SUGHEIT. 227 



was, nothing could be done. To attempt to stalk such 

 wild, sagacious creatures, with every natural condition in 

 their favour, was hopeless ; so gazing in despair I rode 

 on, and saw two large antelopes equally unassailable. 

 The valley narrowed to a gorge ; then opened out on to 

 an extensive plain of shingle, miles broad and more in 

 length, intersected in all directions by streams which, if 

 united, must form a large river. We crossed over this 

 plain to a grassy bank, lying between it and the sandy 

 hills which represent, as it were, the projected roots of 

 the mountains, stretching out far and irregularly from 

 the main body. The country is now evidently opening 

 out, showing wide expanses between the mountains, and 

 giving hopes of better lands to be soon reached. 



Another caravan passed on its upward course, but 

 some way from us. We saw some startled antelope 

 hastening from them, and went after them ; but after 

 having toiled long, performing a circuitous course to 

 reach them, we viewed them where, from the direction of 

 the wind and absence of all covert, we could not ap- 

 proach. I sent Phuttoo to try to drive them to us, but 

 he failed entirely. We wandered about this shingly 

 plain, viewing other antelope equally unapproachable; 

 then returned to camp ground. None of my people had 

 arrived. Nor did they till 5 P.M. ; when I learned that 

 another horse had knocked up, and was apparently in a 

 hopeless state, but the blood being extracted from its 

 nostrils, and its burden removed, it recovered and was 

 being led on. 



After night had closed in, I was sitting anxiously 

 awaiting the arrival of the coolies still behind, when I 

 heard sounds of human voices in distress, faint and 

 distant. There were answering calls from camp. This 

 continued a long time. I then enquired if any one had 



Q 2 



