Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-28
An Interview With the Emir of Box
hara.

A traveller in Turkestan has sent q
long account to the .Joarna, de Genera
OF an interview with the Emir of Box
we received q visit from the Enlir's con-
1idential adviser, the Had i-Chod a.
Urak, who informed us that we were to
be rece we'd on the following day by
his Highne S previous to III departure.
At noon the next day guard of honor
came TO fetch us, and the Had;;i in
formed us that the Emir was at his
favor;te residence of CHR Bandane,
two miles outside the town. Thepalace
is an immense building with a flat root.
surrounded by a large garden enclosed
by a wall thirty-fve feet high. and
upon each side of the main avenue
leading to The palace are the barracks.
of the Emir's body guard. All the
servants and functionaries were drawn
up in line as we drove down the avenue;
and we alighted in a large courtyard,
at the further endof which is a building
with high windows, the space between
the windows and the roof being beauti-
fully decorated with blue and red fres-
Goes and gold festoons.
ACllS SOLNuSCCo luUO OuS VI luO
rooms looking cut into this courtyard,
we foand the Emir seated upon q throne
in the centre, with TWO arm-chairs, one
upon each side, for Prince Wittgenstein
and an a'de-de-camp; to the left there
We're two chairs for the doctor and
second interpreter, and to the right
two for my companion and myself.
There was no furniture in the room, but
the floor was covered with European
carpets. l could not help feeling sur
prised that while we are always try
ing to initiate the Eastern carpets,
the European carpets should be found
in the palace of an Asiatic potentate.
We were conducted in turn to shake
hands with the Emir, who was arrayed
in a robe of rose-colored velvet, studded
with precious stones. He was very
gracious in his manner, and asked us if
we were pleased with our visit to his
country. Prince Wittgenstein then in
formed him that my companion and
myself had come to ask permission to
continue u journey, and l told him
that l was the first Swiss who had visit
ed Bokhara, and that l should be able
to convex to my fellow citizens an idea
of the hospitality which 1 had received.
l added that there were many points of
resemblance between the two countries,
as in both there were numerous savants
and universities. The Emir replied
that he was always pleased to see for
eigners in his States, and babe me tell
the sovereign of my country that he
was glad l had been sent, and should
always welcome any other Swiss sub
jects' who might come after me.
"This brought the audience to a
close, and the Hadji Chodia-Urak then
conducted us through the gardens into
a small courtyard, which Is the most
beautiful l have ever seen. 1t is shutin
between a lofty building, though of
only n story, and around it runs a
sort of cloister, the pillars of which are
carved so delivately that they look like
lace. We then passed through the diff
ferent apartments, all OF which are Gov
cred with rare carpets and tapestry,
but do not contain a single piece of fur
niture. The walls, however, are dec
GRATED very richly, and the ceilings are
OF carved wood, with gold and silver
arabesques. We We're then presented
with a var ETY. of choice gifts from the
Emir, and as these, including some
beautiful horses, were brought into the
courtyard, l was inclined to fancy that
this fairy scene must be all a dream
-LOnIOn Times.