A JOYLESS SOLITUDE. 259 



some of their long stony slopes, and in one or two of the 

 deeper liollows of the gullies that ran down between them. 

 The scanty tufts of herbage that existed on the sides of this 

 huge natural water-basin, as it were, were rendered almost 

 invisible by distance, except in a few low and more level 

 spots, where the moisture, derived either from springs or 

 from trickling streamlets, had given the scraps of turf there 

 a most vivid green, which was quite a relief for the eye to 

 rest on. 



After a short time spent in contemplating this joyless soli- 

 tude, we descended to the shore of the lake. Not a breath 

 of the usual wind was then stirring to ruffle its placid sur- 

 face, which resembled a sheet of polished steel. The dull 

 grey light of a cloudy day, and the solemn silence that 

 reigned supreme, combined with the bleak and dismal aspect 

 of the surrounding hills, were such as to induce a feeling of 

 utter loneliness which was almost irksome. The men with 

 me stretched themselves out on the dry white sand that 

 bordered the lake, and were soon fast asleep. Even the 

 pony seemed to feel the depressing influence of the profound 

 stillness, as he stood listlessly there with drooping head 

 and closed eyes. The only signs of life or motion to be seen 

 were exhibited by the dogs as they tugged and gnawed at 

 some dry bits of skin that partially covered the sun-bleached 

 bones of a dead animal that lay close to the water's edge. 

 If from this inadequate sketch the reader can picture it to 

 himself, such was the ground in which I hoped to find the 

 objects of my present search. 



I was not sorry when my meditations, which under the 

 circumstances were not of the liveliest order, were interrupted 

 by the sound of footfalls, and on looking round, I saw my 

 cook approaching with the men who carried the Idltas ^ con- 

 taining breakfast. After appeasing my appetite, which had 

 not been so much affected as my spirits, we skirted along 

 the shore of the lake, and camped at its southern end. 



1 Baskets made for carrying loads on the back. 



