestial warriors, took fresh courage, and Abu Suffian's army, struck with a panic, took flight, and Muhammed gained the victory.
Immediately after the battle of Bedr, that of Ohod was fought. Khaleed, the son of TValeed, marched against Muhammed. The idol of Lat and Uthal, the protector of Khaleed's army, was placed at a little distance, guarded by only a few men. Muhammed was again giving way, when he rode up to Ali, and commanded him to hasten with a detachment of cavalry to the idol, and break it to pieces. Ali, with the swiftness of lightning, obeyed his command. Khaleed's army, perceiving their idol destroyed, took to flight, and Muhammed again was victorious.
At length, in the year 629, the daughter of a Rechabite, — like another Jael, mentioned in the history of the Jews, — undertook to deliver Arabia from Muhammed; she adminis- tered poison to Muhammed, which produced inflammation in the brain. " None has ever suffered such pains as I do," he observed to Omar. * Go thou, and perform the prayer in the mosque, instead of me." Already Omar had ascended
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 23
the pulpit, when Muhammed raised himself upon his couch, and said to his attendants, " Pour cold water over me." They obeyed; he then rose from his bed, and said, "As long as I shall have breath in me, I shall perform public prayer myself." He went to the mosque, and called to Omar to stop. He performed the prayers with a loud voice — went home— laid down on his bed — uttered three dreadful shrieks : his last words were, "Kasool Ullah" (Ambassador of God ) and expired.
24 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
CHAPTER XIII.
Sensation produced by the Life of Muhammed ; Copies of it circulated through Balkh, Khoollom, Mazaur, and Cabal; Remarks of the Sheikh Islam on it. Yar Muhammed Khan advises the King to behead Dr. Wolff. Ak Muhammed Beyk appointed Ambassador from Bokhara to England. Mischief occasioned by the Servants of Colonel Stoddart. Colonel Stoddart ends his Diplomatic Relations with Yar Muhammed Khan by kicking him down stairs. Ques- tions by the Makhrams. King's Remark on Dr. Wolff's Personal Appearance. The People call Dr. Wolff Khoob Ademee, " The Good Man." The King gives him three Names. High reputation of Sir Moses Montefiore among the Jews of Bokhara. Further Questions put by the Makhrams by order of the Ameer to Dr. Wolff; Dr. Wolff's Reply to each. The Dastar Khanjee a Disgrace to Man- Ameer. Dr. Wolff demands the Bones of Stoddart and Conolly. hood. Peculiar Character of the Post at Bokhara. The Ameer reads all the Letters of his Subjects. Interview of Dr. Wolff with the The King threatens to send Dr. Wolff's Bones to England. Dr. Wolff hears of the Villany of Abdul Samut Khan from various Persons. Refused permission to depart by reason of the Detention of the Bokhara Ambassador in Persia. Writes to Colonel Sheil. Russian Slaves refused Liberation. Conversation with the Officers of the Nayeb. Hassan Shirazi.
The sensation excited by my paper on Muhammed, as soon as copied, and delivered to His Majesty the King, was immense. He sent for the Sheikh Islam, for the Kasi Kelaun, and all the rest of the mullahs. The Sheikh Islam observed, "This life must be kept among the library in the Great Mosque, and it is remarkable with what prudence Joseph Wolff has contrived to state his sentiments without giving offence, and at the same time delivers with
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 25
sincerity the sentiments of wise Christians with re- gard to our Prophet." Copies were ordered by His Majesty to be taken and sent to Balkh, Khoollom, and Mazaur; and Mullah Buddr-Deen, the great mer- chant from Affghanistaun, sent copies to Cabul ; and Khodsha Sahib, a merchant from Cashmeer, sent to his friends at Cashmeer; and the Governor of Samar- cand sent copies to the mullahs of Samarcand and Orateppa. And the Sheikh Islam observed to His Majesty, "A great calamity will befal the city, if Joseph Wolff is killed at Bokhara, and not sent back to his country with distinction." His Majesty the King replied, " I have given myself a terrible wound by having killed Stoddart and Conolly."
May 5th. I received permission to depart, on the 9th of this month, from the King. At this period I laboured under the most pleasing delusion as to the real character of the Nayeb, and in the innocency of my heart wrote to England to that effect. I continued to labour under this delusion for some time. The 9th arrived, but with it no permis- sion to depart. The King, however, and the Nayeb continued to treat me kindly. I soon, however, found that I was surrounded by a mass of treachery nearly unparalleled. The first glimpses broke in on me from a discovery that I made as to Yar Muham- med Khan, of Heraut. This villain promised to recommend me to the Ameer of Bokhara, and he
26 NARRATIVE OP THE MISSION
kept his word. He did so— for decapitation. The Ameer, however, did not attend to him, being pre- possessed against him, fortunately for me, otherwise I might not now live to tell the tale.
Wednesday, the 14th, was again fixed for my departure with Ak Muhammed Beyk, a great Turko- maun chief, who was to accompany me with pre- sents from the Ameer for our Queen, and a letter. Apparently great outward kindness was shown to me, for when I wanted to be bled, the King sent word that I ought not to do so previous to a journey. I called on the King in my Bokhara dress, and His Majesty laughed heartily at my appearance. He is wholly uneducated, but not without talent. I re- mained in the house of Abdul Samut Khan. People began at last to assume sufficient courage to call on me. They all expressed their astonishment that I should be better treated than the Russian Ambas- sador, and they began now to bow to me in the street. One day I fell from my horse in the street, but was not hurt, which they ascribed to my carry- ing the Bible always about with me. Though I did not feel the effects then, this fall afterward produced a rupture, which greatly inconvenienced me, since I had to ride twelve hundred miles on horseback without a bandage.
On inquiry, I found in all directions that Colonel Stoddart's servants did him immense injury. All the
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 27
accusations against my poor friend Conolly were of the idlest description. Colonel Stoddart was cer- tainly a most rash and inconsiderate man. The story of drawing his sword on the Makhram that was to present him to the King, was in everybody's month, as a gross violation of the etiqnette of the Court.
I conversed one day with several people of Heraut. They spoke highly of English officers, and related the following story of Colonel Stoddart: " He was visited on one occasion by Yar Muhammed Khan, who was, as the Herant people expressed themselves, the greatest Haram-Zadeh in existence. Colonel Stoddart spoke to him about the affairs of Kamran Shah, and after a few remarks by him on the villany of Yar Muhammed Khan, the discussion became so warm, that Colonel Stoddart rose and said, c With you I shall soon have done,' and kicked him down stairs." This was diplomacy with a vengeance.
Every day of my residence here brought with it some question to be solved for the King's satisfaction. On even the second day of my arrival, the King sent one of his Makhrams to ask two questions. 1st. Whether I had the power to raise the dead ? 2nd. Did I know when the day of resurrection would take place ? My answers were written down.
One day the King remarked to the Nay eb, that I
28 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
was the most singular being lie had ever seen. I was not like any other European. I was not like an Englishman, or a Jew, or a Russian, in my outward appearance and conduct.
I pass here by the name of the Khoob Ademee, the good man, among the people. In the very market- place, they say, " The Englishman is come, and he asked Hazrat (His Majesty), Why have you killed my countrymen? After him more of his people will come with force and power, and our Nayeb is occu- pied with the Englishman for some great design and purpose.5'
About this time, May the 14th, 1844, the King learnt the detention of his own Ambassador at Me- shed on my account, and therefore determined to detain me. I continued, however, to ride about with- out strict surveillance on to the 22nd. The King- wrote letters to the Sultan and Shah. Ambassadors are sharper looked after than myself, for they are not permitted to get clear of a very strict surveil- lance. His Majesty looked upon Dil Assa Khan as a contemptible dog, he told me, for not having fulfilled his duty, to the Assaff-ood-Dowla. He gave me three epithets. 1st. Joseph Wolff the Ori- ginal. 2nd. Joseph Wolff the Star vnth the Tail. 3rd. Joseph Wolf the Timid One.
The Jews of Bokhara have taken courage, and called on me. The name of Sir Moses Monte-
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 29
fiore, and the rumour of his exertions for the benefit of the Jewish nation, have reached their ears and those of their brethren in Samarcand, Balkh, Khokand, and Heraut. And Sir Moses Montefiore will be surprised to learn that his exer- tions in behalf of the Jews have drawn the atten- tion of the Jews in those distant regions to the doctrines of Christianity; for many Jews, when at Bokhara, observed to me that the religion of the Gentiles in England must absolutely be better than that of Muhammed, as the proceedings of Sir Moses Montefiore, in behalf of the Jews, are not only tole- rated, but also countenanced, supported, recom- mended, and eulogized. And about Rothschild they say that, in a country where one can so openly make a display of one's property, the religion of that nation must be better.
The reason why His Majesty called me Joseph Wolff the Timid One, I discovered to be from the cause that Ameer Asian told him that I was ill from the apprehension of losing my head. He supposed this to be the case, from a sudden illness with which I was seized in the market-place, His Makhram continued to come down daily with questions such as these :
The mode of travelling in Persia, Turkey, and England? To this I replied, giving an ordinary explanation; but His Majesty could not understand
SO NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
why we had no camels in England, and I had to write an immense time before he comprehended onr railroad travelling-.
Whether the Queen has a husband ? I answered this in the affirmative, but told him that the govern- ment was in the hands of the Queen. He then exclaimed, "What kind of husband is he that is under the government of his wife ?"
Why a woman is Queen, and not the husband ? I pointed out that the succession ran in the eldest branch, male or female, and illustrated the position by James of Scotland.
The Ameer wished another day to have the names of the four grand Viziers, and twelve little Viziers of England, and the forty-two Elders. I gave to His Majesty a list of the names of the present Ministry, when the Makhram returned in a fury, and said that His Majesty had found me out to be a liar, for the four grand Viziers, according to Colonel Stoddart's account, were : Laard Maleburne, Laard Jaan Rawsall, Laard Malegraave, Seere Jaane Habehaase. I was brought in to the King, and then had to give a complete idea of the Constitution of England, which, though His Majesty could not understand it fully, yet I convinced him that my list might be true also, especially as I was able to tell him the names of the Whig Administration.
At the same time His Majesty asked me whether
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 31
witches were to be found in England. To which I replied, that witchcraft was prohibited to the Chris- tians, and according to the old law of England, was punished with death ; that this arose from the fact that witchcraft required to complete its rites, shed- ding of blood, and other unlawful acts, and was consequently for that, independent of any other question of its effects, punished with death, under Jewish and Christian ordinances. That witchcraft does not now exist, and that scarcely any one in England believes in the existence of it at all. I was the more anxious to say this, lest from the circum- stance of their entertaining the notion of my being a wizard, I might suffer those very serious conse- quences that my predecessors in the black art had from time to time experienced. It will further be seen, in the progress of this Narrative, that it was reported that Abdul Samut Khan and I practised witchcraft at our meetings, when in truth that mighty alchymist was only bent on transmuting me into as much solid gold as possible by the dint of his philosopher's stone, cruelty, incarceration, and threats of death.
On another occasion I was asked, How many Ambassadors Her Majesty had, and how they were treated ? I gave a list of Ambassadors, and stated that they were not guarded and watched, as was the practice at Bokhara, but enjoyed full liberty and high distinctions and privileges.
32 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
The King then asked, Whether they would kill his Ambassador at London ? I replied, if any Eng- lishman did so, he would immediately be put to death, by the laws of the land ; and to illustrate it I told him of the good reception of Dost Muhammed Khan in India.
Why do the English people like old coins ? was then demanded. I explained that their value in the eyes of Englishmen arose from the circum- stance that coins were looked upon as the very back- bone on which the frame of history is supported. That without them we could not ascertain the dura- tion of the world, dynasties of kings, and national events. That they were the great guides of the his- torian in determining his aeras, and formed a metallic history of the earth, and that statues and ancient monuments were used as similar auxiliaries.
Who Ghengis Khan was ? After the usual par- ticulars of this well-known life, I added that the Jews believed that he was one of their nation.
Who Dareius was ? I then detailed the history of this monarch, whom they call Takianus.
How the English govern India ? After general details, I pointed out the toleration of the British Government in India, allowing all persons to follow their own religion, and making no difference in the exercise of law between Englishman, Muhammedan, and Hindoo ; and that if an Englishman were to
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 33
insult a Muhammedan or Hindoo, relative to reli- gion or any other matter, he would be severely punished.
The names of the richest Jews in England? Rothchild, Goldsmith, Sir M. Montefiore, and Co- hen.
Whether the Queen has the power to kill any one she pleases ? No ; but she can pardon whom she pleases ; and persons who have even attempted the life of the Queen have not suffered, but been pardoned. I explained that the Queen was com- pelled to submit her rights to the trial by jury, as well as the Lords or Commoners. On which one of the Makhrams observed, "What kind of a Sove- reign is this, that cannot take away any life that she pleases ?"
How many farsakhs an hour a steam ship goes ? I said three and four farsakhs (about sixteen miles an hour.)
The Bokhara Ambassador, alluded to in one of the above questions, was a man of striking appear- ance. He was a Tatshick, and his brother one of the first merchants in the place.
The instances of villany which I daily detected of Dil Assa Khan were perfectly startling. I found out that he had laid a plot to sell me to the Haza- rah. Next to the Dastar Khanjee I considered him at this time one of the most wicked men I had ever Vol. II. D
34 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
seen. This man, who is placed over the King's kitchen, and at the same time has also the custom- house under him, and occupies in fact the position of King's Vizier, is only twenty years of age, and has been raised to this office for demerits unmentionable in any journal or narrative. He is one of the most voluptuous and effeminate villains imaginable. I have inserted his portrait, and I think it gives fully the base character of the man. When he is older it is generally hoped by the inhabitants, and confidently expected by them, that the King will decapitate him and seize on his enormous wealth. He treated Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly with peculiar severity. The less said of this disgrace to manhood the better.
In order to exemplify in the best manner the tyranny of the Ameer of Bokhara, I need only men- tion the following facts : That every letter sent from Bokhara, and every letter arriving for their mer- chants and dignitaries, and every private note which the wife writes to her husband, or the husband to the wife, must first be opened and perused by the King of Bokhara ; so that actually it is a matter of the utmost difficulty to forward letters to Bokhara. This circumstance may plead an excuse for Colonel Sheil ordering Muhammed Ali Serraf not to for- ward the letters from Sir Moses Montefiore by an express Gholam. For even if the letters arrive the
Muz/I Ahdul Wahrib drtt
THE ©ASTim T&MJOIE3B..
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 35
people are afraid to receive them. The Khaleefa of Mowr alone is able to forward letters to Bokhara with safety, but of this circumstance Colonel Sheil was not aware, and Muhammed Ali Serraf had no inclination to make use of the Khaleefa.
