262 TKAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



men who have gone before, and add our stones to 

 the lonely cairns of those who have fallen by the 

 way. But though Central Asia affords no field for 

 geographical discovery, yet it presents vast districts 

 almost unknown and peopled by singular savage 

 nomads, and may readily afford more interesting 

 material for description than any which can be 

 gathered on the great highways of the world. More 

 particularly we hope to entertain the reader when 

 he passes with us through the Hala mountains 

 into Beluchistan, and encamps (in fancy as we in 

 recollection) by the wells of ancient Gedrosia, 

 from, which not more than two or three Europeans 

 have drank since the ground was trampled round 

 them by the hosts of the retiring army of Alex- 

 ander. 



There are many centres where the intelligent travel- 

 ler may place himself in contact with numerous varie- 

 ties of Eastern race and character. In Cairo we may 

 see Arabia, Syria, and all the north-east of Africa. 

 Aden is not a bad point, about the time of the Hadj, 

 for meeting with Mohammedans ; but no one feels 

 inclined to stay longer than he can help in that fiery, 

 dusty, extinct volcano. Bombay is the great port 

 of the Arabian Gulf, and presents greater variety of 

 nationality and costume than any other town it has 

 been our fortune to visit. When the cool evening 

 breeze is sweeping over the pale blue of the sea, or 

 still later, when the distant ghauts have been veiled 



