LIFE IX CENTEAL ASIA. 293 



surface of the water, and on these crocodiles were 

 seen lazily sleeping in the sun, while some sudden 

 splash or muddy gurgle indicated more of those 

 sullen monsters. Thousands of ducks were floating 

 in thickly-scattered flocks near the shore, and a dozen 

 of them were hit at every shot, although it was rather 

 difficult to secure the bodies ; for a servant, who 

 rushed in with great enthusiasm to secure some, 

 nearly got his foot snapped off by a crocodile, and 

 rushed back again all trembling, crying, " Mugger f 

 Muijijer / " Flamingoes, geese, and other large birds 

 were flying about, or wading in the water. The level 

 prairie, with its blue buffaloes, the clumps of trees, 

 the marsh and reeds, the crocodiles, the flamingoes, 

 the flat wide valley, the dim mountains in the dis- 

 tance, with the absence of house, or hut, or human 

 being all went to form one of those striking scenes 

 of which we have such longing day-dreams in the 

 years of boyhood. It had a singular mystic influence, 

 as the realisation of some " shadowy recollection," or 

 as suggestive of some greater life ; for we 



" Love all waste 



And solitary places, where we taste 

 The pleasure of believing what we see 

 Is boundless, as we wish our souls to be." 



The valleys have but scanty population, but the 

 mountains may be said to have none at all, and some 

 are of very curious formation. We spent two days 

 in attempting to ascend the Yehur range, which 



