DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15174#0020
4
CROSS THE OXUS.
CHAP. XII.
As we were preparing to embark, I had an ex-
ample of the meanness of native traders, of which I
have had before and since many concurring proofs.
Our boat had no horses to drag it across, and it was
proposed that we should hire them; to which I
gave a ready assent, saying, that we should be
happy to contribute our share of the expense. The
reply was unsatisfactory, since they wished we
should bear it all ; but this was peremptorily re-
fused, and we embarked without the horses, though
the share of each person would not have amounted
to a quarter of a rupee, and one of the merchants
possessed goods that were valued at 3000 tillas.
From terror, they were not so sparing of the name
of the Deity, while on the water, as, on land, they
had been of their money ; but these invocations
cost them nothing, and the horses would have re-
duced their profits. The merchants of this country
have none of the liberal notions of the same class
of people in Europe ; and I am disposed to attri-
bute it to their superintending in person the sale of
their goods, and witnessing every outlay which is
incurred on their account. We crossed the Oxus
in safety, without horses ; and I did not regret the
opportunity that had presented itself, to show our
fellow-voyagers that we were as poor in our purses
as in our dress and condition. One individual, a
Persian, actually sickened at the thought of crossing
the Jihoon without horses, and transferred himself
to another boat with oars, where he gave the sailors
the bribe of a rupee to row him speedily across.
He arrived, with a pale face, to receive our congra-
CROSS THE OXUS.
CHAP. XII.
As we were preparing to embark, I had an ex-
ample of the meanness of native traders, of which I
have had before and since many concurring proofs.
Our boat had no horses to drag it across, and it was
proposed that we should hire them; to which I
gave a ready assent, saying, that we should be
happy to contribute our share of the expense. The
reply was unsatisfactory, since they wished we
should bear it all ; but this was peremptorily re-
fused, and we embarked without the horses, though
the share of each person would not have amounted
to a quarter of a rupee, and one of the merchants
possessed goods that were valued at 3000 tillas.
From terror, they were not so sparing of the name
of the Deity, while on the water, as, on land, they
had been of their money ; but these invocations
cost them nothing, and the horses would have re-
duced their profits. The merchants of this country
have none of the liberal notions of the same class
of people in Europe ; and I am disposed to attri-
bute it to their superintending in person the sale of
their goods, and witnessing every outlay which is
incurred on their account. We crossed the Oxus
in safety, without horses ; and I did not regret the
opportunity that had presented itself, to show our
fellow-voyagers that we were as poor in our purses
as in our dress and condition. One individual, a
Persian, actually sickened at the thought of crossing
the Jihoon without horses, and transferred himself
to another boat with oars, where he gave the sailors
the bribe of a rupee to row him speedily across.
He arrived, with a pale face, to receive our congra-