having persuaded the Ameer, that the letters brought by Colonel Stoddart were forgeries; that he had only come to Bokhara for traitorous purposes; and that, in fact, he was nothing but an infamous spy.

During the years 1839-40 Colonel Stoddart was again twice imprisoned, but happily not in the well, and he was as often taken into favour. The Ameer never stated any reason for the first of these imprisonments. The Colonel attributed the second to the Ameer's apprehension that he might escape to, or communicate with, Sir Richmond Shakspear, who was, during that period, at Khiva.

After the third imprisonment the Ameer had Colonel Stoddart removed to the palace, and placed under the surveillance of the chief cook (dosterhanchi), named Abd-ool-Halik, who afterwards became, and it is believed is now, Grand Vizier of Bokhara; he having rendered great service to the Ameer in his male harem. Here Colonel Stoddart's life was passed in a more agreeable manner, although strictly watched, and subject to the insults which every one was at liberty to inflict upon a Christian, who had relapsed from Islamism. These insults, anxiety, and the restraint to which he was subject, now brought on a serious attack of typhus fever. The servants of Abd-ool-Halik, thinking

C

that Colonel Stoddart was too weak to complain, and caring little for the life of a Christian, left him for several days without food; and he would undoubtedly have perished had not the Ameer sent his physician, Mausam-e-Djooneet, an excellent man, who saved his life, by seeing that wholesome food was brought to him daily.

After a long and lingering convalescence the Ameer transferred him to Naib Abd-ool-Samet Khan, one of the greatest scoundrels in Bokhara (in whose house Dr. Wolff was received on his arrival at Bokhara, by order of the Ameer). Here he had certainly greater liberty; and, for the first time, found means to communicate with his friends at Cabul; this fellow having been, undoubtedly, well paid for allowing it.

After Colonel Stoddart's first imprisonment reports reached England that he was murdered, and his family immediately put on mourning; but in the year 1841, several letters were received from him, in which he entreats his friends never to believe any rumours of his death.

The following remarkable letter was written by Colonel Stoddart at this time, and reached London on the 3d November, 1841; and in laying it before the public, I think it right to state, that when I communicated the original to the Secretary

STODDART'S LETTER.

19

of State for Foreign Affairs, I was officially informed that various communications had been received from Colonel Stoddart during the years 1839-40.

"Bokhara, 26th June, 1841.

10 P.M.

"A painful three years have passed away without my being able to hear and give any news, and I venture to inquire of my kind friends what they are doing, and to beg a line in reply, to be forwarded by Persia, and left at the Foreign Office.

66

May God have protected you, as He has me, and spared many blessings in His mercy to cheer your life! To me, all that is left in this world of change, is to the good; for I was gone myself for a time, and had fairly counted not what I left behind, but those I was hoping to rejoin in the mercy we rejoice in, assured that the loiterers would soon follow, and top Death's grizzly fence. My time, however, was not yet come; and I have again advanced once more into the breach' before me; and, whenever that call may come, pray that my heart may be well strung with joy in Him who has led us, and whom we know we never should leave as our only hope and strength.

"You must not expect a detailed letter from me, as I am not free to relate all my work at Bokhara, suffice it that the obstacles which opposed me at the onset have melted like snow in the midsummer-sun, slowly and surely; and I am now only waiting a letter from Government to leave the field we have won. The Oozbegs have all along been those who solitudinem faciunt, &c. ; and my appearance here, after the success at Herant,

somewhat palled their sensibilities; and when the sword at Cabul, and the scabbard at Khiva, effected such immense changes upon the status quo, our agency was regarded as Heaven-directed; and these people, who, on my arrival, professed never to have heard who the English were, trembled at their new neighbours, and now deprecate their wrath. They call it the Indus expedition, but its effects have been felt to the Baltic . . . . I received a packet for the first time since July, 1838, last week; and find myself, to my surprise, an old Major of '39. ... I was describing the pace of Colleton's pontoon raft system, adapted as a steamboat on the Hudson, where it was called a cigar boat,' one of my hearers, who has been in India, said, I have seen so many able things produced by you Frangies, that I fear, at last, you will all become disbelievers, even in the existence of a God.' I shuddered at the idea, but it is too true that wisdom, if not founded on its beginning' and knowledge, too often leads vain man astray. These people have a story, that Plato was contemporary with our Saviour, and hearing of His miracles, declared it was from God, but that it was addressed to the ignorant; and that the learned and wise were not required to conform to it! Alas! how truly this false story caricatures the practical fact. . . .

"Yours sincerely,

"CHARLES STODDART."

At this period I wrote to Colonel Stoddart, assuring him that I would never believe any reports of his death. This letter I sent through the Foreign Office, and never received any answer.

What must have been the feelings of my wretched friend when he wrote that beautiful, touching epistle ! Let us pause a moment to consider his position. Colonel Stoddart was sent on a special mission of great importance by the British government. He had fully achieved the purpose for which he had been sent, after having been three times imprisoned, and subjected to such horrors that it is wonderful how even his iron constitution could have borne up against them. He might easily have left Bokhara; but he says, after having overcome all the obstacles which opposed him at the commencement, he was anxiously waiting an order from the government to "leave the field he had won!" Did such an order reach him? I say, No! Was it ever written? No copy any such letter was to be found among the mass of documents which were submitted to me by the Earl of Aberdeen's direction-no document that could lead me to believe that any-the slightesteffort had been made by the British government in behalf of this faithful envoy. And why should there be? Who was Colonel Stoddart? Was he

of

allied to the aristocracy? Had he parliamentary or other influence? Had he relations who were likely to raise a clamour if their relative had been abandoned? None of these. Colonel Stoddart was