Another act of tyranny committed by the Ameer is that boys are employed as newswriters, whose duty it is to report to him every word which other boys talk in the street ; even brother to brother at home, and servants in families, are also obliged to write down for the King * any conversation they hear between husband and wife, even in bed ; and the people set over me were ordered to report to him what I might happen to speak in a dream. Such written reports are called Areeza, i. e. peti- tions to the King. But whilst His Majesty has established such a complete system of espionage, a similar one is established over him, though in secret, by several of the great officers of the State. Abdul Samut Khan boasted to me, and I heard the truth of his statement confirmed by others, that he (Abdul Samut Khan) knew every* sentence and every half sentence the Ameer uttered, and all that is spoken to him. Abdul Samut Khan was exactly informed of every word that I uttered on a certain Friday that I went to the Salaam (levee) of the King, viz., that I had requested His Majesty to give me the bones of Stoddart and Conolly, and
D 2
36 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
that His Majesty's answer was, " I shall send your bones." The Ameer is evidently afraid of Abdul Samut Khan, for as often as Abdul Samut Khan exercises his artillery by ordering* cannons to be fired, the Ameer sends one of his Makhrams to the Nayeb, who lives outside the town, to inquire for what pur- pose the cannons are fired, and I witnessed that in a single day three or four times Makhrams came to Abdul Samut Khan with the same question.
It may be asked, " Does the Ameer fear Eng- land ?" 1 say exceedingly : so much so that when I arrived there, for three days he was sitting with his head leaning upon his hands, in deep thought ; and he observed to the Grand Cazi, " How extraordi- nary ! I have two hundred thousand Persian slaves here ; nobody cares for them ; and on account of two Englishmen, a person comes from England, and single-handed demands their release."
There are two Armenians from Astrachan at Bokhara, the name of the one is Barhur-Dar, and the other Hoannes, who were forbidden by the Ameer to approach me. They are suspected by the inha- bitants to be Akbar-Nuwees (report writers), some say to the English Government, and others to the Russian. I however found a real friend to the British Government in a Khoja Sahib, a merchant from Cashmeer, who chiefly opened my eyes about the infamous Nayeb, Abdul Samut Khan, and who
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 37
told me, u That rascal has never told you how ill he treated Conolly, poor Conolly, and gave him nothing to eat, after he had stopped with him for a while, for Conolly was too shrewd to be cheated by him."
With respect to this person (Abdul Samut Khan), I omitted to mention that after the long conversation I had with him on the subject of Stoddart and Conolly, given above, that he made me a present of a Bokhara robe, and also one to Dil Assa Khan. On our return to my lodgings in the Toorah Khane from that interview, the good old Yoos-Bashi, when he saw me, wept for joy, as when one sees another returning from a dangerous journey. Also the Turkomauns, Ameer Sarog and Kaher Kouli, who were formerly distant in their demeanour, again took courage to salute me. After three days I called again on the Nayeb. He informed me that he had already paid thirty tillahs for five camels to Morteza preparatory to my departure, and twenty tillahs I should have to pay him at Meshed. I said, " Why so ? I only want two camels, which amounts to six tillahs (about three pounds), but he replied that he should have to give me so many effects of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly, which he had recovered at great personal cost from others, that I should not know what to do with them. He showed to me three mantles (khelats) from Conolly, when a curious thing happened. A soldier (Sirbas)
38 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
exclaimed, on passing, as he caught a sight of the Khelat, " I know that ; we took it from the palace of Muhammed Ali, King of Khokand." The Nayeb exclaimed, " Pedret Sukhte," " May thy father be burned, but do you know they belonged to Conolly Saib ?" and I observed him giving the man a look of peculiar expression. The soldier slowly walked off, but when he saw me again, he told me, " The Nayeb lies. We took it from the palace of the King of Khokand. You will never come out of this place again. The Nayeb, Pedre Sukhte Nayeb, will do with you as he did with Stoddart and Conolly. He killed them, and he will kill you." Whilst we were talking, I heard the shrieks and howlings of people. I asked, " What is that ?" He said, " This is the pri- son kept by the Nayeb for those whom he suspects, and whom he suffers to starve from hunger. The Nayeb came, and our conversation was interrupted.
I asked the Nayeb, " Will the Rukhsat (permission to depart) be given to day ?" He said, " Yes ; and for this reason I heg you now to give me a receipt for five thousand tillahs. Three thousand which I will give you now; one thousand for the Russian slaves, whom I will deliver to you to-morrow ; and one thousand tillahs, which you have to pay for Co- nolly's and Stoddart's effects, for the bribes which I have given to the people, and the hire of the Cara- van Bashi." I exclaimed, " Great God ! can you
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 39
show me the account?" He showed me an account. I said, " Give me this account." Nayeb. " Not now ; but give me your receipt ; you have to do with the Nayeb, who will not deceive you." I gave him the receipt for five thousand tillahs.
In the evening, instead of the permission to de- part, Makhram Cassem came with the following mes- sage from the King : " His Majesty had already ordered the letters to be written to the Queen of England, and the presents which were intended for Her Majesty the Queen of England were already prepared, but His Majesty had just been informed that the Vizier Mukhtar (Ambassador) of England, at Teheraun, had offered one thousand tillahs as a daily compensation, as long as the Bokhara Ambas- sador was detained within the confines of Persia. His Majesty the Ameer therefore was determined to keep Joseph Wolff at Bokhara as long as his Ambas- sador was detained in Persia."
This news was like a thunder-bolt to me. On the receipt of this intelligence, I wrote the folio wing- letter to Colonel Sheil :
To Colonel Sheil, at Teheraun, thence to be sent to Ms Excel- lency Sir S. Canning, Constantinople, and thence to the Earl of Aberdeen, who will kindly communicate the con- tents of it to Captain Grover.
My dear Colonel Sheil, &c. Bokhara, May 15, 1844.
Ak Muhammed Beg, a powerful chief of Ttirko-
mauns, was already appointed as Ambassador to the Queen
40 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
of England from the King of Bokhara, of which I sent to all of you a copy, and I was to set out on the 12th instant for Meshed, after I had made my dua to His Majesty, when he received a message from Meshed, that the Assaff-ood-Dowla detained his Ambassador there on my account. He is therefore determined to keep me until his Ambassador comes back. I beg you therefore to send an order from Muhammed Shah to the Assaif-ood-Dowla, that he should immediately permit the Eljee of Bokhara to depart from Meshed for Bokhara. Pray do so, for he (the King) is a determined fellow, and would keep me ten years if the Ambassador is not sent. I write this letter in the house of our friend Nayeb Abdul Samut Khan, who has taken great trouble about me.
I have recovered a journal. [The Nayeb did not give me this journal, as he promised. It contained, among other matters, a description of fortresses from Khokand to Bo- khara. The official seal of Stoddart was also retained by him.] I also have got the official seal of Stoddart. The King does not attempt to justify his having murdered Todderwise and Naselli, [I found Todderwise alive at Teheraun, on my return from Bokhara. I asked him how the report originated that the Nayeb had killed him at Bokhara. He said that the Nayeb had invited him to see him, for he knew him in India; but as he, Todderwise, was informed of his character, he did not go, being fearful of being enslaved, but another person, a German went, who was put to death by the King, without seeing the Nayeb, and the Nayeb supposed that it was Todderwise.] Poor Conolly had done nothing but what every traveller does ; he kept a journal, which made him suspected to be a spy.
You must pardon my confused style, for I am in a great stew, not knowing how long I shall be kept. I am now allowed to ride about in the town without a Makhram (pri- vate chamberlain) of the King, and which even the Russian
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 41
Ambassador was not allowed when here. There is now no probability of his putting me to death. He himself said to the Nayeb, " Do not tell Joseph Wolff that Yar Muham- med Khan has written to me that I should put him to death, for it will frighten him." Pray send a copy of this letter to India, and tell them that they should assist me from thence and from England with money, for I must give some pre- sents to those Makhrams who behaved exceedingly kind to me; and Dil Assa Khan, the Eljee of the Assaff, almost stripped me on the road; and after I had left Merve, I dis- covered that Rajab had stolen several things, he was paid by Nur Khyr Ullah in behalf of Colonel Stoddart, so you need not pay him over again. What horrid rascals those natives are! from the Prince down to the lowest sub- ject! The Nayeb has behaved nobly towards me. A report is spread about at Bokhara, that the Nayeb and myself sit together the whole day shut up in a room and practise witchcraft. Pray get the Ambassador soon sent off, and be kind enough to send a copy of this letter to Lady Georgiana also. Yours, &c.
Joseph Wolff.
The Nayeb informed me that last Sunday the King told him these words: "We will spread about a report that we march against Khokand, but the real object of the expedition will be to take Shahr Sabz by surprise." It would be a great pity if he should succeed. I must abstain from writing to you anything now about the character of this court, for obvious reasons; and besides this, you must know that I am at present in a continual fever, and shall be so until I shall be at Meshed. I have taken six hundred tillahs from the Nayeb for expenses, [The Nayeb had made me his debtor to this amount, in presents to Makhrams, which I afterwards discovered he never gave to them.] for the recovery of Conolly's effects, and for official presents to the Makhrams, Sheikhawl, &c. Pray honour my bills, and I shall arrange
42 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
with you matters. Abbott authorized me to draw, in case of need, one hundred tomauns on him. The inclosed is a copy of a letter of the King of Bokhara, which I am to take with me to England.
I took the Nayeb alone, and begged him to give me back the receipt mentioned above, but he swore by Abdullah Khan, his son, four years of age, to speak on the Sunday following to the Ameer, to procure me permission to depart.
With regard to the Russian prisoners, he sent first of all for an old woman, one hundred and eleven years of age, who spoke Turkish, and the Bokhara Persian, and remembered the Empress Catherine ; and when I asked her whether she would return to Russia, she smiled, and said, at the same time striking the ground with her staff, " Here at Bokhara I shall be buried. What shall I do in Russia?" I gave her one tillah, for which, in sign of gratitude, she knocked her head six or seven times to the ground, and departed, always moving her head, and saying, " I return to Russia ? I return to to Russia ?" He next sent for some other Russians with the same success. Some of them said, " We cannot return, for we are deserters." Others, " We are married here, and have wives and children."
Behadur Hussein Ali, and other officers of the Nayeb, then took me alone, and said, "You will find at last that the Nayeb is a Haram Zadeh (son
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 43
of ), who treated Stoddart and Conolly as he
does you, and Boutenieff, the Russian Ambassador, whom he detained as long as he could, always pre- tending to be their friend." Behadur then took me alone, and pulling off his cap, and lifting his eyes to heaven, said, in a kind of despair, "Oh, Conolly Saib ! Oh, Conolly Saib ! thou wert deceived by that Haram-Zadeh the Nayeb. He has also deceived me, allured me with promises to Cabul from. Lahore, and from Cabul to Bokhara ; and now he has forced me to marry, and having made a slave of me, will at last kill me, and take the few tomauns I have from me; but, what is worse, he has already made me his accomplice in every evil work he has committed. I am the keeper of those prisoners, who will never see the light of day again, for he has killed many of them, and I shall be killed also. But I must tell you all, for I am an Indian Mussulman, and have eaten the salt of English people. I knew Mr. Vigne at Cabul ; he has drawn my portrait, and has given me many a rupee. I am not an Iranee (Persian), I am a Hindee, and have eaten the salt of Englishmen. The Nayeb will kill you at last, after he has got money from you. He gave money to Conolly, and after Conolly was dead he got it back again. Pray do not tell him what I tell you, — he will kill me — he will kill me. I am not an Iranee, I am a Hindee, and have eaten the
44 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
salt of Englishmen." This account of Behadur, delivered with every mark of deep sincerity of feeling, was amply confirmed by Mirza Muhammed Noori and the Yavar, i.e. Major of the Sirbaas, who at the same time added, u That cursed Nayeb receives every year thirty thousand tillahs from the King, in order to equip the soldiers, and for the cannon foundry, but he puts the money into his pocket, and suffers the poor soldiers to go barefoot and starve. He is an enemy to his own country, Persia; and though a Guzl-Bash himself, woe to that Guzl-Bash who is sold to him as a slave. He never gives them their liberty, except by paying to him three times as much as an Usbeck would demand. Here is Assad Ullah Beg, who has been demanded three times by the Haje of Persia ; and it wrould only cost the Nayeb a few words to the King to give him liberty to return to Persia, but he has not spoken one single word to the King."
And I know myself that Assad Ullah Beg was only sent back to Persia by the Nayeb after having paid to him ninety tillahs, the whole earnings of the poor fellow for several years; and besides this a shawl worth one hundred tillahs, whilst an Usbeck would not have demanded more than twenty tillahs for the ransom of Assad Ullah Beg.
But to proceed with my Narrative. I was just on the point of returning to my lodging in town
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 45
when a curious and rather alarming incident oc- curred.
Hassan Shirazi, formerly servant to Colonel Stod- dart, entered the garden, and seeing the Nayeb, he said, " My heart trembles as often as I come here." The Nayeb said, "Go to hell, you father of the Curse. Who tells you to come here ?" He replied, il Many have left their heads and bones here, who have entered your house." The Nayeb replied, with a horrid expression, " Go to hell." The Nayeb then said, " To show you what sort of a fellow that is, when Colonel Stoddart was put to death, this fellow, his servant, being suspected of some designs against the Government, was sent to the Black Well. When there he was asked by one of the Makhrams, by order of the Ameer, * What conversations did the Nayeb hold with Colonel Stoddart?' Then that fellow, Hassan Shirazi, to implicate me, replied, ' That Stoddart and I had agreed that if English or AfFghaun troops should come to Balkh, to join them,' and he also stated that Stoddart and I (the Nayeb) had read together two letters which came from Cabul, and then burned them."
Now it is very remarkable that if Hassan Shirazi was such a bad fellow as the Nayeb tried to make out, and a traitor to Stoddart as well as to himself, that he (the Nayeb) previous to this had recom-
46 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
mended Hassan Shirazi as a servant, to accompany me back to Persia. But the fact was this, that the Nayeb maintained a secret intercourse with Hassan Shirazi and the other servants of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly, to betray them first, and seize on their effects afterwards ; and as there is no friend- ship among thieves, they naturally suspected each other. When I now think over, what sort of company I have par force kept in these regions, I am fully convinced, as all at Bokhara were, that the Nayeb intended to include me in the number of his victims. I cannot but look back with horror and dismay on that period. The countenance of that villain, Abdul Samut Khan, fell daily more and more, exhibiting daily fresh features of villany, the mark of Cain grew darker and darker in his vile physiognomy, and so far from imagining evil where no evil was, which has been imputed to me, the quantity of evil he not only meditated, but actually committed, ex- ceeded the bounds of ordinary imagination. My readers will perceive that I trusted the villain only too long.
