JOURNEY FROM HERAT TO ORENBURG. 231 



sixteen miles ; water and grass abundant, camel- 

 thorn most luxuriant, wood rather scarce ; stopped 

 during the heat of the day. It now appears that the 

 guide, who is to receive eight tillalis from me, only 

 knows one road, and that that road is impassable ; 

 he has, however, he says, found a Turkoman who 

 has just come across the desert from his khail on the 

 Khiva road. In the evening we moved seventeen 

 miles and a quarter to the river Murghab ; grass 

 scarce, wood plentiful. 



May 28th. Marched in the morning fifteen miles 

 along the banks of the Murghab, which we crossed 

 at an excellent ford the stream about thirty yards 

 Avide, three and a half feet deep, and bottom hard. 

 The river is, however, full of quicksands, and the 

 greatest care must be taken in searching for a good 

 ford. There is but little grass on its banks, wood 

 abundant, the air cool and pleasant. In the evening 

 started again, intending to make a long march, but 

 at five miles came on another stream ; very foolishly 

 tried to find the ford myself, and got into a bad 

 quicksand in which I nearly lost my horse. The 

 mules and camels crossed lower down without any 

 accident. The Wolf this day showed his carnivor- 

 ous nature by killing and dividing one of my two 

 remaining sheep without leave asked or given. I 

 rather think he will in future see the necessity of 

 controlling his appetite Avithin the rules of propriety. 

 Amongst other things, he had to walk the march 



