1876 Annexation of Khokand and formation of Russian province of Ferghana Expedition of Prjevalski to Lob Nor Treaty of Jacobabad between Great Britain and Kelat. Dec. 1876 Third Russian expedition to, and retreat from, Kizil Arvat . 1877 Defeat and death of Yakub Beg Abortive conference at Peshawur between Sir L. Pelly and Nur Mahomet Shah. 1877 Death of Koushid Khan of Merv, and election of Nur Verdi . 1878 Kaufmann threatens invasion of Afghanistan and India June 1878 Pamir column despatched under General Abramoff Arrival of Stolietoff mission at Kabul . 1878 July 1878 Death of Shir Ali and accession of Yakub Khan . Treaty of Gundamuk with Yakub Khan Assassination of Sir L. Cavagnari at Kabul . Oct. to Nov. 1878 Nov. 1878 Dec. 1878 Feb. 1879 May 1879 Sept. 1879 Skobeleff appointed Commander-in-Chief in Transcaspia Mar. 1880 Death of Nur Verdi Khan of Akhal and Merv, and election March of Sir F. Roberts from Kabul to Kandahar. Aug. 8-31, 1880 Formation of Transcaspian Province sub General Rohrberg Annexation of Akhal-Tekke oasis Transcaspian Railway opened to Kizil Arvat Retrocession of Ili province and Kulja to China Occupation by Russia of Tejend oasis Occupation of Sarakhs. . 1883 1884 Frontier negotiations between Great Britain and Russia . Recall of Tchernaieff and appointment of Rosenbach 1884 The Russians occupy Zulfikar and Akrobat, and advance upon Feb. 1885 Fight between the Russians and Afghans at Tash-Kepri, on the Kushk Accession of Seid Abdul Ahad, Amir of Bokhara. British and Russian Boundary Commissioners meet again Bolan Railway constructed to Quetta. May 1885 June 1885 Demarcation of Afghan boundary up to separation of Com mission Return of British Commission through Kabul to India. Sept. 1886 Oct. 1886 May 1887 July 1887 Negotiations at St. Petersburg continued and concluded India. Quetta Railway continued to Kila Abdulla Tunnel commenced through the Amran Mountains Retreat of Is-hak Khan to Samarkand. Concession to Baron de Reuter for Imperial Bank of Persia War scare on the Oxus boundary Jan. 1889 Feb. to Mar. 1889 Mar. 1889 . May to Oct. 1889 APPENDIX IV DIRECTIONS TO TRAVELLERS IN TRANSCASPIA IN Chapter I. I have indicated the various direct routes to the Caucasus and the Caspian. A train leaves Batoum every morning and Tiflis every night for Baku, which is reached the next afternoon. The steamers of the Caucasus and Mercury Company sail for Uzun Ada twice a week, returning also twice a week. The distance, duration, and cost of journey from Uzun Ada to Samarkand I have mentioned in Chapter II. The most favourable seasons of the year for making a journey into Central Asia are the spring and autumn. In the summer the climate is inordinately hot. In the winter it is icy cold; the railway may be blocked, and the harbours are frequently frozen. Accommodation in Transcaspia and Turkestan is scanty and miserable. There are so-called hotels at Askabad, Merv, and Samarkand, but they would be called hotels nowhere else. Travellers must take with them sheets, pillows, blankets, towels, and baths. They will find none in the country. It is possible, however, to sleep in the railway carriages, and where feasible they should always be preferred. Clothing must be taken adapted to both extremes of temperature; for it is often very hot in the daytime and very cold at night. For an Englishman a pith helmet, similar to those worn in India, is a useful protection, but does not seem to be affected by the Russians. The latter wear the universal flat white cap, with cotton crown. It can be bought at Tiflis, Baku, or anywhere in Russian territory, and is the most serviceable and least conspicuous headpiece that can be worn, the more so as the calico covering is removable and can be washed. Riding-breeches and boots are useful for extended journeys or hard work in the interior; and to those unaccustomed to Cossack or native saddles an English saddle is a necessity. To Englishmen the language is a great stumbling-block. English is an extreme rarity in Transcaspia. French and German are not spoken except by Russian officers of the higher class. The languages required are Russian for use with the Russians, and Persian or Tartar (Turki) for the natives. It is well worth while picking up a little Russian beforehand in order to make oneself understood by the former. With the natives an interpreter or dragoman is simply indispensable; and a man should be engaged at Tiflis or elsewhere who can show testimonials of ability to speak the languages, and of travelling experience in the countries to be traversed. The cost of travelling and living is absurdly cheap, and estimates framed on European standards may be halved. There is a native copper and silver currency at Bokhara. Everywhere else, and at Bokhara also, the paper rouble is the staple medium of exchange. London bankers have no correspondents in Central Asia, but notes or letters of credit can be cashed at Tiflis, and Russian paper money is changeable everywhere. Along the railway very respectable food can be procured at the buffets. The same applies to the large towns. For any excursion or deviation from the beaten track a prior supply is a sine quâ non, and no harm is done by laying in a stock of tinned meats, preserves, chocolate, &c. at Tiflis or Baku. It is a cardinal rule to avoid the drinking water of the country. Passable wine from the Caucasus and Samarkand is procurable. So is Russian beer. Excellent tea is always ready in the Samovars, which are the lares et penates of the Russian in foreign lands, accompanying him wherever he goes, and which are equally patronised by the natives. Air-cushions are invaluable for a tarantass journey. Wax candles are often a great blessing. Familiar precautions must be taken against small but familiar pests. It is useless to think of landing in Transcaspia without having procured an oktriti list, or special permit, authorised or signed by the Minister of War, which must be applied for at St. Petersburg. An ordinary passport must also be taken, as it is examined and registered by the local police in every Russian town. If the frontier is to be crossed into Persia, this should have been viséed beforehand at the Persian Embassy in London, or by a Persian Consul in some neighbouring place. It is hopeless at present to attempt penetrating into Afghanistan. Witness the experience of Mr. Stevens, the bicyclist, and of the French travellers, MM. Pepin and Bonvalot. For postal journeys in Russian territory a podorojna must be procured from the postal station, and countersigned by the authorities. Payment is always required before starting, and covers the entire expense of |