Identifier: russiancentralas02lans (find matches)
Title: Russian Central Asia : including Kuldja, Bokhara, Khiva and Merv
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: Lansdell, Henry, 1841-1919 Lansdell, Henry, 1841-1919, inscriber. ins
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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us to our lodgings, where we found a companyof batchas, and the people assembled for a performance.I did not decline it, but gave the Khoja to understandthat it would be a far greater treat to me than seeing * Like Shaphan, the scribe, reading before the king (2 Chron. xxxiv. 18),or like Mordecai writing letters, sealing them, and sending off messengersin the name of Ahasuerus (Esther viii. 8, 10). The Emir, not readingpersonally the letter I presented to him, recalls the words of Artaxerxes,The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me (Ezra iv. 18, 23). The carrying a signet appears to have been customarywith dignitaries in patriarchal times in Palestine, if we may so under-stand the case of Judah (Gen. xxxviii. 18); and later in Persia, for Dariussealed Daniel in the lions den (Dan. vi. 17). So, too, in Judaea underPilate, who made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone (Matt, xxvii.66). We read of none of these affixing their sign manual, as it wouldbe with us.
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36 RUSSIAN CENTRAL ASIA. the batchas if he would allow me to question himabout the country. He and his interpreter were, Isaw, intelligent fellows, and it was an opportunity notto be missed. When, therefore, the batchas were wellstarted with their tomfooleries, we withdrew into theroom, to my table and note-book, but left the doorsopen so that we could see a little and hear only toomuch of the performance outside. I fear the crowdthought us sadly wanting in taste, and the batchas,determined that we should not lose all the fun, cameevery now and then putting their heads inside, andbawling, at the top of their voices, some portion ofsong for our special benefit. Meanwhile I was plying my visitors with questions,and by them was initiated into the mysteries ofBokhariot weights and measures, among which, inthe absence of a recognized standard, the gloriousuncertainty of the rule of thumb is as nothing.-1 Among the messages sent me by the Emir was onethat they delivered very delicately, and

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