I must proceed. I mounted my horse, and proceeded to the Toorah Khane, but returned the next day to the Nayeb, to urge him for leave to depart. Then the Nayeb informed me that he had put in irons Hassan Shirazi, and incar- cerated him on my account, for he had just found
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 47
out that he was married, and had given to his wife the four tillahs, which he the Nayeb had given him on my account as wages beforehand, and had told his wife that she should go to a certain village, and that when he had stolen my money he would join her; but the real reason for incarcerating him was, that the Nayeb began to be afraid of him.
48 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
CHAPTER XIV.
Disasters of the Seikh Army in Lassa. Csoma de Koros; his Re- searches ; publishes a Dictionary of the Thibet Language. The Sur- veillance over Dr. Wolff grows more rigid. Barhurdar, an Arme- nian, ordered not to visit Dr. Wolff by the Ameer. Nasir Khayr Ullah, a Kaffer Seeah Poosh, mistaken for Colonel Stoddart from the fairness of his complexion. Conversation between Dr. Wolff and the Nayeb. Letter of Sir Richmond Shakspeare. The Nayeb detains in his possession the Letter of Lord Ellenborough to the Ameer. Nayeb alarmed ; advises Dr. Wolff to communicate to the Ameer the fact of the Letter having arrived; Dr. Wolff does so. Hassan Caboolee dispatched. Dr. Wolff discovers that, though apparently sent, he did not really go. Affghaun Bear Leader imprisoned as a Spy; he tells Dr. Wolff that the Ameer sent a Lion to Russia as a Present to the Czar, for which his Ambassador was munificently rewarded; but that the Czar refused after the Execution of the British Officers to hold any further Intercourse with the Ameer. The Ameer goes to war with Khokand and Oratepa; orders in his absence the Guards over Dr. Wolff to be doubled, and tells him that his Departure will depend on the success of his Expedition. Dr. Wolff writes to Lady Georgiana and his Son. Conversations with Dil Assa Khan, Abdullah, and others. Dr. Wolff bribes the Guards. Previous War with Khokand ; King made Prisoner and put to death by the Ameer of Bokhara ; his Wife and Child barbarously murdered. Abdul Samut Khan the chief Agent in the Slaughter. At the news of the Death of Stoddart and Conolly the Inhabitants of Khokand renew the War. The Ameer retreats before them and the Khivites. Dr. Wolff contrives to acquaint the British Envoy at Teheraun of the movements of the Ameer, and warns the Town of Shahr Sabz of the King's intention to attack them. Ameer says that nothing prospers with him since the Death of the English Officers. The King of Kho- kand offers Dr. Wolff an Asylum in his Dominions.
Previous to my visit to the Nayeb mentioned in the preceding chapter, Muhammedans from Cashmeer called on me, and gave me some information respect-
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 49
ing the great disasters which the Seikhs had ex- perienced on their march to Lassa, the capture of Thibet, and residence of the Grand Lama. Several thousands of the Seikh army had been frozen to death, and many soldiers had been found frozen in the very attitude of defence, so that actually the Chinese, when approaching them, doubted whether they were alive or dead, and dared not disturb them. They also told me that the people of Thibet have a prophecy, that the whole coun- try will fall under the English sway. Some of these Cashmeerians were acquainted with the Hungarian traveller, Csoma de Koros, who spent much time in one of the convents of the Lamas near Ladack, where he made researches into the origin of the Hungarian language and of the Huns. This extraordinary man set out in 1826, if I do not mistake, for this purpose, from Paris, and went vid Constantinople to Persia, in the disguise of a der- veesh. On his arrival at Teheraun, he received the kind hospitality of Sir Henry Willock. Thence he went to Bokhara, Lahore, Ladack, and Calcutta. He wrote the only Dictionary of the Thibet lan- guage, I believe, extant, and then died. The Cash- meerians spoke to me also of Mr. Vigne and Baron Hugel.
The surveillance over me kept getting more and Vol. II. E
50 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
more severe. An Armenian merchant, Barhnrdar by name, from Astrachan, sent me word by Konli, a servant of Dil Assa Khan, one of the servants that was kind to me, that I should excuse his absence, for the Ameer had sent him a strict order not to approach me.
The day following my last visit to the Nayeb, Nasir Khayr Ullah entered the garden. Nasir Khayr Ullah was by birth a Kaffer Seeah-Poosh, who are called by many Muhammedans, from the fairness of their complexion, Frankee, and this is the reason he was mistaken by some for Stoddart himself, whose friend he pretended to be, or perhaps was. He intended, he said, to go to Teheraun, to get some property there. This accounts for the information that Layard obtained at Constantinople, of Stoddart being alive, and passing by the name of Nasir Khan, for Nasir Khayr Ullah has the name of Nasir Khan. He was formerly a slave, but acquired considerable property at Bokhara. He showed to me forged let- ters from certain people who pretended to have car- ried the bodies of Stoddart and Conolly to India, for which service he (Nasir Khan) says, that he gave to them one hundred and fifty tillahs.
The following conversations took place on that day between me and the Nayeb.
W. Nayeb, to-day a Jew called on me, and showed to me a note evidently written by Shakes-
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 51
peare when at Jelaal-Abad; the contents of the note, as far as I can recollect, are as follows :
Hussein Cabulee is the bearer of a letter written by the Right Honourable the Governor-General of India to His Highness the Ameer of Bokhara, for which the bearer has received one hundred rupees, and after having brought an answer from His Highness, he will, on delivery to any British authority, receive five hundred rupees more.
(Signed) Shakespeare, Military Secretary. Camp Jelaal-Abad.
I knew that such a letter had arrived at Bokhara, and even your brother, Hajee Ibraheem, told me himself so.
Nayeb (pale and evidently discomposed). I am astonished that I have not heard of this letter before. Nasir Khan has just told me that a Cabiil man was in possession of such a letter, but he says that he had left the letter at Balkh.
As Nasir Khan was already gone, he said that he must send to him to hear more about it ; for when he (Abdul Samut Khan) had told the King that Joseph Wolff asserted that the Governor-General had written to His Majesty, His Majesty replied, " Where is that letter 9" In the evening, to my utter sur- prise, the Nayeb produced the same note of Shake- speare which I saw in the hand of the Jew.
I heard then by Mirza Muhammed Noori, by the chief servant of the Kasi Kelaun, by Mullah Makhsoom, a Tatshick, and by Moolam Beyk, that
E 2
52 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
the Nayeb had been all the time in possession of the letter of Lord Ellenborough, and the other of Cap- tain Shakespeare, and that it was by a contrivance of the Nayeb with Hassan Caboole that the note of Shakespeare was shown to me by the Jew Moollah Mesheakh. The letter of Sir Richmond Shake- speare, together with the letter of Lord Ellen- borough, is, as will be seen, in the hands of Colonel Sheil; and as, according to the testimony of the above respectable people, the letter with Captain Shakespeare's note arrived before the execution of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly, it is evident that the official date of 1259 Hejira, corresponding with July, 1843, — which was given to me by order of the King and Abdul Samut Khan at the begin- ning,— is the correct date, and not as I supposed erroneous when I arrived at Teheraun from Bo- khara. Abdul Samut Khan must have known that to be a mistake; for, though the date of Shake- speare's note is no longer in my memory, I well remember that, when calculating over the date of the note of Shakespeare, and its arrival at Bokhara, it could only have been one year before my arrival there. It could only have been in 1259, as the Ameer and Nayeb first told me.
On the Sunday following these events, the Nayeb went to the King, and after two hours he came back to the garden, and said, " Now you have leave to
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 53
depart with all speed. The King asked me what kind of person the Ambassador ought to be ; I told him that he ought to be an Usbeck, — a stout fellow, with thick head and little beard."
W. When will all be ready ?
N. After four or five days.
W. This is too long.
N. Oh, you must have patience, for it is an act of the King. Everything is ready.
Whilst we were sitting together in the evening, Mirza Muhammed Nooree, his secretary, and others of his officers with him, he said, " Now you could show to the King that the English people speak the truth; write to him that such a letter actually exists here, sent from the Governor-General, and that His Majesty should cause search to be made for it."
W . I shall do no such thing, for this would only be the cause of another delay ; and I do not care what opinion he entertains of me if he only lets me go.
The officers sitting by, and Mirza Muhammed Nooree, agreed with me, that this would cause a delay ; but the Nayeb said, "By the head of Abdullah Khan, my son, it will not. Write ! I tell you, write !"
I wrote to the King. His Majesty sent immedi- ately to find the man, who came instantly to the garden, escorted by the Makhram, and also Nasir Khan with him.
54 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
Hassan Caboolee (in apparent fright). " Nayeb, Nasir Khan frightened me, and therefore I did not deliver the letter ; now they will kill me. Hasrat (His Majesty) will now kill me." The Nayeb said to him, " Be not afraid — say where is the letter." And gave him a significant hint. He said, " At Balkh." He was despatched immediately to Balkh at my cost. Six days after, I saw him at Bokhara, which I told the Nayeb; he replied, that somebody else went there on his account.
At this period, I was brought by the three guards to the garden of the Dastar Khanjee, where I met with an Affghaun, who came here with a menagerie of wild animals two years ago, and as the King suspected him to be a spy of the King of Lahore, he detained him prisoner at Bokhara. He however displayed a Muhammedan indifference about his fate. He spoke to me with high regard of the English nation. He had taught his bear to dance, of which he gave a proof to me.
Of this person also I learnt that the Ameer sent, previous to the decapitation of Colonel Stod- dart and Captain Conolly, a lion as a present to the Emperor of Russia, for which his Ambassador was munificently rewarded by the Emperor; but after the execution of both officers, the Ameer sent again an Ambassador to Russia, with presents, but on his arrival ~at Orenbourg, he was informed by the
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 55
Governor of Orenbourg that the Autocrat would have no more intercourse with the King of Bo- khara, nor was His Majesty the Emperor inclined to accept any letters from the Ameer. The poor man who was sent as Ambassador returned to Bo- khara, and has been since in disgrace.
In the month of June, when the Ameer went with his army to Samarcand and Khokand, for the purpose of reconquering Oratepa, which had re- belled against him, and also Khokand, my prospects of ever being set at liberty were but weak ; for, previous to his departure, he gave strict orders to watch me, and at the same time doubled the guards, and gave me to understand that my receiving per- mission to depart depended on the success of his expedition. I therefore wrote the following letter in my Bible to Lady Georgiana and my son Henry, which I forwarded to Colonel Sheil; but Colonel Sheil not opening the Bible, did not know what to do with it, and kept the Bible with him until my return to Teheraun. Here is the letter :
To the Right Honourable Lad?/ Georgiana M. Wolff, and Henry Drummond Charles Wolff. My dearest Wife and Son, Bokhara, June, 1844.
I am still detained at Bokhara, and the King has now marched against Khokand. Whatever may happen to me, dearest wife and son, remember that you yourselves have nothing to reproach yourselves, for it was my own choice to make the journey, in order to liberate the "prisoners, and
56 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
remember that our Lord Jesus Christ is now with me. I am not unkindly treated, and am not without hopes of being allowed at last to return with the Persian Ambassador; though one cannot depend upon the promise of an unprin- cipled tyrant, and Yar Muhammed Khan of Heraut has advised the Ameer by three Ambassadors to put me to death. God has given me strength to await his will with patience and resignation. Pray amuse yourself, and go to Wiesbaden in summer. I am well treated, but am not allowed to stir out without three guards, and am strictly watched. Tell my dear Henry that he should pardon me if ever I have hurt his feelings, and so I beg you to pardon me. I have never ceased to love you tenderly, both of you, and thank God that we are believers in Christ Jesus.
Your affectionate husband and father,
Joseph Wolff.
Dil Assa Khan entered my room with eight Mervee, and he began thus, saying, " What an Eng- lishman are you ! how stingy ! Todd Saheb, at He- raut, gave to the Hazarah, near Heraut, two thou- sand five hundred tillahs (ducats) for one horse. Pottinger Saheb gave every year thirty thousand tillahs to Yar Muhammed Khan, and do you think that I shall be satisfied with two hundred tillahs? Two hundred tillahs are good for nothing. It is for that reason that I have played the traitor, which I never would have done, if you had given me three thousand tillahs !"
Then his people began : "And what have you done for us ? You ought to have given two hundred tillahs to every one of us, and thus you would have
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 57
exalted the Queen of England, and made her name immortal. Instead of this you gave us only a few tengas (pence) to pay for our bath. Do you think that the Ameer will let you go from here without our interceding for you? Far from it. Abdul Samut Khan himself tells us that you ought to make us comfortable."
Abdullah, my servant, entered then my room and said, " The whole town of Bokhara speak with cer- tainty that the Ameer will put you to death, for it is the wish of Abdul Samut Khan, and all the Serker- deha (grandees) ; and the King of Persia, being a Sheah, has no influence at Bokhara ; but if you satisfy our demands, we will save your life." I turned them all out of the room.
Then a tailor of Abdul Samut Khan entered, saying, " Abdul Samut Khan has given to-day one hundred tillahs to the Shekhawl ; he does everything for you, but you must spend your money ; if not, he will fail in his trouble." I turned him out of my room.
Then Ameer Sarog, and Kaher Kouli, who had behaved exceedingly well for a while, so that I gave them a testimonial for their good conduct, said, " Mullah Youssuf Wolff, tillahs (ducats) are sweet ; we dream of tillahs day and night, and we dreamt last night that you, on your return to England, sate near your Monarch, and all the grandees of your
58 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
country kissed the hem of your garment. The most beautiful women crowded around you, and desired to be your wives, and you took the daughter of the Queen as your lawful wife. * * * * You will live in the finest palace, except the Queen's, and fanned by dancing girls ; and if you shall say to her, ' Oh, my Queen, cut off the head of this or that person,' she will immediately follow your advice. Both of us, Kaher Kouli and I, Ameer Sarog, dreamt this at one and the same time, and therefore it will become true."
Then the Guards entered, and told me that they Would admit any one in case that I gave them money, This I was forced to do.
The war with Khokand commenced about this period, and the Ameer, leaving Abdul Samut Khan to follow him, proceeded thither. This was the second war with the people of that unfortunate coun- try in which the present Ameer had engaged. I shall here give the details of the first.
