A HIDE TO BABYLON. 389 



as tight by the head as he could hold him, and then 

 sent him bounding over the desert in large sweeping 

 circles. The Kurd's tactics were different He 

 hung his reins dangling over the saddle-bow, seized 

 his long matchlock with both hands, thumped lustily 

 at the lean sides of his steed with the heavy iron 

 stirrup, and in another moment horse and man were 

 flying across the broad plain in a line of flight straight 

 as that of a shooting-star. They went through a 

 variety of manoeuvres. The Arab was the better 

 mounted man of the two, and appeared to have his 

 adversary completely under command as far as speed 

 went ; but from whichever side he approached, from 

 the right or from the left, from the front or from the 

 rear, the death-dealing tube of the Kurd, like the 

 finger of destiny, was ever pointing straight upon 

 him. I think it is a Eussian proverb that says " no 

 man can attain to honour in the State who is cursed 

 with a stiff backbone." If it is fair to apply the 

 proverb " au pied de la lettre" that poor Kurdish 

 retainer who accompanied us that day ought by right 

 to be a Pasha at least before he dies. The way he 

 bent himself his horse at gallop all the while 

 backwards and sideways and forwards, proved that 

 he was possessed of a backbone of more than ordi- 

 narily supple capacity. 



To our right, the bare plain was dotted by a 

 little patch of brake and jungle : our Kurd could 

 speak a little Persian, and in answer to our in- 



VOL. L 2 o 



