LIFE IX CENTRAL ASIA. 285 



partridge, duck, geese, teal, flamingo, and, wherever 

 there was a river with water, crocodiles. As the sun 

 rose and its heat became intense, we sought some en- 

 campment for we soon became adepts in discovering 

 these uttered a most friendly Salaam AleiJto&m to 

 the men composing it, who, generally speaking, had 

 never seen a white man before, and without giving 

 them time to recover from their surprise, seated our- 

 selves in the shadiest and most comfortable corner we 

 could find taking care, however, to keep our fowling- 

 piece between our knees, and a smaller weapon of 

 destruction in our belt, in case of any of those little 

 accidents which are apt to happen in Beluch families. 

 Once seated, most usually everything went on well, 

 for curiosity, especially among the fairer sex, was the 

 prevailing passion. Though most devout Mohamme- 

 dans, the women wore no veils ; they talked quite 

 freely, and sometimes did not even hesitate to ex- 

 amine closely the hair and texture of the skin of the 

 white stranger a liberty which, we need scarcely 

 say, was not indiscriminately accorded. "\Vhen the 

 questions came too thick and fast, our faithful atten- 

 dant made a diversion by informing the savages of 

 our skill in medicine, which was very small indeed, 

 but superior to any other they could command, and 

 immediately all the halt, the maimed, and the feverish 

 demanded aid from the strange and wonderful //"/,-////. 

 This justified a call for refreshment, which usually 

 consisted of goat's or buffalo's milk, and roast, or 



