AT the time that the Persian army were employed in plundering Dehly, Nadir Shah turned his thoughts to the conquest of Turan; and for that purpose sent a great number of workmen from Dehly and other places to Balkh, to get ready a thousand boats against his arrival in that quarter, some for the con­struction of bridges, and others for the transportation of grain. Had he not taken this precaution, he must have failed in this expedition, for the King of Turan had destroyed all the boats on the river Gihoon*; and without carrying grain from Charjoo, to the borders of Khovarezem, being twelve days journey, it would have been impossible to have subsisted his army. He had long before determined upon this conquest, and when he marched into Hindostan, directed the governor of Balkh to form granaries against his return. What a wonderful exer­tion of mind, what resolution and fore­sight, must this man have possessed, to have been able to form distant designs, whilst he was only entering upon the conquest of a mighty kingdom. To return from this digression. After he had made his arrangements at Balkh, and loaded the boats with all the necessary supplies, he detached Aly Kuly Khan, and Thamas Khan, to guard the eastern bank of the river Gihoon, whilst he marched with the army along the western side, to protect the boats, upon which alone they had now to depend for supplies. After passing the twelve stages through the desert, he arrived at Charjoo, where he threw over the river a bridge of boats. The next day Hakeen Ataleek, the prime minister of Abulfiez Khan, King of Bokhara, was introduced to Nadir Shah in public, but delivered his embassy in such a low tone, that not one of the byestanders could hear a word of it. But Nadir Shah answered with a loud voice, “Unless he comes himself, the operations of the army must proceed.” He bestowed upon the ambassador a donation of a thousand mohurs of Hindostan, twenty-five pieces of Yezdy brocade, a rich dress, and a horse with silver harness; after which he told him he might depart. The King of Turan, unwilling to make the submission in person, prepared for resistance. The Persian army crossed the bridge, and a detachment under the command of Thamas Khan, was ordered to scour the country about the city, to create alarms. The nobles of Turan, sensible of the impossibility of withstand­ing the arms of the conqueror of Hin­dostan, prevailed upon Abulfiez to sub­mit in the manner required; and accordingly an ambassador was sent to make the offer, and carried with him valuable presents. After a long confer­rence, it was settled that Abulfiez Khan should wait upon Nadir Shah, and that hostilities should immediately cease. The ambassador received a dress and other presents.

The Nussuckchee Bashy was ordered to station people, to protect the suburbs from violence; and to prohibit all persons from entering the city. By this pre­caution, the city of Bokhara was not only preserved from plunder, but the soldiers paid the tradesmen the full value for every thing that they got; but the distant parts of the country were ravaged by the Kezlebashes. Nadir Shah exacted from the city nothing but provi­sions, and absolute necessaries; for being master of all the wealth of Hindostan, he looked with contempt upon the humble possessions of the natives of Turan.