The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-11 00:00:00

BOKHARA PRISONS.

The fate of our countrymen, Captain Stoddart and
Colonel Conolly, and their long suffering at
Bokhara, give melancholy interest to the
following account of the prisons of the
Amir, by the Russian traveller Khani-
koff.—" The palace of the Amir, built on a mound
(whether natural or artificial I cannot say) having
five or six sajenes in height, and about one vent and
a half in circuit. It has a square form, and contains
about 20,000 square sagmes, or '22 tanaps. On this
area are built the houses of the Amir, the Vizir, the
Shikh-Aval, the Topchi-Bashi, the Mirza Defterdar, as
well as the dwelling of the numerous retinue of the
Amir and the above-named grandees ; three mosques ;
likewise the Ab-Khaneh, with some dark apartments to

preserve water for the Amir during the summer
heats, but which are more especially appropriated to
state prisoners (dark reservoirs, to keep hue:— u
beings in), when they happen to give offence to t!.( '
master; such were, for instance, the Kush-beghi
Argaz•.bey. From hence, to the right of the entrance,
a corridor leads into another prison, more dreadful
than the first, called the Kana-Khaneh, a name
which it has received from the swarms of
ticks which infest the place, and are reared
there on purpose to plague the wretched pri-
soners. It is stated that in the absence of
the latter, some pounds of raw meet are thrown into
said to t o
the pit to keep the ticks alive. This institution
of refined cruelty has probably given rise to the fable
of the pit of scorpions, of which accounts were
repeatedly given at Orenburg. The zindan or dungeon
has two apartments, one called the upper and the other
the lower dungeon. The former consists of several
courts, with cells for the prisoners ; the latter of a deep
pit, at least three fathoms in depth, into which cul-
prits are let down by ropes; food is lowered down in
the same manner. The sepulchral dampness of the
placehey
insupportable. in
generally
y
nwinter,l Twice
go a s wellb a
r a e
fa
oso
monthtien ; summer,th
eand
prisoners, t
0 form even a
is sad
chained
in irons, are brought out of prison to the reghistan,
whore the Amir give: his judgment on those who are
to be executed and those who are to be set at liberty.
T
faint idea of the sufferings of these unhappy wretches,
one must have seen them stand'
ee ralstanding bare-footed on the
snow, the thermometer of Reaumur
marking 15 de-
grees below freezing point, waiting for hours tog ether
the appearance of the Commander of the Faithful !"

Barnsley Linen Trade continues brisk in all its
branches ; yet there is no advance in the wages of the
weavers, as is the case at other places, which has caused
large numbers of journeymen to stay at home, who used
to visit Barnsley in the fancy drill season. Householders
who have been in the habit of having journeymen, who
enabled them to pay their rents at this season, complain
much at being unable to procure them.—Sheffield Iris.
PUNCH ABROAD.—The old English game of Punch
and Judy has found its way to Malta. The first exhibi-
tion was on Tuesday last; it afforded the Maltese much
amusement. The leading character, the favoured Punch,
was enveloped in sixty-four yards of her Most Gracious
Majesty's duck; he seemed well pleased at the attention
he received, particularly from the officers of the squadron,
who were attired in full uniform to superintend this
funny play. The last act was the " Rogue's March,"
when Punch took up his bed and walked, determined to
enjoy the Christmas festivities.—Malla
At the Berkshire Quarter sessions, just concluded,
the Earl of Falmouth took the oath, and qualified as a
magistrate for the county.
The Duke of Rutland was prevented from attend-
ing the Waltham agricultural meeting on Wednesday
last, from a alight indisposition. The Noble Dalte is
1 still at Belvoir Castle,