JOURNEY FKOM HERAT TO ORENBURG. 265 



anecdotes of his very eventful life, interrupted every 

 now and then by an admonition to the muleteers of 

 " Push on, ye rascals ! Step out, ye lazy knaves ! " 

 while I in turn gave him stories of " Yankee Doneah," 

 as people of this part of the world invariably call 

 America. Khocla "Woordee, for the express benefit 

 of Mahomed Daood, would tell. some tale of years 

 gone by, in a sort of chant, with a strong nasal 

 twang ; and Fazil Khan would think on his bhae 

 (brother) and the last order he received from me 

 these two, I firmly believe, being the only ideas that 

 ever entered his head. Thus we would while away 

 the time until eleven or twelve at night, when a good 

 place for grass was selected, the loads unpacked, the 

 tea cooked, and then for "tired nature's sweet re- 

 storer, balmy sleep." Before daylight some one would 

 awake and shout to Mahomed Daood to commence 

 loading ; he, thoroughly tired with his exertions and 

 the last day's march, would turn round, muttering, 

 "Barley, muleteers give barley." But here "his 

 exposition of sleep," as sweet Bully Button hath it, 

 would be too much for him ; and another shout 

 being raised to load, up he jumps, shouting, "Up, 

 ye muleteers ! Sons of burnt fathers arise, will ye 1 

 Oh may your houses be ruined ! Will you sleep all 

 day 1 " and a hearty kick or two makes the grum- 

 bling tired mule-drivers rub their eyes and growl out 

 a sulky beekushum of obedience. Another cup of tea 

 before starting, and on we go until about 10 A.M., 



