MY SECOND VISIT TO BOKHARA 283
The Amir was at Kermin6 preparing for his
approaching visit to St. Petersburg, so we did not
see him. The Cushbeggi sent his next in office to
welcome us, and an entertainment was prepared in
our honour, but the most interesting memory I
carried away with me was that of the sweet face of
one of the Cushbeggi's ladies; I think she was his
chief's wife. The dear old lady took both my hands
and pressed them to her heart in token of sincerest
welcome. Then in queenly tones she commanded
several of the younger ladies to perform a Tajik
dance for our especial benefit, and very gracefully
they did it, waving their tambourines above their
heads, and reminding us in their movements of the
castonette dancers in Spain. It is only in Bokhara
and Khiva that one meets with what I may call the
Sart aristocracy. In Russian territory native rank
and titles have disappeared. In Bokhara the ladies
of rank resort once a week to a public bath to which
women of the lower classes are not admitted. It is
situated, strange to say, at the foot, or rather inside
the foot of the world-renowned criminal tower. A
more novel economy of space I never met with.
One day when the bath was filled with ladies, we
went in to have a chat with some of them, leaving
our gay jigit at the door. Unhappily I had my
camera under my arm, and that caused some com-
motion, but I soon managed to quiet suspicion by
returning to the jigit and leaving the dangerous