240 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



June 5th. Delayed until three o'clock this morn- 

 ing by the non-arrival of the camels. At four miles 

 from Ruppa Kalla we passed a fort called Koosh 

 Gullah ; the road is along the banks of the Oxus, 

 which is a magnificent stream with rather high 

 banks. I should estimate the distance between the 

 high banks at three miles. Through this channel 

 the body of the water takes a serpentine course, now 

 on one side and now on the other, leaving large por- 

 tions of dry ground, which are invariably covered 

 with most luxuriant jungle. Immediately you ascend 

 the high bank you are on the desert, and, I think, 

 the same would be found on the other side. This 

 noble stream flows on its stately course without 

 deigning to hold any connection with the barren 

 wilderness on its banks ; a fine image for one poeti- 

 cally disposed vanity of vanities. If I have not 

 been guilty of the presumption of comparing my 

 wretched little dribble of a course to this noble stream, 

 perhaps I may derive some little hope by thinking, 

 that after its long uninteresting route through barren 

 uncongenial wastes, it at length reaches its long- 

 sought ocean. God grant that my wanderings may 

 bring me to old England ! About half-way, I should 

 say the stream was five hundred yards in breadth. 

 At the halting-place I don't think it was quite three 

 hundred yards, and there was a small sandbank near 

 our side. 



June Qtli. Last night came on eighteen miles. At 



