an intentions in the future. The tenor of
that communication was that the Russians were less eager than might
have been supposed to bring matters to a final crisis with Yakoob Beg,
and that they were most desirous of settling the question without any
flagrant loss of dignity by being the first to recommence negotiations.
Both publicly and privately Khudayar Khan advised that the Athalik Ghazi
should make some concessions in form to the Russian government. The
Russians themselves, having failed to induce Khudayar Khan to put
pressure on Yakoob Beg, appear to have arrived at the same conclusion as
that set out in the letters of Khudayar. Yakoob Beg must make the sign,
and they would meet him half way in his desire to share in the great
benefits accruing from a Muscovite alliance. The authorities at Tashkent
went so far as to flatter themselves that they had attained a solution
of one of their chief annoyances. They had, by making use of the
mediation of Khudayar, gone so far as to open the door for Yakoob Beg to
abase himself. Such condescension was unheard of, and no doubt was
entertained but that this proud Mahomedan ruler would gladly hasten to
avail himself of the last chance accorded him by the clemency of the
Czar.

But they were reckoning without their host. Yakoob Beg quickly perceived
that the bold exterior of the Russian demands concealed a vacillating
purpose, and that a power which would go out of its way so far to bring
about an arrangement, would yield much more when the discussion became
directly carried on. He had evidently impressed the few Russians who had
visited him with a belief in his strength, and rumour had magnified his
resources, and converted his small and heterogeneous following into a
regular and trained army. He was not the man to destroy, when the game
was almost in his hands too, all the favourable impressions, that stood
him in such good stead during his career, which his policy for four
years had succeeded in creating about his personality. After a suitable
delay his formal reply to the official letter of Khudayar arrived, and
its contents must have been eminently displeasing to the Russians. In
general terms he refused to enter into negotiations with the Russians,
because they had refused to acknowledge his own government, and had ever
supported the cause of his enemies the Chinese. But, not content with
this blunt refusal to the offer made from Tashkent, he went on to minor
matters and