Travels in the Tian'Shan' 1856-1857

Quotes

That conclusion, expressed in a report forwarded by him to Nicholas I in 1854, was as follows. In his, Gasfort's, opinion advocacy of the Christian religion could not be successful among the Kirgiz, since many customs and conditions of nomadic life, as for instance nomadic polygamy, were incompatible with dogmatic Christian teaching. On the other hand, conversion of the enormous Kirgiz nationality to Islam would be at odds with Russian state interest.

Quoted on July 23, 2018