My confession, in itself a capital offence [Footnote 72] by the law of Mohammed, might not perhaps, for the moment, have severed all ties of friendship; but how bitterly, how dreadfully would my friend Hadji Salih, who was so sincere in his religious opinions, have felt the deception! No, I determined to spare him this sorrow, and to save myself from any reproach of ingratitude. He must, I thought, be left in the fond delusion. [Footnote 72: A Murtad (renegade) is directed to be stoned to death.] After having commended me to some pilgrims, whom I was to accompany to Mecca, as their very brother, son in fact, as one whom they most valued, they accompanied me after sunset to the outside of the city gate, where the cart that my new companions had hired for the journey to Karshi was waiting for us. I wept like a child when, tearing myself from their embraces, I took my seat in the vehicle. My {221} friends were all bathed in tears, and long did I see them--and I see them now--standing there in the same place, with their hands raised to heaven, imploring Allah's blessing upon my far journey. I turned round many times to look back. At last, they disappeared, and I found I was only gazing upon the domes of Samarcand, illuminated by the faint light of the rising moon! {222} CHAPTER XII. SAMARCAND TO KARSHI THROUGH DESERT NOMADS KARSHI, THE ANCIENT NAKHSEB TRADE AND MANUFACTURE KERKI OXUS AUTHOR CHARGED WITH BEING RUNAWAY SLAVE ERSARI TURKOMANS MEZARI SHERIF BELKH AUTHOR JOINS KARAVAN FROM BOKHARA SLAVERY ZEÏD ANDKHUY YEKETUT KHAIRABAD MAYMENE AKKALE. _Non succurrit tibi quamdiu circum Bactra haereas?_--Q. Curtii Rufi lib. vii. 8. [Samarcand to Karshi through Desert] My new travelling companions were from Oosh Mergolan, and Namengan (Khanat of Khokand). It is unnecessary to describe them particularly. They were far from being to me like those friends from whom I had just parted; nor did we remain long together. I attached myself, in preference, to a young Mollah from Kungrat, who had travelled with us to Samarcand, and hoped to proceed, in my company, as far as Mecca. He was a young man, good-humoured, and as poor as myself, who looked up to me as one superior to himself in learning, and was disposed to serve me.