Muhammed Ali Khan reigned at that time at Khokand, a very mild monarch, and fond of Euro- peans. He treated Conolly with great distinction, and always advised him not to go to Bokhara. But Muhammed Ali Khan was addicted to the vice of drinking, and to women, which gave time to Nasir Ullah Behadur, the Ameer of Bokhara, to fit out an army against him ; and he marched with several
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 59
thousand irregular troops and four hundred regular troops, and six pieces of artillery, commanded by Abdul Samut Khan, towards Khokand, in the year 1842, after Conolly had left the town. He took Khokand by surprise. Muhammed Ali Khan in- tended to escape, but was made prisoner, with his wife. The cruel Nasir Ullah Behadur, at the advice of Abdul Samut Khan, put not only Muhammed Ali Khan to death, but also his wife, pregnant with child. The child was taken out of her and mur- dered. The slaughter continued a whole day. Ab- dul Samut Khan told me, smiling, " I never give quarter to any prisoner, I always kill every one." As soon as the inhabitants of Khokand received the news that both Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly had been put to death, they made themselves again independent, and elected the nephew of Muhammed Ali Khan, Sheer Ali Khan by name, as their King, and made an alliance with the King of Khiva against the King of Bokhara. The Ameer of Bokhara marched against Khiva, but was defeated ; on his return to Bokhara he said, " My bowels of compas- sion did not allow me to shed more blood !"
During my stay at Bokhara he prepared again an expedition against Khokand, and arrived near Oratepa. As soon as he had learnt that Sheer Ali Khan came out to meet him with eleven thousand Ghirgese,he returned. I sent, previous to his march,
60 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
a Jew to Bokhara, to give notice to Sheer Ali Khan of the design of the Ameer. My readers have already perceived that I had given notice to Colonel Sheil of the same. For though he had declared that in case that he should be beaten he would put me to death, I thought it advisable, for the sake of hu- manity, to risk my life. He was beaten! I also was informed that he intended to take by surprise Shahr Sabz, a town which never was subdued by the Kings of Bokhara ; for the surrounding country can be inundated, so that he cannot bring there artillery, and besides this the Shahr Sabz are very good horse- men. I therefore sent there also a Jew, giving; notice to the Khan of the design of the Ameer to surprise Shahr Sabz on his way to Khokand. When the Ameer came near Shahr Sabz he found the whole country, in consequence, inundated, so that his army went towards Samarcand by another direction. The Ameer was heard to say, " Since I have killed these English people I do not prosper in anything." I had for about ten days at this period a Makhram, a kind-hearted guard, who allowed Muhammedans to come to me ; among others a Cashmeerian came to me, who said, " Sheer Ali Khan, the King of Kho- kand, is very anxious that you should come to Kho- kand, in order that he may, through you, send presents to the Queen of England."
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 61
CHAPTER XV.
The Mervee wish to know the Story of Napoleon ; Dr. Wolff Recounts it in an Oriental fashion. He amuses the tedious hours of Captivity by telling various Anecdotes. His Anecdote of the Arabian Derveesh reaches the ears of the Daster Khanjee, who reports it to the Ameer. The Kasi Kelaun assures Dr. Wolff that the British Officers were put to death, and that the King deeply repented of the act. The Kasi Kelaun warned the Ameer of the Consequences. All the Jews knew of the Execution the same day, and the Inhabitants of Bokhara, in town and country, speak of it as a matter well known. Dr. Wolff tells an Anecdote of Frederick the Great of Russia. Dr. Wolff laughs at Ameer Sarog's Vanity, and tells him the Tale of the Derveesh with the White Beard.
Some of the Mervee who called on me at this time, wished me to make them acquainted with the life of Napoleon. I will give my readers an idea of the manner in which European facts must be told to Eastern people. I began thus — bearing in mind that much of what I said would be considered as refer- able to my own circumstances: " There is a country in Frankistaun, which is called the Land of the Francees, which had a great Padishah. He had under his dominion, besides the land of Francees, a little island, which is called Corsica, in which is a little town with the name of Ajaccio. One of the Serkerdeha residing there was named Bonaparte, who had several sons ; the name of the elder was Lucien — of the younger, Napoleon, who had a great inclination for becoming a Yoos-Bashi, or some other
62 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
chief among the soldiers; but as, in Europe, no per- son can become a chief of soldiers without having first studied the art of soldiery in a school purposely established for that object, Napoleon was sent to a school in the land of Francees, in a small town called Brienne, where he kept but little company, and made such progress that he was sent to the capital of Francees, Paris. At this time the people of the land of the Francees rose against their King, for, on their side, they had lost the fear of God; and on the part of the King, he was not governed by wise counsellors : and it came to such a pitch that they at last put to death the King and the Queen. And as that King and Queen were related to other Padishahs of Europe, and especially to the Padishah of Nemsa, i. e. Germany, they became involved in war, especially as the greater number of the people of the land of Francees began to deny all religion, and even the existence of a God, and perse- cuted those who said, ' We will rather die than give up our belief in God and in Jesus.'
"At that time, as I said, the young Napoleon was brought from the school, and distinguished himself at the taking of towns which were not willing to yield to the rebels; so that Napoleon, who was first Yoos-Bashi, was made Sirhenk, Colonel; and in the war with the Emperor of Nemsa, he distinguished himself by his intrepidity,
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 03
so that he became Serteeb, i.e. General; at which time he became acquainted with a lady, by whom it was foretold by a Kawlee-Berband (gipsy) that she should become a great Queen, but then fall again.
"Napoleon then went to Egypt with an army, took the whole of it, but was driven out by the Englees; and after that he had a battle with the combined armies of the King of Nemsa and the Emperor of Russia, in which he beat both of them. He was made Padishah of the Land of the Francees, and thus the prophecy of the Kawlee-Berband was fulfilled. But Napoleon was not satisfied. He wished to become like Timur Kurican, not only a Jehaun Geer, but also a Jehaun Dar, and he became proud ; and he said as the Prophet Isaiah (the com- fort of God and peace upon him !) predicted : ' I will sit in the sides of the north;' and he went therefore to Russia, where he was overcome by the snow, and by the army of Russia, and defeated.
" At last all the armies of the different Kings of Frankistaun, even the Emperor of Nemsa, whom he had compelled to give him his daughter, combined against him, when he was beaten by the great Serteeb of the English, Arthur Wellington, and the Serteeb of the Prussians, Bliicher. He was made the prisoner of the English, and died in an island which is situated between the land of the Ghurb and
64 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
Hindustaun; and the prophecy of Isaiah was thus fulfilled: 'They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee. Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, and did shake kingdoms ? that made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof? that opened not the house of his prisoners V And the prediction of the Kawlee- Berband was fulfilled, that his Queen should fall again."
My readers will be surprised to perceive, that though a prisoner, and not allowed to stir out of the house unwatched, that I could amuse myself by entertaining those very people who betrayed me and imprisoned me, by telling them different anec- dotes; but I did so. They certainly thought me the strangest of captives. They were one evening all seated around me, Dil Assa Khan, Ismael Khan, Kouli, Kaher Kouli, Ameer Sarog, and others of the Mervee. Each of these fellows was well calcu- lated to be a torch leader in the race of rascality.
I told them the following story. They were all silent. There was a derveesh in Arabia, renowned in the whole of Arabistaun as a witty man. When that derveesh passed the house of a great Mufti, he wrote in Arabic three times upon the wall the word Donkey, and to each of these three donkeys he wrote a meaning. He said, the first donkey is he who has a watch and asks what o'clock it is ; and
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 65
the second donkey is he who has a horse and Who walks on foot. Here I paused, and said nothing-, when the whole body of my hearers exclaimed, "Who is the third?" and I said, "Every one of you."
This anecdote reached the ears of the Daster Khanjee, who wrote to the King, then on the expe- dition to Khokand, the following words : " Youssuf Wolff, the Englishman, Your Majesty's slave, is now very cheerful, and gets fat from Your Ma- jesty's bounty; and he has taken in the whole party who visited him with the following anec- dote."
I had also a visit at this time from the Kasi Kelaun, relative to Stoddart and Conolly. My readers will ask me, and I have been asked in Eng- land, What evidences have you that Stoddart and Conolly are dead ? 1 say, first, that there is no doubt that the King would have given anything to restore them to me. Even the Kasi Kelaun, on this secret visit, told me that he had never so repented of any act as of that one: and the Kasi Kelaun himself also said, one afternoon when all around me were asleep, u I warned His Majesty, but he will never hear advice, and I wTarned him one hour before he perpetrated the act." All the Jews knew it the very day of the execution, and they all told me of it; and thus every inhabitant of Bokhara, and of Vol. II. F
66 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
all the country around, speak of it as a matter well known.
On another occasion I told a large party the following anecdote, which I was obliged to intro- duce somewhat oddly to make it intelligible :
A great Padishah reigned in Nemsa, whose name was Frederick, and who went by the name of The Great. He waged a seven years' war with many Padishahs, and though his men were few, he routed all his foes. As the language of the Nemsa is different from the language of the Francees, he one day gave the following order : "I, Frederick, have condescended to order, that if at any time one of the men of the country of the Francees comes and says, 6 I wish to become a soldier in the army of the Pa- dishah Frederick,' the Sirhenks and my officers are hereby commanded not to enlist him ; as the Fran- cees are never able to learn the language of the Nemsa, and give, consequently, a great deal of trouble." However, there came one day a man from the land of the Francees, who was very tall, and, as the Sirhenks knew that Frederick the Great liked tall soldiers, they said, " Let us take him, and try to teach him the language of Nemsa, in order that the King may not find out that he is a Francees." However, all their attempts to teach him the lan- guage of Nemsa were vain, so that they taught him by rote the answers to three questions, which the
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 67
King asked every year of every soldier, and of which he never changed the order. The first question which the King asked of every soldier was, " How old are you ?" To which the soldier replied, giving his age. The second was, "How long have you been in the service?" To which the soldier replied according to circumstances. The third question was, " Are you contented with pay and food ?" To which he answered by the word Both. The Sirhenk taught the soldier (the Francees) the following words, as answers to the three questions : " Twenty years," " Three years," and "Both." These he got by heart, and they told him to say at the first question, Twenty years ; at the second, Three years ; and at the third, Both. The King arrived after a year, and reviewed his soldiers, and put questions to every one of them, according to the usual order. But when he came to the tall man of Francees, he changed the order, putting the first question, " How many years have you been in my service ?" He answered, " Twenty years." The second question of the King was, " How old are you ?" To which he replied, " Three." Hasrat then demanded, " Am I a don- key, or you a donkey?" To which he replied, " Both."
At another time Ameer Sarog, the old roguish Turkomaun, sitting in the company of others with me, boasted that he had the finest beard in the
F 2
68 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
company, and that it was completely white. 1 re- plied, " Ameer Sarog, do you know the dream of a derveesh? A derveesh dreamt one day that he saw standing before him an old man with a fine venerable beard : the derveesh said to him, ' Oh, I know thee who thou art; thou shalt not deceive me with thy fine white beard. I know thee, that thou art Satan,' and began to pull out his beard. Upon which the derveesh awoke, and had his own beard pulled out." I then said to Ameer Sarog, " Take care that you have not a similar dream, for then you will lose your beard to a certainty." They all burst into a fit of laughter, and said, " Don't boast of your venerable beard in the presence of Youssuf Wolff, for he laughs in your beard."
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 69
CHAPTER XVI.
Abdul Samut Khan told Dr. Wolff that he was the chief Instigator of the Slaughter at Khokand in the first War ; his Motives were to create a Feud between the States, which he trusted would end in the Death of the Ameer. Abdul Samut Khan said that the first Expedition against Khokand was by the advice of Russia. People of Khokand have since made an Alliance with Russia. Policy of Russia was to bring this about by urging the Ameer to war on them when they would require Aid. Russians intend to erect a Fortress at Hasrat Sultan. People from Cabul, Kashmeer, and Scinde call on Dr. Wolff; they praise highly Sir Charles Napier. Affghauns from Cabul ascribe the Disasters of the British Army to the Immoral Conduct of the Officers. Determined Conduct of Major Rawlinson ; he puts to Death an Affghaun for Murder. Manners and Customs of the Muhammedan Mullahs. Diligence of Muhammedans in copying the Koran; Propaganda and British and Foreign Bible Society discharge the same Office by the Christians. The Bible would be nearly extinct in the East but for these Societies. Arrival of Abbas Kouli Khan, the Persian Ambassador ; he tells Dr. Wolff that the Shah, Haje, and Assaff-ood-Dowla had strongly recom- mended him to bring Dr. Wolff with him, or to send him on before him. Nayeb sends for Dr. Wolff; informs him that Yar Muham- med Khan had sent three Ambassadors to Bokhara, stating that Colonel Sheil had called the Ameer a Robber in the presence of the Russian and Yar Muhammed Khan's Ambassadors, of Dr. Wolff, and the Bokhara Ambassador; therefore Yar Muhammed Khan advised the Ameer to strike off Dr. Wolff's Head. Nayeb offers Dr. Wolff his Protection. Turkish Officer dies suddenly in the Nayeb's Garden. Another Conversation with the Nayeb. The Nayeb reports Abbas Kouli Khan's Mission untruly. Dr. Wolff tries to escape. The Nayeb violates his promise to protect Dr. Wolff. The King sends for him. Dr. Wolff charges the Nayeb with the Murder of Stoddart and Conolly; the Nayeb owns it. Dr. Wolff again tries to escape through a Water Hole from the Garden of the Nayeb to the House of the Yavver. While there a Woman is introduced to him; he is aware of the Stratagem to
70 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
compel him by her means to embrace Muhammedanism, and drives her from him. Ordered by the King to appear before him ; leaves the Garden of Abdul Samut Khan; presents himself before the Ameer, who receives him sternly. Ordered to the Toora Khane and close Confinement ; calls on Abbas Kouli Khan, who vows to save him. The King sends word to him that he may quit Bokhara in two ways; leaves to His Majesty the choice of either. King sets out for Samarcand.
Relative to the first war on Khokand, I have stated that Abdul Samut Khan was the chief instigator of the fearful slaughter which then took place. The reasons that induced Abdul Samut Khan to advise the King of Bokhara to put to death the King of Khokand, and to massacre as many as possible of the inhabitants, were, that there might be an eternal blood feud between the two States. This feud he trusted would end in the death of the Ameer. These circumstances he communicated to me himself.
At the time when this miscreant pretended to be my friend, he told me also another highly important circumstance, which was this : that BouteniefF, the Russian ambassador, strongly advised the King of Bokhara to make war on Khokand before the first expedition ; and it is remarkable that since he made war for the first time, the people of Khokand, as Abdul Samut Khan told me, have entered into an alliance with Russia ; and it is a subject much can- vassed, that the Russians intend to erect a fortress at or near the city called Hazrat Sultan, otherwise called Tiirkistaun.
