58 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



the Baug-i-Noor, one of the most famed orange-groves 

 of Persia. 



It was late in the day when, wooed by the evening 

 breeze, which came sighing through the orange-groves 

 gentle as a woman's voice, we determined on remain- 

 ing here for the morrow. The cattle were in need of 

 rest, and the servants begged hard for a halt. Our 

 original plan was to make a day of it at the ruins of 

 Shahpoor ; but the deep shade of the orange -groves, 

 and the delicious perfume of the blossoms, decided 

 the point. A halt was determined upon, and Shah- 

 poor forgotten, amid the sense of complete repose, 

 and dolce far niente of our groves. 



We started on the morning of the 30th at about 

 1 A. 3i. There was no moon, but the heavens, with- 

 out a cloud, were in the full glory of starlight. The 

 road led westerly across the valley, at first through 

 cultivation ; from this it struck into a waste desert 

 tract of country, thinly covered with bush. As we 

 were moving silently along across this plain, a howl, 

 or rather a shriek, the most unearthly in its tones 

 that I ever heard, suddenly broke the stillness of the 

 night. The sound came from a spot apparently close 

 to the side of the road. It was continued for some 

 moments. Then the shrieks became less and less in- 

 tense, and finally merged into a loud hissing noise, 

 to which it was horrible to listen. So unearthly was 

 the sound, and so dismally did it strike my ear as it 

 came ringing through the still night air, that I in- 



