156 RIFLE AND SPEAK WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



the height of the hot weather, when, outside, where the 

 little bungalows of the officials are built, the burning 

 heat is almost intolerable. One can quite imagine it ; 

 for the hill above slopes due south, with an Indian sun 

 beating down on red-hot rocks destitute of vegetation, 

 whilst below stretches a dried-up plain glaring with white 

 salt. 



The road to Saidan Shah, although bridged and graded, 

 is not metalled. It is therefore designated as " kuchur." 

 This expressive Indian adjective has no exact English 

 equivalent ; but means anything unripe, roughly finished, 

 or imperfect. Its antithesis is " pukkar " ; and their grada- 

 tions, " kuchur-pukkar," and " pukkar-kuchur " are, I regret 

 to say, beyond my vocabulary. 



We cantered up the side of a barren mountain remind- 

 ing one of Aden ; and through a series of well-cultivated 

 little valleys, surrounded by rocky hills. Then past a 

 small lake gradually drying up after the rains. As the 

 water recedes, every inch of mud is being sown with 

 wheat. 



At the further end, amongst the sedges, an occasional 

 "quack-quack" betrays some teal and duck. But we 

 have no time to wait, and, riding hard, did not reach 

 Saidan Shah till dark. 



We found the Douglases' belongings still unpacked and 

 scattered round the house. Their servants did not arrive 