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 71
On another day, during the expedition of the King- to Khokand, people from Cabul, Kashmeer, and Scinde, called on me; those of Scinde expressed their highest admiration, not only of the valour and heroism of Sir Charles Napier, but also of his justice and equity. They said his name frightens the Po- looj more than the mentioning of the approach of an army; and I say it again, that I am sure that Sir Charles Napier would be the fittest man for being sent to Bokhara. But now I come to a very deli- cate point. AfFghauns from Cabul at Bokhara, and also after my departure from Bokhara through the desert to Meshed, ascribed the disaster of the British army, and the indignation of the people of Afighaun against the army, to the conduct of several British officers, whose names I forbear mentioning, and who shocked the feelings of the natives by their introducing into the country the "vices of Euro- peans," and by the liberties they took with AfFghaun women. We see from this, that the exertions of judicious missionaries, who speak with the Muham- medans about the name of Jesus, may not shock the Orientals, but the immoralities of Europeans as- suredly will. The general idea around Cabul, is, that most of the British officers did not believe in a God. At Candahar it is quite different; the names of Major Rawlinson, of Nott, of Lugin, of Todd, are mentioned with regard; and the following ac-
72 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
count which I heard at Bokhara about Major Raw- linson pleased me very much, and the people who related it spoke with admiration of Major Rawlin- son's self-possession at the following occurrence.
An Affghaun in open daylight put to death an Englishman at Candahar; he was brought bound before Major Rawlinson. The Major addressed him, "Why have you murdered that Saheb?" The Affghaun answered, " I would kill you if my hands were not bound." The Major, " Why so ?" The Affghaun replied sternly, " What business have you infidels to enter our home ? You infidels have no business in our home. Affghanistaun belongs to us, and it belonged to our ancestors. What business have you in our home?" An Affghaun present turned to Major Rawlinson, and in order to save the criminal said to him, " Major, he is mad." The murderer heard him, and said, "lam not mad j I am full of understanding : these infidels have no business in our home." Upon which the Affghaun paid the penalty of his crime by death.
I have now to touch on another point, namely, on the manners and customs of the Muhammedan mullahs at Bokhara, and all over the world. The dignity of Sheikh-Islam, of Cazi, of Muffti, of Imam- Jumaa, are the highest which are in the Muham- medan persuasion, and they correspond to those of archbishops and bishops in the Christian Church,
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 73
and the honours conferred on them by the monarch exceed those conferred on the Christian clergy by any King : thus, for instance, the Sultan kisses the hand of the Sheikh-Islam at Constantinople, and the Ameer of Bokhara kisses the hand of the Sheikh-Islam there ; yet those very Sheikh-Islams are surrounded by the poor of their nation and the poorest has free access to the Sheikh-Islam. We frequently hear poor mullahs (priests) and others of the poor laity say, " I must go to my Sheikh-Islam at Bokhara ;" and I heard others say, " I must go to the Imam-Jumaa at Meshed:" and this confi- dence of the poor towards their clergy is also prevalent among the Armenian, Greek, and Chal- dean and Jacobite Christians, — "I must go up to the Katokhikos at Ech-Miazin, in order to receive relief:" one hears the same thing said in the Ar- menian dwellings at Wagarshabat, and in those around Mount Ararat. This confidence of the poor in their prelates also prevails in the Roman Catholic Church, and there exists also a strong reliance of the poor on their ecclesiastical authorities among the Lutherans in Germany. I frequently saw, in the year 1811, the Superintendent-general Voigt, at Saxe Weimar, and Dr. Flatt, at Tubingen, surrounded by poor, and I heard those very super- intendents frequently listening, not only to the entreaties but even to the insulting remarks of the
74 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
poor, who arc often very impertinent ; I say I heard them frequently listening to them with the greatest attention. It were highly desirable that this pre- vailed to a greater extent in Christian countries among the dignitaries of their respective establish- ments.
The Muhammedans arc also very diligent in copying their Koran, on which account thousands of copies are always extant. This is not the case with copies of the Bible. Neither Jews nor Christians have the means of obtaining many written copies of their sacred documents ; and therefore, if the Propa- ganda had not in former times, and the British and Foreign Bible Society in our times, sent printed copies to the East, the Christians would certainly have been without any copies of the sacred records, save a few preserved in convents.
At last, Abbas Kouli Khan, the Persian Ambas- sador, on whom I knew my life depended, arrived. I called on him the first day, when he told me that Muhammed Shah, the Haje, and the AssafF-ood- Dowla, had strongly recommended him either to bring me back, or send me on before him ; but I was scarcely with him a few minutes when the Nayeb sent for me to give me important news. I immedi- ately went to him, and he said that there had arrived now three Ambassadors from Yar Muham- med Khan, saying that Colonel Sheil and myself,
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 75
when at Teheraun, had quarrelled with the Bokhara Ambassador; that Colonel Sheil had called the Ameer a robber, who had stolen Stoddart and Conolly's property; and that Colonel Sheil had done so in the presence of the Russian and Yar Muhammed Khan's Ambassadors j and that he (Yar Muhammed Khan) therefore advised the King to cut off my head ; but the Nayeb said, " Now remain with me here in the garden ; if the King does not send for you in a few days, I will let you escape, either to Shahr-Sabz or Organtsh. I swear to you by the head of Abdullah Khan — by the Koran — that I will do so ; and if the King will take you by force, I will beat the drum — drum ! drum ! drum ! and say, ' Halt, Front !' for I know that the King will send you home. The King said that he knew that Yar Muhammed Khan was a liar and told me a few words which convince me that he will not kill you ; i. e., 6 1 must send Joseph Wolff soon away, for I have had wounds enough since I killed Stoddart and Conolly.' "
A few days after this conversation a Turkish officer, coming from Constantinople, and intending to go to Khokand to see his mother there, and who was already for some months under the surveillance of the Nayeb, suddenly died in the garden of the Nayeb whilst I was there. The Nayeb told me that he had strangled himself, but he refused to show to
76 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
me his body; but all the officers of the Nayeb affirmed that the Nayeb himself had caused him to be mur- dered.
The day following, Makhram Kasem came to have some private conversation with the Nayeb. I retired a few minutes ; afterward the Nayeb called out, " Youssuf Wolff, come here." I came ; he told me " Makhram Kasem has just brought me a piece of news, but fear not, for the King knows that the intent of it is to involve him in a war with England."
W. What news ?
Nayeb. " Abbas Kouli Khan has arrived here with five requests from Muhammed Shah. The first request of the King of Persia is, that he (the Ameer) should put you to death. The Haje Mirza Aghasee wrote the same. Those Kajar are fathers of the curse, but fear not ; I shall see the King next Sunday." I shut myself up in one of his rooms, and prayed ; and soon after, when the Nayeb went to his harem, Behadur, above mentioned, came to me, and said, "I am not an Iranee (Persian), I am a Hindee. I have eaten the salt of Englishmen. If you like, I will let you escape, and bring you to Khoollom, and thence go with you to India, but don't tell the Nayeb of it." We agreed that we should leave that very evening, but in the evening I found a Carowal (guard) around my bed. I also
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 77
observed, that the Nayeb had sent a private message to the King.
The morning following, a Makhram, whom I hitherto had not seen, came in great agitation, and said, "You must go to town, you are here tired; the King orders you.'7 As the Nayeb was up-stairs, I called out, "Nayeb!" The rascal came down. The hue of his complexion was quite black ; I almost started at the sight. I asked him whether he knew the King's order. He said, "Yes, and you must obey." This absolute contradiction of his express promise to protect me, even from the Ameer himself, incensed me beyond bounds, and I said, " I now see that the people are right, who say that you are the cause that Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly have been killed; you are a liar, a traitor, and a rascal! you intend to kill me too." To this he replied, "Yes, I have killed them; Stoddart quar- relled with me and my brother, who is a Haje, in my garden, about tillahs." I then said, " Liar ! why did you always tell me that Stoddart and Conolly have always been your friends ?" He replied, " I know how to treat you Franks as you ought to be treated." The Makhram again said that I must go with him. I said, "No;" and saying this, I ran out of the garden over a low part of the wall, when Behadur followed me, and said, " Now I will let you escape."
78 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
He brought me, first of all, to the garden belong- ing to the Nayeb's son, Abdullah, which garden is not yet quite finished, where, on a former occasion, the Nayeb told me that he intended to construct a fortress to defend himself in case of need against the Ameer ; when, quite against all expectation, Ameer Abool Kasem was brought to me by the Nayeb's order. He informed me that he was the intended Ambassador for England. [Note. I have forgotten to mention above, that the Nayeb advised me, when an Ambassador was first proposed, and the proposal accepted, that I should administer poison to him pn the road, which of course I rejected with horror.] I said to Ameer Abool Kasem, " I know that the Ameer intends to kill me ;" and as I had a little paper and ink with me, I wrote a note to the Nayeb, saying, "Now I knoiv that you are a traitor and a liar! and that you will kill me as you have killed Stoddart and Conolly ;" and I gave the note to Ameer Abool Kasem, who gave it to the Nayeb.
Behadur then brought me, through a water-hole, to the house of the Yawer (major), situated about three hundred feet distance from the Nayeb's house, whence Behadur and the Yawer promised to let me escape that very evening. The evening approached, when the Yawer came and said that the Ameer, under the supposition that I had escaped, had sent soldiers on all the different roads to pursue me ; it
fia
A\IBra)¥]L SiXMIUJT I&IHL&H
NAYEB OF THE AMEER OF BOKHARA.
G-T.Vu/ne.del?
t Claim
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 79
would be therefore better for me to stay there until the troops of the Ameer had come back, and after they had given up pursuing* me. He (the Yawer) and Behadur would accompany me to Shahr Sabz, Khoollom, and even as far as India. I told them that I was convinced that the Nayeb was a traitor and a liar, in whose words in future I should place no reliance, and that I expected my fate with patience and resignation.
Both Behadur and the Yawer went out of the room, when a female, in the most coquettish manner, and unveiled, entered it. I at once observed the trap, and exclaimed, in a loud voice, and with great apparent rage, "Go to hell!" The Yawer and Behadur immediately entered, and asked what was the matter ? I explained the whole. It wTas the same trick which the rascally Nayeb tried to play to Stod- dart and Conolly, for I heard from different people that the same stratagem had been practised on them, with a view to forcing them to become Muhammed- ans, but in vain. To this he compels every slave he takes, in order to sell the issue from them as slaves.
I slept at night in the house of the Yawer, Behadur and Hussein Ali, both servants of the Nayeb, near me, and when I told them that they should sleep at a greater distance from me, they ob- jected that the Nayeb had ordered them to do so but I pushed them away by force.
80 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
The next morning, one of the King's head offi- cers came and ordered me, in the name of the King, to go to town, and that I should instantly receive leave for my departure. I obeyed ; but previous to this I was brought to the Nayeb, where the rascal told me that he had given twenty tillahs to the head officer, that he should treat me with respect, and that I should get leave to depart after twenty days.
I left the horrid garden of that bloodhound, and rode to the town. It was on a Friday. I was first ordered to make my Salaam to the King 5 but was not brought as usual previously to a decent room of the palace, but was obliged to wait outside the gate until the Ameer appeared, which he soon did. He looked sternly at me, and evidently displeased. I was then ordered by His Majesty to accompany the Makhram, and two other guards, to my old quarters in the Toora Khane, where now, also, Abbas Kouli Khan was residing, and that I should not stir out of the house without especial order from His Majesty. I came to the Toora Khane, and occupied the same room which Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly had previous to their execution.
I called on Abbas Kouli Khan, who, fortunately, lived in the same house, so that he did not come under the prohibition, I considered, at least I was determined not to understand the order in that sense. He immediately told me, (i I swear to you,
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 81
by God and the Koran, that I will not leave Bokhara without you." I told him that Nayeb Abdul Samut Khan had told me that he had been ordered by Muhammed Shah to effect my detention and death at Bokhara. He in a most dignified manner denied the charge, and produced his instruction from Haje Mirza Agasee, Prime Minister to the King of Persia, in which he was distinctly ordered to effect my release from Bokhara.
Towards the evening, the Ameer sent to me the following message : " There were people at Bokhara from Khokand and Organtsh, whose inhabitants were guilty of blood; and beside them, people from Cabul, Cashmeer, and Hindustaun. None of them had been molested by him. All of them enjoyed his protection. He (His Majesty) therefore felt greatly incensed that I had openly declared at Bokhara that His Majesty's intention was to put me to death; that His Majesty had been red in his face from anger. He therefore now asked me whether I would leave Bokhara without honour and in disgrace, or with honour and filled with favour. In the first case, His Majesty would furnish me with a simple passport; in the second case, he would, after his return from Samarcand, adorn me with a robe of honour, and send an Ambassador with me to England."
I sent as an answer that I repented having given Vol. II. G
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cause to His Majesty to be angry with me ; and with respect to the mode of my going from Bokhara, I left that entirely to His Majesty's choice.
The next day he set out for Samarcand with the intention of reconquering Khokand and Tashkand.
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 83
CHAPTER XVII.
Jews obtain leave from the Ameer to visit Dr. Wolff ; they sing with him, and ask for the Names of illustrious Jews who had embraced Christianity; he tells them of several, vim., Emanuel Veith, M.D., Dr. Mayers, Dr. August Neander, Dr. Ratisbon, Isaac da Costa, Dr. Kabbadose, Madame Dorothea Schlegel. Muhammed Bakher Nakash, the Servant of Conolly, abjures Islam, and says the Chris- tians are better Men than the Muhammedans ; he is brought before the Sheikh Islam ; persists in his Avowal ; is sent to Prison, and flogged. Ameer returns ; sends to Dr. Wolff a Mullah, to know whether he will embrace the Muhammedan Religion ; Dr. Wolff replies, Never. Executioner sent also. Letter from the Shah; Haje Ibrahim, the Brother of Abdul Samut Khan, informs the Nayeb of the Letter, and urges him to prevent Abbas Kouli Khan from receiving it. Muhammed Bakher saved by Dr. Wolff. Atrocities of Abdul Samut Khan; gets a Turkomaun beheaded, who came to save Stoddart; also Ephraim, a Jew, from Meshed. Prisoners in his Garden ; their Moanings and Wailings. Impression throughout the Muhammedan Countries that England and Russia will seize all those Regions. Remark to Dr. Wolff. Affghauns praise the English. Habeeb, weeping, tells Dr. Wolff that he is to die. Servants of Abdul Samut Khan announce his Death, and show a Letter from Abdul Samut Khan to that effect. Dr. Wolff makes up his mind to die, and writes in his Bible a Farewell to his Family.
Previous to the departure of the Ameer for Khokand, the Jews most kindly asked his leave to visit me ; which was granted. They called on me, and desired me to sing* a Hebrew melody, for they said, " Your voice is sonorous and sweet." I sang in a plaintive strain : "By the waters of Babylon we sate down and wept, for we remembered Zion/' &c.
G2
84 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
After this, we sang the Hymn of the Jews in Turkistaun :
The King our Messiah shall come.
