416 men, followed him on the 30th October.” But if
this Cornet (who by-the-bye was not an envoy, but an
officer taken prisoner while foraging) had done all the
negotiations and work, why were not the prisoners
committed to his care ? and if Shakespear were
merely travelling with the prisoners, and striving to
take an active part in the Russian affairs with Khiva,
as the Russian account puts it, why should he have
received the Emperor’s thanks ?*
However this may be, English influence at Khiva
was only short-lived. The Shah next pressed for the
liberation of his Persian slaves, and Captain Conolly
was sent to Khiva to try and settle differences. The
Khan received him well, but refused to release the
prisoners, whereupon Conolly sent to Cabul, proposing
that the slaves should be purchased ; and it was whilst'
his messenger was gone that Conolly, finding himself
* After writing the above, and whilst the sheets are going through
the press, I have received from the Rev. Percy Waller, son-in-law of
the late Sir Richmond Shakespear, a printed “ memorandum of the
services of Brigadier-General Sir R. Shakespear,” in which I find No. 2.,
1 Translation of a Russian Letter from the Officer commanding the
fortress of Nova Alexandroff, on the Caspian Sea, to the Envoy of the
Khan Akhun, and to the Englishman Shakespear:
“ Commandant at Nova Alexandroffski Fortress, 5th Sept., 1840,
No. 1,097.
“ On the 30th August inst. you delivered here from Khyva Russian
prisoners, in number according to a detailed list, males, females, and
children under age, four hundred and sixteen. When you .collected
them from amongst the Khyvan Turcomans, and others, you gave to
each one a ducat, and fifty pounds’ weight of flour. On their arrival at
this fortress, in answer to my inquiry, they, expressed themselves
unanimously grateful to you as father and benefactor frpm the time of
their being taken out of bondage, and during the journey from Khyva
to this fortress, of which I shall make a report to the Governor-General
of Orenbourg, Adjutant-General Peroffsky.
“ (Signed) L i k h o s h s o s t o f f ,
“ Commandant of Nova Alexandroffski,
“ Colonel of Artillery.”
THE WINTER PALACE OF THE KHAN AT KH IVA.