CHAPTER X. 



In the Great Yulduz Valley. 



From Kuchar I was accompanied by a dragoman-cum-soldier, 

 one no-ionger in his first youth, and were it not for his latter-day 

 military costume might reasonably be supposed to have come 

 out of the ark. His martial quahties were of a poor order, 

 though his ideas on the subject of personal comfort left nothing 

 to be desired, for, in addition to a roll of blankets carried on 

 the pommel, two leathern bags depended from either side of 

 the saddle, bulging with Turkistan bread. To mount without 

 assistance was an operation quite beyond the powers of the 

 aged warrior, so he was assisted over the mountains of bread 

 and blankets into the saddle. 



I struck camp on the morning of the 25th and moved at 

 5 o'clock across an undulating plain to the foot of the first range 

 of hills, thence due east down a stony and dried-up river bed, 

 flanked by low hills. Further on the track turned north-east 

 up a narrow valley, in places broadening to grassy pine-clad 

 stretches, with here and there a profusion of wild flowers giving 

 added charm to the view. 



I saw nothing in the way of shikar that day beyond a few 

 partridges which Giyani pursued, stalking them as is the native 

 wont, but not lucky enough to get within shot. 



I halted early in the afternoon on a wide stretch of grass 

 at the mouth of a narrow ravine coming down from the west. 

 Here was a solitary log hut, inhabited by some shepherds in 

 the summer when tending their flocks of sheep and goats, and 

 guarded by a number of savage dogs who ferociously attacked us, 

 but after a time we beat them off, though the assault was lively 



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