198 SHORT STALKS 



of the " Sunt Dagli " or Milk Mountain, three leagues away. 

 If there came a shower of rain, which happened later, it lay 

 in a thin sheet of water over the whole area and trans- 

 formed it for the time into the semblance of a bank-full 

 lake. 



In three places at the edge were swanq^s, where a scanty 

 supply of undrinkable water oozed from the base of the 

 mountain and was trodden into mud. For along this strip 

 of plain was carried not only the newly-opened railway, 

 but an imj^ortant caravan route, and trains of camels, 

 donkeys, and bullock-carts with solid wooden wheels were 

 continually passing. The harsh " klonk-klonk " of in- 

 numerable wild geese, and the 2:)laintive notes of curlew 

 and plover, constantly arose from these swamps, and to 

 them also must have come the ibex for their onlv driiikino- 

 place, for the whole face of the mountain was as dry as a 

 captain's biscuit. On one occasion one of our followers 

 saw some drinking there in broad daylight. At sunrise a 

 faint unpleasant odour always came up from these marshes, 

 suggesting a liberal use of quinine ; but we were assured that 

 at this elevation — between two thousand and three thou- 

 sand feet — we need not fear fever. While pitching our camp, 

 we were engaged in clearing the projecting stones from the 

 sites of the tents. One of my followers was busy over a par- 

 ticularly obstinate one with his heavy iron-shod alpenstock, 

 and at length turned up, with much laljour, a large living 

 tortoise, which had buried itself there for the winter. It 

 lay on its back, meekly kicking its legs in the air, while 

 the Frenchman blushed up to the roots of his hair with 

 surprise and disgust. Above, on the higher rocks, were 

 a great number of eagles and vultures. On one occasion 



