OF THE OLD WOKLD. 1567 



man, whose two sons were also present, seeing the 

 hopelessness of the case, bade his comrades farewell, 

 and shouting out the " imaun " (Moliammedan 

 creed) as a death-song, felled his horse to the ground 

 with the heavy butt of his pistol, as he could not rein 

 up the scared animal, and oflered himself a willing 

 sacrifice to save the rest. On tore the survivors, now- 

 reduced to eight in number, and on followed their 

 relentless pursuers, now again only half a dozen 

 horses' length behind. In spite of all their eftbrts, 

 their doom seemed sealed, and their case hopeless, 

 when their chief, giving an expressive look to the 

 narrator, drew his pistol and shot the man nearest 

 to him through the head. He threw up his arms 

 and dropped the reins, but although stone-dead he 

 sat firm in the saddle, the affrighted animal carrying 

 him until a second discharge brought both to the 

 ground. Again the pursuit was checked for a time, 

 and the konak appeared in view ; luckily the door 

 was open, for it was deserted, men and horses rushed 

 in, the door was closed, and a ponderous bar drawn 

 across inside, when suddenly a loud heart-rending 

 yell was heard from without, above the howling of 

 the wolves, and they saw through the chinks be- 

 tween the logs, one of their comrades whose horse 

 had broken down and lagged behind, unperceived 

 by the rest, surrounded by the horde and fighting 

 desperately — a moment more and he was pulled from 

 the saddle, and both man and horse devoured before 

 their eyes. Then the wolves surrounded the hut. 



