the Torahs on the synagogue loft. As a matter of
fact we saw none of the principal Jews after our visit
on Friday. The Emir’s men evidently did not wish
us to go into the houses of the people, and the Jews
were afraid as to what might be done if they received
us. Two Jews came to the embassy on the following
day, one with bad eyes, and the other inviting us to
hi's house, but also telling Yakoob characteristically
that he had European “ clothes to sell.” W e had
neither time nor opportunity to avail ourselves of this
offer, but on the Sunday a knot of half-a-dozen Jews
and two Jewesses came to the embassy for treatment.
O f the latter, one had slight goitre, the other
ophthalmia; and, of the men, one had a weak hand,
and another dry and chapped fingers.
After this we met no more J ews in Central Asia.
I am anticipating a little, but by way of finishing with
this subject, I may add it occurred to me after leaving
Bokhara, when writing my last letter of thanks to the
Emir, that it might possibly do good, to express
guardedly to my royal Mussulman host my good wishes
for Israel, and I did so in the following words :—
“ P e t r o -A l e x a n d r o v s k ,
“ October 17-29th, 1882.
“ T o His Majesty the Emir of Bokhara.
“ S ir ,
“ According to my promise, I hasten to inform your
Majesty of my safe arrival here, and once more to
express my thanks for all the kindness I have received
in passing through Bokhara. I will not-weary your
Majesty by mentioning the many things that have
pleased and interested me, but if I may be allowed to
mention one thing that has pained me in my travels in
Central Asia, it is the condition of the Jews.
“ I was told in Samarkand that the Jews in Bokhara
are placed under restrictions, and on visiting them was
sorry to find them so crammed for room, and possessing
only one synagogue. May I not venture to hope that
your Majesty will be pleased to allow them to build
other synagogues if they wish?
“ Your Majesty will doubtless remember that the
Jews are God’s ancient people, to whom He gave His
first written revelation, and Jesus Christ, our great
Christian Prophet, was also a Jew. It would therefore
be a thing, I am sure, pleasing to the God your
Majesty worships, that His people in your midst
should have similar privileges to your other subjects.
“ We, in England, and other nations in Europe,
used once to place many and severe restrictions upon
the Jews, but we are now ashamed of this, and in
England we give them full rights with ourselves. I
sincerely hope your Majesty will be pleased, on consideration,
to do the same, for I ask this out o f love
for the people, amongst whom I have friends in
England.
“ Let me once more thank your Majesty for the
splendid hospitality I have received in Bokhara such
as I have received in no other country in the world—
and allow me to remain,
“ Your Majesty’s obedient Servant,
“ H e n r y L a n s d e l l .”
What fruit this letter bore I have not heard, but
thus finished my intercourse with a scattered remnant
of that wonderful race, amongst whom I had seen
much of interest, by whom I had been kindly received,
and on whose behalf I would willingly have done
more.