Year: 1873

In search OF prey. We were not very successful.
however. not because there were not plenty OF
cows sheep and even horses. but because an H.
advised owner always put In an appearance JUST
when ne was least wanted We delivered up with
instructions given through AKMamatef to bring
whatever they had to sell into camp or the next
time they would not escape so easily. These or
ders were given with such . good-natured smilc'
however. by the Grand Duke, who was like
schoolb0y broken loose, considering the whoio
business as "such lark.u that the natives ana
afraid were not very much impressed by the neces-
sty OF obedience. We generally found them ST.
ting under the trees near the house, with their
women and children, little frightened and tlmid.
but soon reganing their confidence and composuro
upon seeing that the Russians were not all evlliy
disposed. They offered us milk, little fruit or
sometimes fresh wheaton cakes a. peace
olrering. and seemed immensely relieved
when we accepted. Once the Grand Duke
seized the most hideously ugly donkey ! ever
saw, over which he went into ecstasies. "QueIes
oretlses mon Dtewi regardez dono! Ny arms ara
nothing 20 them. And his eyes What express
sion It's enough to put us all out OF countenance--
the very impersonation Of obstinacy and entete.
nlent He must be at least 500 years old. Char
n1nt chaymGnti II he only let us hear his voicel"
and the Grand Duke was about handing it over to
one OF his followers when the inevitable owner
appeared and claimed him. "C'est donuaGge." said
he delivering MIN mp with regret; ~ etGtt ss
laid" We continued our way homeward. the
Grand Duke rafting away In French and English.
evidently enjoying the excursion immensely, and
regarding 1t more In the light Of picnic on ex-
tended scale than anything else.


FRIENDLY GREETING.


had inst reached the road again, and was turn
ing into 1t in the direction OF the camp when was
hailed in English in the following terms ~ say.
American, don't you want a drink OF sherry" I
looked around, and beheld young officer holding
up pocket nask to my delighted gaze. Seer
tainly," replied ut Is a capital sherry" he
added handing 1t to me. just got ir from General
Kaulmann.n tasted It, and found 1t to be, as he
said capital, and we then rode along together to-
wards the camp, conversng about the excursion
OF the afternoon. He had only arrived with the re-
inforcement, aud, not knowing exactly what had
happened, 1 related to him the incidents
OF the afternoon, in which ne was deeply
interested. 'what beasty thing it Ia
that they won't fight lttle," he said.
"rhere will be no fun at all after our long march
through the desert had hoped they were going
to oppose the passage OF the river after the AFFAIR
OF Shek-Arik, and they might have given us an In


finite deal OF trouble, but they let us pass without
striking blow. And see what defence they
might have made here in these gardens; they could
pick us of from behind every wall and canal at
short range, where their arms would be as good as
ours, and yet we pass along here as unconcernedly
as though we were riding along the Newsky in st.
Petersburg. C'est degoutantr'


RUSSIAN GRAND DUKES


We arrived at camp at dark, and it was not untn
next day that learned that the officer whose
pocket flask SO unceremoniously helped to empty
was the Grand Duke Of Leuchtenbere. knew he
was with the expedition, but had not yet made his
acquan tance, nor had he been pointed out to me.
so that had entered into conversation with him
without in the least suspecting who he was. lele
at first somewhat embarrassed when l remeIn-
bcred the unceremoniOus manner in which had
made away with his sherry, but soon found had
no occasion forit Both he and the Grand Duke
Nicholas were very simple and unassumng in their
manners, without either arrogance or presump-
tion account OF their high social position, ana
were on even terms OF good fellowship with every
body. The former was especially hail fellow well
met with the humblest onlccr In the detachment.
He had even been reprimanded by General Kauf-
mann once, when at Khala-ata, for trying. with
few jolly boon companions, to drive away duh
care at an hour of the morning not considered
military by the Commander in Chief, for which lie
was none the less liked, however. I have
found that the Russians in spite OF
their despotic form OF government, are far
more liberal in their notions than many
other peoples with more liberal governments.
grand duke Will associate on perfectly equal terms
with the inferior officers without social rank or
title, and You never see Russian nobeman afraid
OF compromising himself by associating with
man who has no "de" to his name. as you may OBJ
serve with the French and Germans And yet
there are some of them, such as the Dolgouroukics
who can boast of lineage dating back 100 years.
beside which the proud HohenZOllerns appear In
comparison like mushroom upstart OF yesterday.
General Kaufman decided to march against Hazar-
Asp nextda as suflclent number Of the troops
had now passed the river. He had, besides, news
from General verevkine the commander OF the
orsRburg detachment, who had taken Kungrad
and was now under march for Khiva.


AN ANEcDoTE.


General Kaufman related to me a very curious
anecdote about the way in which he received Gen.
era verevknes letter, that is very characteristic
fthe place and people. The three Krgheez djegeeta
or guides, to whom the letter had been entrusted
were captured by the troops OF the Khan and tho
letter seized, together with some Russian paper
money which they had. They were brought before
the Khan and the chief dignitares OF State to be
questioned. When asked why they were gong
towards the Russians, they replied that they were
on the way to Bokhara to collect the money for
sheep they had previously sold. But as they could
give no satisfactory explanation OF the way In
which they had come by the papers they were
thrown into prison and grand council OF war
held over the captured papers, which nobody, Of
course could read. A.


A certain Khivan merchant, who had been In
Russia was called in to see II he could give any
opinion as to the contents Of the paper. and he,
although unable to read, Judging rightly that tho
letter was some important correspondence being
exchanged between the TWO advancing armies,
determined to'get the paper into his own hands.
Alter examining them very intently for some min
utes, he gravely assured them that the letter was
nothing at ALA bit OF worthless paper. ana
nothing more; but that the bank notes Of 10 and
25 rubles were most important documents and
should be carefully kept until some one should be
found to read them. Having thus succeeded In