JOURNEY FROM HERAT TO ORENBURG. 257 



horses for a couple of months, and make a descent on 

 the road along which they sweep off the caravans, kill- 

 ing or carrying into slavery all the human beings. 

 Xow, let us see the opposition they have met with. 

 They have first of all what to other people and horses 

 would be a most harassing march, but they, man and 

 beast, are trained and hardened to it. The first string 

 of camels they come upon will be most probably of 

 twenty-one in number, carrying grain. If this is the 

 case, it is most likely that there will not be more 

 than three human beings with them, each mounted 

 on a donkey, and carrying a thick stick to thrash the 

 camels with. One rides ahead, holding the nose- 

 string of the leading camel ; another rides by the 

 side of the string of camels, thrashing any particularly 

 lazy beast ; and the third brings up the rear. They 

 have plodded through the sand all night ; it is just 

 daylight, and all three are half asleep as they ride 

 along. Suddenly a cry is raised from the rear, and, 

 brandishing their swords and spears, down come the 

 Turkomans, shouting as if they were going to do an 

 act of valour which should immortalise them and 

 their nation. On the first cry, the three unfortunate 

 wretches with the camels have thrown themselves on 

 the ground, and, with foreheads in the dust, are 

 muttering prayers to God for protection and to man 

 for mercy. They are seized and bound, and one or 

 two Turkomans are told off to conduct them and their 

 cattle to the khail of the tribe. The camels and 



VOL. II. B 



