8 R U S S IA N C EN TR A L A S IA .
honoured me by a request that I would collect fori
him ethnographical specimens and antiquities for the I
British Museum. Added to this, I thought I might!
perhaps search with success for Hebrew manuscripts!
in Bokhara. My neighbour, Mr. Glaisher, F.R.S., of!
meteorological fame, as on a previous occasion, lent!
me some of his instruments for taking observations;!
and, besides all this, I had sundry editorial friends,!
who wished me to see and take notes of everything!
possible, and write to them something thereon.
O f course, there were not wanting those who!
thought my project a hopeless one. Had not other!
Englishmen tried in vain to penetrate to Russian!
Central Asia? And was not one of them— a clergy-1
man, too, who proceeded by stealth as far jf'asl
Tashkend— ordered to be off within four-and-twentyl
hours ? Did I then expect to get to Bokhara ? to!
which, on one occasion when I answered in the!
affirmative, my questioner sank back in his chair withl
a look indicating that he deemed it utterly useless to!
have anything more to say to me.
But, besides these of little faith, there were some!
of my older friends who looked back 40 years, anti
recalled that the last two Englishmen who entered!
Bokhara were put to death, and that Dr. Wolff, who!
went to ascertain their fate, nearly lost his life. Byl
them I was thought to be entering on a dangerous!
enterprise ; but I was able to assure them that I had!
not the slightest intention of putting my head into the!
lion’s mouth merely for the satisfaction of saying that!
I had done so, and that, unless I had not only the!
permission, but the cordial support of the Russians, jl
should probably not enter Bokhara. If, however, II
am to be candid, I must admit that I was not without!
IN TR O D U C TO R Y . g
fear. I realized it to be the most dangerous journey
ilhad undertaken, to this extent, at all events, that as
our worthy forefathers used to make their wills before
s itin g out on a journey from York to London, so I
copied their example, and set my house in order. I
then committed myself into His keeping in whose
nfme I was going forth, and— started.