Burnes, Alexander: Travels into Bokhara: containing the narrative of a voyage on the Indus from the sea to Lahore, ... and an account of a journey from India to Cabool, Tartary and Persia ; performed by order of the supreme government of India, in the years 1831, 32, and 33 (Band 2) (London, 1835)

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CHAP. XI.

detention in the kingdom of bokhara.

Three short marches brought us to the home of
the Cafila-bashee of our caravan; a small village of
twenty houses, called Meerabad, forty miles from
Bokhara, in the district of Karakool. What was our
disappointment to discover, on the eve of prose-
cuting our journey, that the whole of the merchants
declined to advance, and had taken alarm at the pro-
ceedings of the Khan of Khiva. That personage,
in examining the bales of a caravan from Persia,
discovered some earth from the holy Kerbela, which
had been packed up with the goods, according to
custom, as a spell on their safe transit. But the
precaution, so much at variance with orthodox Ma-
hommedanism, had a very contrary effect. The
greater portion of the goods was plundered; and,
since many of our merchants were Persians, at
least Shiahs, they resolved to run no risks, and
wait either for the withdrawal of the army, or an
assurance of protection to their property, under the
seal of the Khan. The last alternative seemed the
most judicious mode of terminating all anxiety, and
it was discussed in full assemblage.

The merchants formed a congress at the hut in
which we were living; for the Vizier had kindly