SPORT AND TRAVEL 19 



preter I learned from the Turkish soldier that this 

 was the Bashkos River, which runs for several miles in 

 a subterranean channel under the hills before again 

 reappearing. Later on we reached a fresh-water lake, 

 several miles in circumference, along the shore of 

 which the road skirted for some distance. On this 

 sheet of water were thousands of coots, and a few 

 large-headed wild ducks of a species which I could 

 not determine. 



Soon after leaving this lake, we entered a gorge in 

 the hills, and, after a very hot four hours' ride, off- 

 saddled at a kind of wayside inn, picturesquely situ- 

 ated amongst hills, which are all more or less wooded, 

 presenting a strong contrast in this respect to the 

 bare, arid mountains round El Maly. Whilst resting 

 here several caravans of camels laden with goods from 

 the port of Fineka passed along the road, and also 

 some families of nomads, who reminded me somewhat 

 of the gipsies I had seen on the lower Danube in the 

 previous summer, though they were not so dark-com- 

 plexioned as the latter people. As the women were 

 not veiled in any way, they could not have been 

 Mohammedans; and Antonio said they were not 

 Christians. They were evidently moving from one 

 pasture to another, as they were driving large flocks 

 of goats before them, whilst all their household goods 

 were being carried on camels, ponies, and donkeys. 

 Some of the women rode cross-legged on donkeys, 

 though most of the younger ones walked, and helped 



