dealt with the question of Russian policy in specific
language. The common enemy of him and all his co-religionists was not
worthy of any consideration from him or his allies, the rulers of
Khokand and Bokhara. "The Russians that have come here, into my state of
Kashgar, look at these localities and become acquainted with the state
of the country, and therefore it is better to forbid their coming, for
they are a treacherous and crooked-minded people." In such plain terms
did Yakoob Beg speak of a power which could without any serious risk
have crushed him at any moment. Yet in one sense his boldness was the
height of prudence, and succeeded when perhaps a less decided attitude
would have completely failed. The Russians were fairly deluded in their
estimate of their new antagonist, and all means having been exhausted
for inducing Yakoob Beg to abandon his indifferent attitude towards
themselves, it began to be seriously discussed at Tashkent whether, if
simply for the purpose of obtaining accurate information of his country,
it would not be prudent to acknowledge the existence of a ruler who had
for nearly six years been established as responsible sovereign of a very
large portion of Asia. The path was smoothed, too, for the Russian
diplomatists by Yakoob Beg sending a letter to the governor of
Turkestan, stating that it was useless for the Czar to attempt the
establishment of diplomatic relations through the good offices of
Khudayar Khan; but that if the Russians really desired to enter into
alliance with him they could send an embassy to him, when formal steps
could be commenced for securing the trade and other agreements that were
desirable. The letter was a very dignified piece of writing, such as
one European sovereign would have sent to another in the Middle Ages.
"He did not deny," he said, "either the power or the resources of
Russia, but as a brave man he placed his trust in God, and he would
never shirk the contest, because all he aspired to was to die for his
faith." This letter produced a great impression at Tashkent, and it was
resolved to send an ambassador to Kashgar.

Before pursuing the narrative, it may be as well to sum up what had
passed between Russia and Kashgar up to this period, for henceforth
these two states were to stand in a completely different relationship
towards each other. The Russians strove to induce Yakoob Beg to make the
most favourable commercial and political concessions to them, whi