Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 edition. Excerpt: ...and eighty hours. But the caravan The italics are Colonel MacGregor's. changed its route on the way, and only began the direct track on the 31st. Coming from Charjui, the caravan had reached and encamped upon the banks of the Murghab on the 28th August. On the 29th it marched twelve miles down the river, and crossed to the left bank at Illisha. The travellers then passed close by Merv and took the direct road, by way of Artak, to Mashad. In consequence, however, of an intended Turkman foray, the chiefs of the caravan resolved to alter the route to Sarrakhs. The caravan accordingly retraced its steps to Kanjii Kiilan, a few miles to the north of Merv, on the direct road to Sarrakhs. From this place, on the left bank of the Murghab, the route lay thirty-seven miles across the desert to Kalurni. This route Burnes thus describes: "The tract was entirely different from the opposite side" (of the Murghab) "and about the middle of the journey the desert changed into a level, hard, flat surface, which it ever afterwards preserved.... The country was destitute of water, but there are many remains of caravansarais and cisterns that had been built by the philanthropic Abdulla Kh&n of Bokhara." Kalurni is a ruin. The distance thence to Sarrakhs is thirty-three miles, of which about twenty are desert of the same character as that already described. The last twelve or thirteen miles bear a different character. "As we approached Sarrakks," writes Burnes, 'we could distinguish a gradual, though almost imperceptible rise in the country. We exchanged the shrubs that I have before described for the tamarisk and the camel's thorn, which does not grow in the desert." I regret I am unable to discover an account more..."