How much these sentences altered their shape in
passing through interpreters I know not, but he replied
that it would give him pleasure to do so, only that it
was contrary to their customs. Moreover, that they
were always locked in their chambers, and would be so
frightened at the appearance of a stranger that they
would drop ! And Yakoob afterwards informed me
that Matmurad was offended at my asking.
This incident gave me a text on the need of Zenana
work and women’s labour in the mission field, such as
I shall not quickly forget. Here was I with abundance
of prestige at my back, a court guest, in the house of
a host who seemed desirous to please me in everything.
Y e t I was refused! How, then, can male
missionaries, for educational purposes, gain access to
Oriental women ? and if they are not reached, how shall
the children be influenced to advantage ?
But what I could not do, or any other Christian
man, a Christian woman can do. And here is a field
of usefulness for English ladies, which, thank God,
some have nobly commenced, but of which others do
not yet realize the importance. England would appear
to have a contingent of about jo o women missionaries,
representing British societies in the mission field
abroad. Has Russia, then, no daughters to send to so
noble a work in Central Asia? Can girls be found,
recklessly to throw away their lives in shooting police
officers and promoting the horrible “ cause ”of Nihilism,
whilst none offer themselves to minister in womanly
sympathy to their Muhammadan sisters— dark, ignorant,
and uneducated ? Let us hope that, as the Russian
Church has formed a Missionary Society for the
employment of men, so another may be formed for
lady missionaries to the native women !
C H A P T E R L X V I I .
K U N IA U R G EN J A N D P R E P A R A T IO N S
FOR THE D ESERT.
Delay in getting camels.—A Kirghese court of justice and witnesses.—
Kirghese interpreter.—A new servant.—Need of Kirghese literature.—
Preparation for the desert; camel cradles ; cooking utensils,
and provisions.— Arrival of camels and dishonesty of attendants.—
Presumptive danger ahead.
SO O N after our arrival at Kunia Urgenj, on the
5th of November, the postman Tailly put in his
appearance, but not with camels. He had so easily
obtained the money asked on two previous occasions,
that he seemed determined, if possible, to exact higher
terms. T o that end he had fabricated a story I did
not believe, and the upshot was that he left us about
sunrise on the morning of the 7th, promising to be
back in a few hours with our “ ships of the desert.”
But he did not come till night, when it was too late
to start, and thus we were compelled by his machinations
to spend three or four days at this our last
outpost of Khivan civilization. T he place, however,
was not devoid of interest, and we had several preparations
to make. We saw, too, some fresh incidents
o f native life, better, perhaps, than when in larger
places and under more pretentious patronage.
Our host, being Bek, was, of course, chief magis