JOUENEY FKOM HEKAT TO ORENBURG. 287 



prophecy evidently approaches. There is a tower, or 

 rather pillar, here, about 120 feet high, which has 

 been formerly handsomely ornamented ; there are also 

 the ruins of four tombs, the roofs of which have been 

 gaily decorated with coloured tiles. Treasure has been 

 found here, and some mummies. Altogether, it is a 

 fine field for the antiquary. At Arbogue we arrived 

 on the 26th, and here we halted for two days, to lay 

 in water and to make all arrangements for crossing the 

 barren steppe which separates us from the Caspian. 

 The horizon is much similar to that at sea, and of all 

 uninteresting marches this is the most tiresome. The 

 wells are from seventy to thirty miles apart, and in 

 many instances the water is five paces from the sur- 

 face, and nearly always of bad flavour. This enor- 

 mous plain is inhabited by Cossacks, who feed large 

 flocks of cattle on a small herb which is most abun- 

 dant, and wander from well to well. These Kirghis 

 never cultivate land, and the greater number never 

 taste flour during the whole of their lives. The men 

 and women of this tribe whom I have seen are very 

 ugly, small, and emaciated; but I am assured that 

 many tribes of Kirghis Cossacks are celebrated for 

 their great size and strength. Their food is invariably 

 soup and meat, neither rice nor bread forming part of 

 their meals. The different descriptions of meat are 

 thus estimated by them 1st, mutton; 2d, horse- 

 flesh; 3d, beef; and 4th, camel-flesh. The flesh of 

 the horse is said to be very nutritious, and I hear that 



