IO4 By Mountain, Lake, and Plain 



the exceedingly bitter taste, gazelle quench their 

 thirst with these. 



Another typical locality for these beasts is the 

 wide stretch of desert that lies east of the hill 

 country of Kain. It is called the Tag-i-Namadi 

 a name given on account of its fancied resemblance 

 to a namad or felt carpet. But this is only in 

 spring-time, when the low heather -like bhuta 

 with which the plain is clothed is green. Its 

 winter reputation has gained for it another more 

 sinister title the Dasht-i-Naomed, or "Desert of 

 Despair," from the blizzards that rage across it. 

 Woe betide the unfortunate caravan that is caught 

 on its shelterless expanse ! 



There is something strangely fascinating about 

 these vast open spaces. The first whitening of 

 early dawn over the dark horizon, the red flush 

 that follows and turns to fire. The sun springs 

 up a glowing ball and floods the plain with yellow 

 light ; bushes and stones are thrown into relief, 

 and the far withdrawn line of hills is brought 

 suddenly so near you could seemingly stretch 

 out a hand and touch them. As the day ad- 

 vances, the air begins to quiver and swim, and, 

 as if a magician had touched the earth, one is 

 surrounded by lakes and lagoons of water with 

 reflected islands, needles, and causeways. Every- 

 thing seems fantastic and unreal. At such a 