The Mighty of the Mighty is He.
The King, the King, the King our Messiah shall come.
The Blessed of the Blessed is He.
The King, the King, our Messiah.
The Great One of the Great is He.
The Jews here asked me whether there were any Jews of distinction in our days who had embraced Christianity. I replied, " Several ;" and they wished to have their names, which they wrote down. I gave them the following :
1st. Emanuel Veith, M.D., now Domprediger of the Cathedral of St. Stephen's at Vienna.
2nd. Dr. Mayers, Professor of Jurisprudence at Tu- bingen.
3rd. Dr. August Neander, at Berlin.
4th. Rev. Dr. Ratisbon, in France.
5 th. Isaac da Costa, in Amsterdam.
6th. Dr. Kabbadose, in Amsterdam.
7th. Madame Dorothea Schlegel.
I gave them the following history of them : "Emanuel Veith was born in the year 1788, at Klattau, in Bohemia, and studied regularly at the university of Prague ; after this at Vienna. He distin- guished himself so much in medicine, and especially in the veterinary department and natural history, that he received the office of Professor of Medicine
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 85
and Natural History, and Director of the Veterinary Hospital at Vienna, when only twenty-four years of age. He was the most popular physician at Vienna, not only on account of his success, but also by reason of his benevolence and philanthropy: when suddenly he began to read the Bible, and the writings of Saint Augustin and Jerome. He studied theology, and is now the greatest divine and preacher at Vienna. His Sermons on the Resurrection of Lazarus; his Exposition of the Lord's Prayer; his Journeys to the Holy Mountains ; his Eeligious Tales; are considered masterpieces in the German literature.
%i Dr. Mayers was born in the year 1798, in Germany, and distinguished himself for his know- ledge of the Talmud at the early age of seven. He was born at Freudenthal, near Stuttgart, in Wirtem- burg. He entered the Gymnasium of Stuttgart, and previous to entering the University of Tubingen he made a speech in Greek that astonished the learned. He is now a pious Christian, and a celebrated professor.
" Dr. August Neander is also of Jewish parents, though Neologistic in views. He is evidently a sincere and pious inquirer after truth. He is Pro- fessor of Theology at Berlin. His Apostolical and Ecclesiastial History are the productions of a mind deeply imbued with spiritual religion.
86 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
"Ratisbon is a Roman Catholic priest, whose Life of St Bernard has excited the greatest sensation in France.
" Isaac da Costa springs from those Jews who were what are called ' The Compelled/ c Anusim,' in Spain, and is grand nephew to the famous Uriel da Costa, Canon of Barcelona, who when he had left Spain and reached Amsterdam, returned to Judaism, which he embraced, and all his family, and after this committed suicide. Isaac da Costa was educated as a Jew at Amsterdam, but studied the law at Leyden, and was converted, through the instrumentality of Bilderdyk, to the Christian religion; and he was instrumental to the conversion of his mother and family to that faith ; and also of Dr. Kabbadose, in the same manner as Uriel da Costa had converted his family to the Jewish belief. Da Costa is a celebrated writer, and a devoted admirer of the spirit of the Middle Age, but a high Calvinist in his views ; a man of powerful eloquence, and a poet.
" Dr. Kabbadose, the convert of Da Costa, spends his days in acts of benevolence. I must here observe, that it must be confessed that only those Jews that have had a thorough education have approved them- selves to be sincere Christians ; and it seems, there- fore, highly desirable that the colleges in England should be open to the Jews.
" Madame Dorothea Schlegel was the daughter of
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 87
the most celebrated philosopher of the Jewish nation, Moses Mendelsohn. She married Veith, a Jewish banker at Berlin. When Friederich Schlegel wrote his celebrated book, Lucinde, Madame Veith replied to it in a book called Florentine. She had two sons of Veith, but was afterwards separated from Veith, and married Schlegel. Both of them, Schlegel and herself, became Roman Catholics at Cologne ; when Schlegel became a mighty defender of the Middle Age, and his wife a great admirer of the Spanish literature. She translated several things from Spanish into German ; without pretending to be a preacher, she converted, through her conversation, many Neologists to the Christian religion. Her two sons, Johannes Veith and Philip Veith, also, were bap- tized by Cardinal Severoli, the Pope's Nuncio at Vienna. Both Johannes Veith and Philip Veith are celebrated painters in Germany. I knew them at Rome, where they enjoyed the highest esteem among both Roman Catholics and Protestants for their talents, genius, industry, and piety.
" I must not omit to record, also, of Philip Veith, that in the war of Germany against Napoleon, he and Theodor Korner, the well known poet, entered as volunteers among the Prussians. He fought by the side of the chivalric La Motte Fouqu6, in the battle of Leipzic. When a Prussian corps was yield- ing, Philip Veith called out, " Forward, comrades,"
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cheered them to action, and conducted himself with such gallantry and heroism, that Bliicher made him an officer on the battle plain."
At this time Muhammed Bakher Nakash, i. e. the Painter, formerly in the service of Conolly, loudly exclaimed in a bath, " The Frankee are by far better than the Mussulmauns. Muhammed was no pro- phet. He was a cruel tyrant, and thus are all his followers. There is one God, but no prophet does exist." He was brought before the Sheikh Islam, and questioned about his public declaration.
Sheikh al-hlam (to Muhammed Bakher). Is it true that you have made such a declaration ?
Muhammed Bakher. Yes! I have loudly pro- claimed that there is no Prophet.
Sh. Do you believe, perhaps, that Jesus is a pro- phet?
M. B. No.
Sh. Mullah Youssuf Wolff does not agree with yoiij for he believes that Jesus is not only a prophet, but he calls him also the Son of God.
M. B. I believe no prophet ; but Jesus was a better man than Muhammed, and the followers of Jesus are better than the followers of Muhammed.
Muhammed Bakher was then sent to prison and flogged, but without any use. The mullahs then sent off an express courier to the Ameer, who was at that time at Samarcand; but he ordered them
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 89
not to put him to death until he came back. On the return of the Ameer, he sent, as my readers will see in the next chapter, a mullah to me, to know whether I would become a Muhammedan ; and an executioner to threaten me with death.
But the letter of the King of Persia had arrived, which was written and sent at the request of Colonel Sheil, to the care of the Assaff-ood-Dowla at Meshed, who delivered it to my friend Mullah Mehdee, who with the greatest secrecy delivered it into the hands of a Turkomaun for Abbas Kouli Khan at Bokhara. Most providential it was that Haje Ibrahim, brother of Abdul Samut Khan, was not at Meshed at the time, for on his return to Meshed he learned that Mullah Mehdee had sent off a letter from the Shah to the Ameer. He in a rage ran to Mullah Mehdee, and said to him, " Why did you send away the letter from the King of Persia to the Ameer of Bokhara? and why did you not give the letter to me, when I would have forwarded the letter to my brother, Abdul Samut Khan, who would have delivered it himself to the King ?" Now that this fact is true is clear, for Behadur, Abdul Samut Khan's servant above mentioned, told me that he had seen a letter from Haje Ibrahim, in which Haje Ibrahim wrote to Abdul Samut Khan by an express messenger the following words : " That cursed Jew, Mullah Meh-
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dee, has sent off a letter from the Shah to the Ameer, to be delivered by Abbas Kouli Khan. I was not at Meshed at the time, and therefore could not inter- cept the letter. Do all you can, dear brother, to prevent the letter coming into the hands of Abbas Kouli Khan, for if it reach him you will not succeed in keeping the Frankee, and on his arrival in Eng- land he will confound us all."
That this statement of Behadur is true, is certain from the following circumstance: that on my arrival at Meshed, Mullah Mehdee himself told me the instant he saw me that Haje Ibrahim was absent from Meshed at the time, and was highly incensed with him for sending off the letter. This letter also deterred the King from doing anything to Muham- med Bakher, as he was the servant to Conolly, and gave me liberty from captivity, and the King ob- served at the same time : "No harm must be done to Muhammed Bakher, for Joseph Wolff is more than a mere derveesh."
I must now give, in addition to the above, a few more examples of the atrocities committed by that villain, Abdul Samut Khan, testified to me by that respectable person Khoja Saheb of Cashmeer, and others. A Turkomaun came to Bokhara for the purpose of saving Stoddart. Abdul Samut Khan was informed of it, and he immediately gave notice of the attempt to the Ameer, who instantly ordered the TurkomamVs head to be struck off.
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 91
Ephraim, a Jew from Meshed, also arrived to assist Stoddart, when that villain also informed the King of it, and the poor Jew was also beheaded. Whenever I was in the garden of that villain, he brought me on purpose near the place where he had his prisoners, and I heard the moanings and wailings of those who sighed in prison. He, well pleased with himself, said to me : " Youssnf Wolff, do you observe what power I have? The Ameer inflicts upon criminals only seventy-five stripes ; but I two thousand stripes."
There is the impression, from the Dardanelles to the Oxus, and from thence to the utmost boundaries of Tibet, that England and Russia shall be the con- querors of the world, and the people are not dissa- tisfied with it, but, on the contrary, wish that that event may soon take place.
One of the people of Bokhara paid a visit to Dil Assa Khan ; on his leaving him he saw me walking about, near my room. He looked at me and said : " This Englishman in his mullah's dress is only the forerunner of great events ; not without reason has he appeared here with the Books of the Christians open, placed at his heart ; this is a sign that very soon the Christian Powers shall set at defiance the whole of Islam, and Jesus shall be King over all the world for the space of forty years, and Dujaal (Anti- christ) shall come."
02 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION
An Affghaun sat down in the evening near my room, and said: " I am well acquainted with the mode of Government in India ; every Englishman in India is a king, and therefore they will not be satisfied with Hindustaun alone, but their rule will be spread all over China ; and Russia will soon be in posses- sion of the city of Turkistaun, Khokand, and Or- gantsh;" and by a hint directed towards me, he indicated also the kingdom of Bokhara.
Another said, " I always told the people of Aff- ghanistaun, c Do not rise against the English people, for the English people have wings, and if you drive them out now, they will soon come again.' "
Another observed: "Russia and England are two great rival powers. A certain Vicovich was sent from Russia to Dost Muhammed Khan, but he soon was recalled, and he died by suicide."
Habeeb, one of the guards who watched me, came one day weeping in my room, and said: " Curses, thousand curses to Abdul Samut Khan ; he has at last succeeded in inducing the King to send an order here to put you to death immediately on his return." Scarcely had he done, when servants of Abdul Samut Khan entered my room and showed to me actually a letter from Abdul Samut Khan to one of his officers, writing to him : " Hasrat n (His Majesty) "has at last decided to put to death the Englishman, and nothing will save the man! Let
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 93
him go to the devil ; what business had he to come to Bokhara ?" I looked at the seal, and it was the seal of Abdul Samut ; I wrote therefore in my Bible these words :
My dearest Georgiana and Henry,
I have loved both of you unto death.
Your affectionate husband and father,
Joseph Wolff.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
Colonel Sheil. Bad Conduct of Dr. Wolff's Servants. Remark of Usbecks on the Treatment of Dr. Wolff. Questions put by the Makhrams by order of the King to Dr. Wolff. Kindness of Abbas Kouli Khan to Dr. Wolff; the noblest-minded Persian Dr. Wolff has seen ; sends Dr. Wolff Food .from his own Table ; places a Servant with Dr. Wolff for his personal Safety ; sends his Physician to Dr. Wolff to treat him for the Rishta. Abbas Kouli Khan and Dr. Wolff read together. Various Reports of the Ameer's Proceedings. Abbas Kouli Khan's Religious Opinions. Conversation with People of Samarcand; they tell Dr. Wolff of Gold Mines and Turquoises near Samarcand; of Ghengis Khan and Tamerlane. Letter of Abbas Kouli Khan to Lady Georgiana. Nayeb sends two thousand tillahs to Dr. Wolff. The Letter of Lord Ellenborough reported to be at Balkh ; arrives in forty days ; Seal broken. Abdul Samut Khan leaves Bokhara for Samarcand; his Message to Dr. Wolff. Vile Conduct of Abdullah ; tries to rob Dr. Wolff. Dr. Wolff wishes the Jews to take charge of Abdul Samut Khan's Money; they decline it, on the ground that Abdul Samut Khan would take it from them, and make them pay for it. Letters arrive at Bokhara from the Brother of Conolly ; Dr. Wolff opens them. Abbas Kouli Khan's continued Kindness to Dr. Wolff. The Jews visit Dr. Wolff; their curious method of Conversation. Dr. Wolff writes to the " Sovereigns of Europe." A second Letter, with strict Instruc- tions about Dr. Wolff's Safety, arrives from the Shah. Letter to Captain Grover. Return of the Ameer and Abdul Samut Khan to Bokhara. King reads Lord Ellenborough's Letter; determines in his own mind, Abdul Samut Khan says, to kill Dr. Wolff. Others say that Abdul Samut Khan advised him to do so. Abbas Kouli Khan, Dil Assa Khan, and Dr. Wolff, visit the Ameer; he does not look on Dr. Wolff. Letter to Lady Georgiana and his Son. All Letters sent open by Dr. Wolff. Mullah sent to Dr. Wolff to know if he would embrace Muhammedanism ; he replies, Never. Execu- tioner visits him. Dr. Wolff prepares for Death. Abbas Kouli Khan intimates to the Ameer that he has a Letter to deliver from the Shah. The Ameer receives it, and gives Dr. Wolff up to him.
It seems to me that both Colonel Sheil and the Foreign Office at home, have been deceived in the
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 95
character of that bloodhound , Abdul Samut Khan, and though I am sorry to say anything* to the dis- paragement of Colonel Sheil, on account of the hos- pitality shown to me, and the prompt assistance he gave to me, by forwarding the letter of the King of Persia to Bokhara, yet I must say that it appeared to me that Colonel Sheil seemed to be unwilling to be undeceived respecting the real character of Abdul Samut Khan ; though my description of the character of that infamous villain was confirmed by Abbas Kouli Khan, and is further confirmed by every Persian who has been at Bokhara, and I perceive the infamy of that miscreant is well known to Mon- sieur de Bode and to Sir Claude Martin Wade.
