of the Old World. 403 



I refrained from letting drive at seven gigantic 

 cranes, who, regardless of our presence, continued to 

 wade less than two hundred yards distant, which was 

 a sore temptation, as they appeared of a rare kind, 

 and I would have got them all in line with a little 

 judicious stalking. 



There could be no doubt of our being on the track 

 of the right party, as in several places I perceived 

 the trail of my baggage-pony, which was shod with 

 the broad Turkish shoe on the fore-feet, whereas 

 none of the other animals had any. Towards noon, 

 after clambering up the steep rocky side of a low 

 ridge of hills, I perceived, in the ravine below, a 

 light column of smoke curling up from some broken 

 ground, and, after a careful investigation with my 

 field-glass, I saw several horses with their fore-feet 

 hobbled, grazing by the banks of a small stream, 

 which, I had no doubt, belonged to the marauders. 



After a brief consultation with my followers, I 

 directed Kuchuc and three others to accompany me 

 in a reconnaissance, whilst the rest of the party took 

 charge of the horses and kept a look-out on the road. 

 As my men were well armed, and I could fully 

 depend upon their pluck, I did not much fear the 

 result of a contest, but was rather afraid lest the 

 pillagers, knowing the country, might slip through our 

 hand with their booty, so I struck off from the tract 

 and made a circuitous route by crossing the ravine 



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