158 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



to ride on without one. Some miles further, all traces 

 of a road gradually disappeared ; and except the tracks 

 of the camels, which had gone before, there was absolutely 

 nothing to guide me. The sun went down, and the 

 brief twilight soon faded into complete darkness, with- 

 out even a moon. Naturally I lost my way. There 

 were no people about, nor even a village light in the 

 distance. 



I had not the least idea where I was, and began to 

 think it extremely probable that I should have to pass 

 the night dinnerless aux belles Stoiles. I made several 

 fruitless attempts to find the track; but the night was 

 pitch dark, and one was tolerably certain to wander away 

 in a wrong direction. So I concluded that the better plan 

 was to remain stationary, and trust to luck, or to Alan 

 sending in search of me. 



After a. very unpleasant half-hour, the silence was 

 broken by a jingle of bells. I rode to the sound, and 

 found a friendly disposed native running at a jog-trot, 

 and carrying a bag on a stick hung with iron rings. Evi- 

 dently the district post-runner ! Repeating " Kalar Kahar " 

 to him several times, he pointed in the direction he was 

 going, and we jogged on together. I could in it under- 

 stand a word he said, and could only hope we were on 

 the right road. 



When we had journeyed an hour or so, a light appeared 