On another day, my servant Abdullah entered my room in a furious way, and said : " Now they are going to kill you, and what shall I do here ? I have no money for going back. Give me a letter to the Ambassador of your nation at Teheraun to make me a present of two thousand tillahs ; if not, I will kill you now. If you do so before the Ameer sends this order, I will get some Khoja (saint) to speak in your behalf." I took a stick and gave him such a beating as I never gave to any one ; and I turned him out of the room, and out of my service ; but Abbas Kouli Khan besought me to keep him again, as it would not be safe at Bokhara to suffer him to run about and excite, perhaps, the populace against
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me. So I took him again, which made him only more impertinent; and the villain Abdul Samut Khan encouraged him in it, and sent me word that I should give him a sum of money, in order that he might not play the Haramzadeh, i. e. the traitor. However, I must not go into details of what I suf- fered at Bokhara by that villain Abdul Samut Khan, and my servant Abdullah. I only can say that I frequently wished that the King of Bokhara would not delay my execution, in order to have peace for ever ; and I must say, that it was an inconsiderate act of Colonel Sheil to send to me a demand for money from that villain from Bokhara to England; for by the items, he (Colonel Sheil) ought to have seen that the promise was extorted from a poor pri- soner who had death before his eyes.
I was very ill one morning ; — on awaking from sleep, Abdullah screamed : "I have committed a great error by coming to Bokhara with an infidel." I said: "Do you not perceive that I am very unwell ? " Abdullah, in a most malicious manner, replied : " Then be well. All the same to me."
Usbecks from Bokhara who were present, and the guards of the King observed, " They try to kill this poor Englishman by annoying him ;" and another observed, "It is all at the advice of that villain Abdul Samut Khan, who wishes to bring our Ameer into difficulties with the English, and the villain
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 97
would like to see Bokhara destroyed, and he himself gain by it."
On another day I got a message from the King. His Majesty wished to know whether the English people could make a bridge over the Oxus? I replied, "Yes, with very great ease." He immedi- ately sent another Makhram with the question, "How many cannons have the English ? " I replied, that I never counted them ; but I was sure that they must have several thousand pieces of artillery. A third Makhram was sent the same day, with the question, In how many days a caravan of camels would arrive in England ? I replied, " No caravan of camels could proceed to England ; such a thing is not seen in England."
The kindness I experienced from Abbas Kouli Khan at this trying period, when so many evils beset my path, and my life was on the brink of destruction, I must ever remember with the deepest gratitude, though he was by no means without apprehension for his own fate, but laboured, as all at Bokhara must, under terrible misgivings of his own personal safety. Abbas Kouli Khan was formerly Governor at Bushire, in the Persian Gulf, and therefore acquainted with English people. He was a man of a higher sense of honour than I had ever met among the Persians. When he perceived that I could not eat horseflesh, and tea with salt and milk, and besides
Vol. II. H
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this, rice only half boiled, he sent me daily a pilaw of his own cooked in the Persian style ; and as he per- ceived that I was in danger of being murdered by the guards set over me by the King, or by Abdullah my servant, or Dil Assa Khan, he sent one of his own servants to sleep in my apartment j and as he soon saw that I had an attack of the " Rishta," he sent one of his own physicians to bleed me.
I also was enabled to go every day to him, when we read together some of the Persian works, as Scandername, which details the adventures of Alexan- der, and Tabari, a book which I afterwards received as a present from the King. I heard, also, in his company, several contradictory reports from the camp of the King ; for instance, one day the news came that the Ameer had arrived at the gates of Khokand, and that the Cazi, Mufti, and others, had come forth to bring him the keys. Another day that the Ameer had, out of mercy to the inhabitants of Khokand, retired with his army, but the fact was, that he was beaten, and had lost twelve Generals or Serkerdeha.
I also had with Abbas Kouli Khan many conver- sations on religion. His belief was, that the whole world would become Christians, and that Christ would govern forty days upon earth. After this, that Antichrist would appear, when all the world would become Mussulmans.
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 99
Whilst I was with Abbas Kouli Khan, there came people from Samarcand, who talked to me about the Turquoises and gold mines which the Ameer of Bokhara had near Samarcand. They also conversed about Tamerlane, as though he were dead but yesterday. I heard, also, that Ghengis Khan had a Jew from Germany as his Secretary. They preferred in general Tamerlane to Ghengis Khan, for they say of Ghengis Khan that he knew how to conquer a world — that he was a Jehaan-Geer, a world-taker ; but Tamerlane was not only a Jehaan- Geer, but also a Jehaan-Dar, a world-holder.
To instance the kindness of Abbas Kouli Khan, I need small proof. The following letter will alone supply ample evidence of his kindly heart*. It is addressed to Lady Georgiana.
In the Name of the Highest !
I acquaint the exalted and virtuous lady, my kind and distinguished sister, the respected lady of the high in rank, the distinguished among the learned persons of the Christian Faith, the Reverend Joseph Wolff, that on my arrival at Bokhara, my distinguished friend was much grieved and his affairs were in a confused state. I brought him to my own place of residence, and I waited twice on His Highness the Ameer of Bokhara on his account, and I obtained permission for him to depart agreeably to the com- mands of His Majesty, my Sovereign, on whom the regard of
* This letter was kindly translated into English by Mr. Thomson at Teheraun.
H2
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the universe is fixed, — may the whole world be his sacri- fice,— and agreeably to the orders of His Excellency, &c. &c, my Lord the Haje, (Prime Minister of Persia,) — may his great shadow be increased, — that I should bring him along with me. His Highness the Ameer of Bokhara having had to undertake a two months' journey against Khokand, it was impossible for me to despatch him on his journey until the return of the Ameer. Again, a second Firman from His Majesty (the Shah) to the Ameer of Bokhara arrived, which I caused to be delivered in a suitable manner, and I did all that was incumbent on me in regard to the friendship subsisting between the two powerful Governments of Persia and Eng- land. I obtained leave for him to depart by one means or another. In eight days more, I shall bring him along with me in safety and health. Rest assured.
I have no ends in view or expectations in this. I did it in the service of my own Government, and on account of the friendship subsisting between the two Governments. I am the brother of my distinguished friend Joseph "Wolff. I am also your brother, O virtuous Lady, and you are my sister. I have written these few words at the request of my brother, and I present my compliments. 1 Bokhara, 6th Rejjeb, 1260 (23rd July, 1844).
Soon after the King's departure for Khokand the Nayeb sent to me the two thousand tillahs which he had made me promise to take on with me to Tehe- raun, in order to deliver to Colonel Sheil, for the purpose of receiving twenty per cent, for the impor- tant services he had rendered to England ; and which money, he gave me to understand, was a pledge to me that he was in earnest to procure speedily my release. The next day, however, he sent again for
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 101
the money without a written order, and said that Mango, the Hindoo merchant, might give me bills for them, or any Jewish merchant at Bokhara. I sent him word that he should first send me back my note, and at the same time a written order to whom I should deliver the money; to which the Nayeb gave me no reply. He then sent to me Mor- tesa, the Kafila Bashi from Heraut, giving me to understand that he (Abdul Samut Khan) had kept Mortesa on purpose here, in order that he might enable me to escape concealed in a large trunk, in case that the Ameer should not give me permission to depart.
At last, forty days after the time at which it was pretended that the messenger was sent to Balkh for Lord Ellenborough's letter, the letter, as they said, arrived from Balkh, which might have been back easily in six days from the time the alleged messenger went to Balkh. Abdul Samut Khan sent the letter for my inspection. The seal was broken in two, which the Nayeb said happened on the road by the messenger having fallen from his horse. After the letter had arrived, Abdul Samut Khan set out for Samarcand, to join the King, accompanied by two hundred disciplined troops, and four pieces of can- non. The day of his departure he sent to me Beha- dur, his servant, telling me that I ought to give Abdullah a present of one hundred tillahs, in order
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that he might not commit Haramzadekee, i. e. ras- cality and treachery; I gave him, however, only twenty. Abdullah became worse and worse every day, and in the night time I observed that he tried to rob me of the money, in order, as I was after- wards assured of by trustworthy people, to hand it back to the Nayeb, and after this to murder me, either at Bokhara by poison, or on the road in any way he could ; and he (Abdul Samut Khan) having my note of hand for it, would then have come upon the British Government for the money, so that he wTould have been twice paid, exactly as he did with Captain Conolly. For this reason, also, Mortesa, the Kafila Bashi, was detained at Bokhara. I, in order to rid myself of the burden, wished a respect- able Jew at Bokhara to take the money, and give me a bill on Meshed; but Meshiakh, and Mullah Simha, and Pinehas, (these were the names of the Jews to whom I applied,) told me that they were acquainted with Abdul Samut Khan's conduct to- wards Conolly and Stoddart. Should that rascal, they said, find out that I had delivered the money into the hands of the Jews, he would force them, after my departure, to deliver the money over to him : they therefore declined accepting the money.
Two letters, by the hands of two different people, arrived from the brother of Conolly, addressed to
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 103
Conolly, wishing to know whether he and Stoddart were alive or dead. I opened the letters, gave several ducats to the bearers, and in order to induce them to depart quickly, I informed them that I had told the King that letters had reached me from India, which induced them to start immediately for Balkh and Cabul.
What I suffered all the time of the King's absence I cannot describe. The good Abbas Kouli Khan sent me victuals constantly from Jus table, in order that I might not be poisoned by Abdullah. In the night time he took possession of the key of my room, in order that I might not be murdered, and kept his servant in my room to protect me, as I have men- tioned. Every moment a spy from the King came to ask me what I did. The Jews, however, had the courage to come, and I advised them to come when the King's Makhrams were with me ; when each of us looked in a Hebrew Bible, as if we were reading, and thus carried on our conversation in Hebrew in the presence of the Usbecks, who all the time be- lieved that we were reading in the book by turn, whilst I learnt every particular of the conduct of the King and the Nayeb towards Stoddart and Conolly, particulars of the death of the latter, and of the licentious and tyrannical conduct of the King. Conversations not political we carried on in Persian.
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At this period I wrote and sent from Bokhara the following letter :
To all the Monarchs of Europe. Sires ! Bokhara, 1844.
I set out for Bokhara to ransom the lives of two officers, Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly ; but both of them were murdered many months previous to my departure, and I do not know whether this blood of mine will not be spilt.
I do not supplicate for my own safety ; but, Monarchs, two hundred thousand Persian slaves, many of them people of high talent, sigh m the kingdom of Bokhara. Endeavour to effect their liberation, and I shall rejoice in the grave that my blood has been thus the cause of the ransom of so many human beings. I am too much agitated, and too closely watched, to be able to say more.
Joseph Wolff.
During the absence of the King a second letter arrived from His Majesty the King of Persia to the King of Bokhara, at the solicitation of Colonel Sheil, which letter was delivered to Abbas Kouli Khan; he immediately showed the letter to me. His Ma- jesty the King of Persia had written : " The greatest friendship subsists between England and Persia ; and therefore, if you do not send back Joseph Wolff with Abbas Kouli Khan, I shall become enraged with you."
At this period also I wrote the following letter to Captain Grover:
Dear Friend ! Bokhara, June, 1844.
I have now been already two months in this place,
and though five or six times the King has promised to send
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 105
me instantly to England, with one of his own ambassadors, I am in the greatest danger. I cannot stir out of the house without a guard of three men.
Dil Assa Khan, the fellow sent with me by the Assaff-ood- Dowla, has shamefully robbed, deceived, and outraged me. The Persian ambassador, Abbas Kouli Khan, is kind to me, but I think he will not have it in his power to rescue me. The Nayeb, Abdul Samut Khan, has extorted from me a writing to pay him five thousand tomauns to effect my liberation. I suspect that he was the cause of Stoddart and Conolly's death, in spite of his continued protestations of friendship.
Pray console my dear wife and child as much as you can. I love them dearly. The* Ameer is now at Samarcand, and I am here awaiting the most fatal orders from the King daily to reach me. It is true that poor Stoddart openly professed Christianity after he had made a forced profession of Muhammedanism. Do for me what you can, as far as the honour of England is not compromised. All the inhabitants wish that either Russia or England should take the country.
Yours affectionately,
Joseph Wolff.
P.S. Do not believe any reports of my speedy depar- ture, for I am in great danger.
Forty or fifty days (for I lost all certainty of date) after the King's departure, the King and Ab- dul Samut Khan returned to Bokhara. My servant Abdullah, immediately, without asking leave of me, ran to the Nayeb, who sent me word by him, as also by Mirza Abdul Wehab, that the King had said, after he had perused Lord Ellenborough's letter: "Now it is proper that I should kill Joseph Wolff."
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But I was informed by others who were present when the King had read the letter, that the Nayeb said to the King, "Now it is proper that Your Majesty should kill Joseph Wolff, as the Governor- General tries to frighten Your Majesty." A fort- night before the King's arrival, Abdul Samut Khan had written to me from the camp, that His Majesty had been well pleased with the letter, and had said that he would soon send me to my country. Abbas Kouli Khan, Dil Assa Khan, and myself, went to meet the King near the palace ; he looked away from me. The crowd observed, " It will not go well with that Englishman."
In this hour of deep distress and despondency, I sent through Sir Charles Napier, vid India, the following letter :
My dearest Wife and Child,
Never, never, never for a moment lose your love and obedience and faith in Jesus Christ; and pray for me, that I may remain faithful to Him in the hour of trial. Entreat the Churches in England to pray for me to our most blessed Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Give my regards to all my friends. Your most loving husband and father,
Joseph Wolff.
I sent all letters from Bokhara open, even that to the Sovereigns of Europe ; and this latter letter was forwarded by the King himself. Had they been able to read them, no doubt I should have died.
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 107
The day following', a mullah came, and asked me, in His Majesty's name, whether I would turn Mussulman. I replied, " Tell the King, never — never — never!" He asked me, "Have you not a more polite answer for the King ?" I said, " I beg you to tell His Majesty, that you asked me whe- ther I had not a more polite answer for His Majesty, and I said, c Decidedly not.' "
A few hours after the executioner came, — the same who had put to death Stoddart and Conolly, — and said, " Joseph Wolff, to thee it shall happen as it did to Stoddart and Conolly," and made a sign at my throat with his hand. I prepared for death, and carried opium about with me, that, in case my throat should be cut, I might not feel the pain. However, at last I cast away the opium, and prayed, and wrote in my Bible these words :
My dearest Greorgiana and Henry,
I have loved both of you unto death.
Your affectionate husband and father, Bokhara, 1844. J. WOLFF.
But that very same day, Abbas Kouli Khan sent word to the Ameer, that he had received a letter for His Majesty from Muhammed Shah. The Ameer sent word that Abbas Kouli Khan should send the letter by the Shekhawl; but Abbas Kouli Khan replied, that he had received orders from his court to deliver the letter in person. The Ameer sent
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word again that he should send the letter, but Abbas Kouli Khan protested against it, when His Majesty at last consented to his coming to the palace. Abbas Kouli Khan delivered the letter to the Ameer; after having perused it ho said, " Well, I make a present to you of Joseph Wolff; he may go with you."
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 100
CHAPTER XIX.
