The Maral Stag 2 1 3 



shikari to explain to him in Turki who I was, 

 what we were doing, and finally that I desired 

 to speak with him. A long shouted harangue 

 followed, in which I suspected the intrusion of 

 a good many uncomplimentary expressions. 

 Something came in reply. 



"What does he say?" 



" The pidar-sokhta says he will have nothing 

 to do with us." 



The man had in the meantime begun to 

 rapidly ascend the hill away from us, only 

 stopping and taking cover to reply to our 

 questions. 



"Explain that I am going on to Mahommed 

 Geldis' obah (the tent of the nearest Turkoman 

 chief), and want to send a message to him." 



" He says if we come a step nearer he will 

 shoot." 



"Tell him not to be afraid, we are friends." 



" He says he is not at all afraid, he has a rifle 

 the same as we have." 



This was all we could get out of him. He 

 made no further replies, and soon disappeared 

 from view. 



Our Kurds' fears were as a matter of fact 

 groundless. The Turkoman gave us no bother, 

 and indeed, though no Persian could show his 

 nose inside their country, Europeans, especially 



