BASHKIOK. I/I 



roofed over. A fireplace and chimney are dug 

 out of the back wall, and a very comfortable hut 

 is thus made. 



The Yubashi or headman came to see me 

 when I had pitched my tent, and brought some 

 grain a very welcome gift for the ponies. I 

 told him I wanted a shikari, as my present one 

 did not know this country ; and he promised to 

 send me the only one there was as soon as he 

 came in from visiting some traps. There was, 

 he said, a large tract of forest full of game, 

 and one tiger that had been a great trouble 

 in the neighbourhood, killing all the sheep, 

 which he begged me if possible to shoot. Of 

 course I readily promised to do so if I got the 

 chance. 



Soon after this a cavalcade approached with 

 two bullocks laden with something the nature 

 of which I could not discern, but which, on 

 coming nearer, proved to be portions of a camel, 

 the head just as it had been cut off, and some 

 huge joints of meat. I was much interested, 

 and asked the shikari where he had got it. 

 He said that the camels came to a place on the 

 edge of the great desert, about twenty - five 

 miles off, to drink water and graze on a certain 