Ameer sends for the Servants of Abbas Kouli Khan and Dil Assa Khan, but omits Dr. Wolffs by mistake, to give them Robes of Honour. Interview with the Nayeb. Presents from the King. The Ameer tells Dr. Wolff to ask a Favour of him ; Dr. Wolff declines doing so. Ameer determines to send an Ambassador to England. Vile Conduct of Abdul Samut Khan. Audience of leave to depart. Ameer commends the Conduct of Dr. Wolff; censures that of Stoddart and Conolly. Reception in Bokhara by the People. Murders committed by Abdul Samut Khan. First Plan by which the Ameer might be effectually checked in his Atrocities. Second Plan for same. English Honour requires some Notice to be taken of the Ameer's Conduct. Character of the Ameer; brutal, lustful, tyrannical, but not so to the Poor ; fond of Information ; deeply affected at having put to death Stoddart and Conolly. Dr. Wolff prefers Ameer to Abdul Samut Khan. Description of Bokhara by Mr. Macgregor. Population of Khiva. Trade of those Countries. Russian Trade. Dignitaries of the State. Ecclesiastical Dignitaries.
The day after the presentation of the Shah's letter, the Ameer sent for Abbas Kouli Khan's and Dil Assa Khan's servants, to ask them the ordinary questions before the robes of honour are distributed, but he did not send for mine. Abbas Kouli Khan was frightened, and said, " Do not stir out of my room ; if they want to detain you, I will defend you with my sword !" However, my servant was omitted by mere mistake, and soon sent after.
I then was ordered to go to the Nayeb by order of the King. The rascal told me shortly, "Theft are no Russian slaves for you ; I give you one thou-
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sand tillahs more, which you will deliver with the other two thousand, and three thousand tillahs you have to give me for my trouble, including a present of eight hundred tillahs to my son Abdullah Khan ; and the two thousand two hundred tillahs I have spent for you among His Majesty's officers. You must therefore give me now a note of hand for six thousand tillahs.
W. Give me back my other notes of hand !
He did so, which I tore instantly to pieces.
Abdul S. Khan. Why do you tear them before you have written the other ?
TV. " I will write you now another." I wrote thus:
In the garden of the infamous Nayeb, Abdul Samut
Khan, surrounded by his banditti, and compelled by him, I
write that he forced from me a note of hand for six thousand
tillahs.
Joseph Wolff, Prisoner.
I desired him to give me back also my letter of his good services to me, that I might write another. This he would not do. Abbas Kouli Khan had sent his servant after me, afraid lest something might happen to me there. I therefore returned imme- diately to the Toora Khane. At last I was called down to the room of Abbas Kouli Khan, when ninety tillahs were given to me from the King, as a present ; a horse with a silver saddle, and a shawl. Dil Assa
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. Ill
Khan received only forty-five tillahs, but neither shawl nor horse ; and the Shekhawl then turned to Abbas Kouli Khan and said : " His Majesty had first intended to send an Ambassador with Joseph Wolff to England, but as he had brought no letters from the British Government, he has renounced this idea, especially as he goes with you ; and you and he can explain to Muhammed Shah and in England the reason of the death of Colonel Stoddart and Cap- tain Conolly."
A few days after the presents of the King were delivered, suddenly a Makhram entered my room with a Persian Manuscript, called Tawareekh Tabbaree, as a present from the King to me; and His Majesty requested me to ask a favour. I replied, that His Majesty's bounty, especially in sending me away in such an honourable manner, was so great, that I had no other favour to ask. I only begged His Majesty to add his seal to the book, which he did, and then sent me word that he was, after all, determined to send Ameer Abool Kasem, his chief Makhram, as Ambassador with me to England. I replied, that His Majesty might do what he pleased, but as His Ma- jesty sent one to Muhammed Shah, there was no necessity for it. The Ameer sent a Makhram to Abbas Kouli Khan, to ask what the necessary ex- pense of an Ambassador to England might be. Abbas Kouli Khan, who wished to dissuade the
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Ameer from this, replied, Two hundred thousand tillahs. However, the Ameer was determined now upon sending an Ambassador, for the assassin Abdul Samut Khan had told him that if he did not send an Ambassador with me, Abbas Kouli Khan would have the credit of having effected my release, and, beside this, he (Abdul Samut Khan) had borrowed for me from merchants three thousand tillahs, with which I might easily defray the expense of an Ambassador to England, whilst at the same time he made my servant Abdullah, Mortesa, Abbas, and others, promise to poison the Ambassador on the road, for he well knew that on his return the Am- bassador would expose his villany from my informa- tion, and the authority of my Government possibly, if his credentials were received.
Abbas Kouli Khan and myself were then called up to the Ameer. I was allowed to ride on horse- back with Abbas Kouli Khan through the gates, whilst Dil Assa Khan was ordered to remain behind. We appeared before the King. He said to me: " I send with you Ameer Abool Kasem, to accom- pany you to England. Stoddart and Conolly excited Khokand and Organtsh to war, and therefore were put to death. You, Joseph Wolff, proved yourself to be a man of understanding and knowledge, and therefore I treated you with honour."
W. Europeans frequently come to a country
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 113
without knowing the customs of it, and make, there- fore, mistakes which they do not intend.
We then left Bokhara the day following, amidst thousands of congratulating inhabitants, who called my liberation " A new birth !" I succeeded in taking with me four slaves ; but Abbas Kouli Khan bought with his own money twenty slaves, whom he ransomed, and took with him one thousand of those who had previously bought their liberty.
The following people have been killed at Bo- khara, at the instigation of Abdul Samut Khan :
1. Youssuf Khan, from Scio.
2. Colonel Stoddart.
3. Captain Conolly.
4. A Turkomaun from Merwe, sent to Bokhara to assist in the escape of Colonel Stoddart.
5. Ephraim, a Jew from Meshed, who brought letters for Conolly.
6. An Englishman, who passed by the name of Hatta.
7. Captain Wyburd.
8. Five Englishmen, executed outside the town of Jehaar-Joo.
9. Naselli.
The Grand Cazi, his servant Molam Beyk, Mah- som, Khoja Saheb from Cashmeer, Ushur Beyk, Saadat, several merchants from Persia, and Abdul Samut Khan's own servants, accuse him as the mur- derer ; nor does he deny the perpetration of these atrocities himself Vol. II. I
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Haje Ismael, a merchant, left Bokhara with me. He had been long' in Yarkand and Kashgar. He told me that several Englishmen had arrived at Yarkand, who escaped from the disaster at Cabul. They were well treated, but not allowed to leave the place. If the Ameer had permitted me to proceed via Yarkand and Russia, I cer- tainly wonld have taken that road. Haje Ismael also informed me that they have at Kashgar, Yarkand, and throughout Chinese Tartary, beacons of fire, by which they are informed of the departure and approach of caravans from an immense dis- tance.
The question may here, after the detail of these atrocities, be asked, Is there no way of punishing the King of Bokhara, and ought it to be done, and what advantages may accrue from punishing him, and what disadvantages from not punishing him ?
Now first, Is there no way of punishing him ? There are several ways of punishing him, and this most surely. The first, and the most straightfor- ward, would be by sending an army from Scinde through Candahar, and from Candahar through Maymona, to Bokhara. On that road there would be villages upon villages, and provisions and water enough, and in order to induce Kohandel Khan, the Ameer of Candahar, not to lay any hindrance in the way, they should allow him to take possession of
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 115
Ankhoy, which place is governed by a Khan, but one who is tributary to the King of Bokhara, a robber and slave-maker ; and Kohandel Khan ought to be made to promise to the British army, that after his taking Ankhoy, he would give liberty to the Per- sian slaves residing at Ankhoy. Dost Muhammed Khan ought to be allowed to send an army to Khoolom and Balkh, whilst all the time the British army should march from Ankhoy to Karkee, where they must cross the Oxus, for which reason they ought to take a good deal of timber with them, in order to be able to make a flying bridge. A few shots of artillery from the part of the English army will put to flight the whole host of Usbecks. Having once crossed the Oxus, they should issue proclamations to all the inhabitants of Bokhara, saying that nothing should be done to them in case they delivered up, alive or dead, the Ameer of Bokhara, and his Nayeb Abdul Samut Khan, which I am sure would be instantly done. The British army then should pro- claim the Ameer's son the rightful successor to the throne, which would pacify the whole nation; but the Persian slaves, two hundred thousand in number, ought to be made free, which would give popularity to the English nation all over Persia, Khokand, Tashkand, and Yarkand. The name of Sir Charles Napier, Governor of Scinde, which lias already struck terror all over Affghanistaun, Belocchistaun,
12
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Bokhara, Khiva, and Khokand, would supply twenty thousand men ; for he is called now at Bokhara, the Rustam of Dowlat, which means the Giant of England.
The other plan of marching towards Bokhara will be to allow Persia to take permanent possession of Sarakhs and Mowr, and thus for ever put a stop to the depredations of the Turkomauns of Mowr, and also to take Jehaar-Joo, a frontier city of Bo- khara this side of the Oxus ; and then allow them to march towards Bokhara in order to liberate the Persian slaves there, but on condition that the Persian army should evacuate Bokhara after having taken prisoner the Ameer, his Nayeb, Abdul Samut Khan, and placed on the throne the Ameer's son. It should march back by Maymona and Ankhoy, in order to liberate the slaves there, and thus return triumphantly to Persia, enriched by thousands of Persian subjects, and the additional possession of Mowr and Jehaar- Joo. In order that the expedition of the Persian army might be crowned with success, and that, at the same time, the inhabitants of Bo- khara and all the countries around should be con- vinced that that expedition was undertaken at the instigation of the British Government, some regi- ments of British soldiers ought to be sent with it. The advantage of punishing the King of Bokhara, either from the side of Scinde, or with the assistance
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 117
of Persia, would be this : First, that such an occur- rence as the murder of two British Officers would not be repeated, either at Bokhara, or in any other adjacent countries; and European travellers might then with more ease go there and pursue their researches in those interesting countries; and the light of the Gospel might then with more ease be spread all over Bokhara, Khokand, &c; and Persian slaves at Bokhara, with those of Ankhoy and May- mona included, amounting in the whole to the number of two hundred and fifty thousand, be set at liberty ; and the name of Englishmen would be blessed even by the Usbecks themselves for having delivered them, from the hands of two bloodthirsty tyrants, the Ameer, and his Nayeb, Abdul Samut Khan. Should England, however, not take any further notice of the atrocious murder committed by the Ameer at the instigation of the Nayeb, Abdul Samut Khan, our country will lose all the moral influence it now possesses in these countries; and Khiva and Khokand, where such a crime has not yet been committed, may follow the example of their enemy the Ameer of Bokhara, in order to show that they can do so with the same impunity, and England will fall into contempt even in Persia.
I have here also to observe, that on my arrival at Bokhara, I immediately asked what had become of Hassan Baba, the man sent by the Assaff-ood-Dowla,
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at the request of Colonel Sheil, who was a Mervee. To my great astonishment, I learned that though he had arrived two months before my arrival at Bokhara, he never had seen the Ameer, and though he had delivered the letter and present of the Assaff- ood-Dowla, His Majesty never deigned to give him any answer whatever. This shows still further the necessity for controlling him. I shall take this opportunity of saying a few words on the character of the Ameer.
My readers may ask what I think about the cha- racter of the Ameer. There can be no doubt that he is tyrannical and cruel ; witness the deaths of his five brothers, and the many murdered Makhrams who refused to pander to his passions. Muhammed All Khan, King of Khokand, was not only murdered by him, but also his pregnant wife was not only killed, but the living child severed from her womb was cut to pieces. His profligacy is universally spoken of; his disposition is not only suspicious, but variable; but at the same time we must not forget some good points.
He does not tyrannize over his poor subjects, who pass by the name of Fukarra, but protects them powerfully against the tyranny of the Serkerdeha, and is therefore liked by the commons, and detested by the nobility. He is not fond of money, and hates bribery in the extreme ; affects to take Timur as his
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 119
pattern, and has therefore a similar motto for his seal, i. e. Hakan Adalat — " Truth and Equity."
His desire for information is unbounded, and he therefore puts to strangers question after question, and if he were not in the hands of Abdul Samut Khan he might yet become another Muhammed Ali ; and with this advantage over the Pasha of Egypt, that he would have contrived to make the poor happy, of which Muhammed Ali has no idea. I must repeat, that it was a great mistake of the Bri- tish Government not to have allowed his Ambassador to come here. Even the Russian Ambassador told me that his Government would not have anything to do with the King of Bokhara until the Ameer had sent an Ambassador to England apologizing for his conduct. He gets soon incensed, and when he is angry the blood comes into his face, and creates con- vulsive action of the muscles ; and in such fits he gives the most outrageous orders, reckless of conse- quences. He has put down by the simple word Hookum, i. e. Order, the most ancient customs, and has overthrown the power of the mullahs utterly. He delights to hear that people tremble at his name, and laughs with violence when he hears of their apprehensions. He is jealous of Muhammed Ali, in Egypt, and says that his country will never equal Bokhara. He expressed no contempt for England, but was exceedingly anxious to become reconciled to
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it; but the continual suspicions infused into his mind, made him hesitate dismissing me, — suspicions engrafted there by those who well knew this weak point of his nature ; and, as the Kazi Kelaun assured me, he more than once had exclaimed, " The wounds of my heart for having slain those English people will never heal."
And I must now declare, that I prefer him, in spite of his faults, to the base Abdul Samut Khan; and Colonel Sheil, knowing that Abdul Samut Khan was in India, ought to have asked of Sir Claude Mar- tin Wade, who is well acquainted with Abdul Samut Khan's character, what kind of a man he was. I am now in England, and enabled to reflect on sub- jects more maturely than at the time when I was surrounded with dangers and suffering from illness ; and I must say that I cannot understand why Colonel Sheil refused to give me a letter for the King of Bokhara, whilst he gave me two letters of introduc- tion, the one for Haje Ibrahim, Abdul Samut Khan's brother, a most consummate villain, and another for Abdul Samut Khan himself.
Let us now look a little at another point — the commerce between these countries and Russia. The following statement of Mr. McGregor, the Secretary to the Board of Trade, is highly valuable, subject only to a few corrections :
OF DR. WOLFF TO BOKHARA. 121
The trade of Russia with Khiva and Bokhara appears to be growing into importance, chiefly from Nijnei-Novogorod, and through the town of Orenburg, on the river Aral. This town is admirably situated for trade with the Kirghises, and with Khiva and Bokhara, although a part of the Russian trade with the countries east of the Caspian is carried on from Astrakan across that sea, and to some extent through Persia. Orenburg, which has a population estimated at nineteen thousand inhabitants, is situated on the north bank of the Aral. This long tortuous river, with the mountain range of the same name, forms a boundary between Euro- pean Russia and Asia. It is shallow, and of little advantage for navigable purposes, but it abounds with fish. The town of Orenburg is regularly built and fortified. The trade <