236 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AXD SPORT. 



"Yes, I will find the well if you'll find the tillalis ;" 

 and on we plodded, a fiery hot wind blowing. At 

 length I almost despaired, and Brutus wanted to lie 

 down ; but I thought on the Turkoman's former suc- 

 cesses, and pushing up the sandhill over which he 

 had gone, had the happiness to see him dismounted 

 and leaning down peering into the long-sought well. 

 My panting steed got an extra kick from my heels, 

 and I was soon by the guide's side pulling up a 

 bucket of water, which, alas ! was so very offensive 

 in smell and taste, that I could not drink it. The 

 servants, however, and the horses drank it most 

 greedily. The Turkomans say that there is nothing 

 injurious in this water; on the contrary, that it is 

 cooling to the blood. It is strongly impregnated 

 with saltpetre, is perfectly clear, but of so unpleasant 

 a flavour and so offensive to the nostrils that, notwith- 

 standing the heat and my excessive thirst, I could 

 not swallow it ; and with parched lips I waited four 

 long hours until the camels arrived. I derived some 

 little advantage from making the servants pour quan- 

 tities of this nasty water over me while I held my 

 nose. I was so nervous lest the camels should lose 

 the road, that I could not sleep. Late in the evening 

 a man arrived, saying the camels were near. Fazil 

 Khan mounted immediately, and shortly returned 

 with two leather bags of good water, and Brutus and 

 I drank large draughts. They may talk of nectar, 

 &c., but I never enjoyed anything so much as this 



