BIKANEER AND THE GREAT DESERT. 263 



sisting of cultivated fields, divided either by a trench 

 or by hedges of thorn loosely piled together, forming 

 a very effective barrier against the herds of goats and 

 camels which were discernible here and there. The 

 remainder of the area was composed of lir, or uncul- 

 tivated land covered closely by patches of loose scrub 

 of a thorny character, about four feet in height, and 

 sufficiently dense to conceal the small deer, which 

 became more and more numerous as we advanced 

 farther and farther from civilisation and from the 

 railway The different villages were situated at an 

 average distance apart of about four miles, and the 

 whereabouts of each village was invariably marked by 

 a grove of large trees the only ones in the landscape. 

 These villages were all of the same character, and a 

 description of Ghusaniana, where we were compelled 

 to pass the night, owing to the distance we had 

 already travelled, will serve as an example of the 

 remainder. After hunting the following day, at a 

 distance of about ten miles beyond Ghusaniana, I 

 found it convenient to return and pass the second 

 night there also. The different camel tracks consisted 

 entirely of sand, and the sandy character of the soil, 

 as well as the flat bed-rock, which was frequently 

 observed blown bare of covering by the breeze, showed 

 how precious was every drop of water. The vicinity 

 of a village was also marked by the deep excavations 

 made for water for the cattle and camels, generally 

 containing a limited quantity of thick, muddy liquid. 

 Around this supply of precious fluid, and all about 



