ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 127 



is the robber-desert ; that inhabited by lions and wild beasts 

 js the wild beast desert ; that in which no water is found for 

 bathing or drinking is the arid desert ; that in which demons 

 dwell is the demon desert; tjiat in which neither edible roots, 

 nor food of any kind can be procured is the foodless desert, 

 The desert now to be entered was a demon desert destitute 

 of water. 



The unwise trader, having placed large vessel^ filled with 

 water upon his waggons, entered the desert, tjie extent of which 

 was sixty yoduns (about 8Q0 miles). When he had arrived at 

 the middle of the desert, the denion who resided there thought, 

 I will induce these men to throw away their water, and when 

 they are weak through thirst, I will destroy and eat them all. 

 He accordingly formed the appearance of a beautiful carriage 

 £rawn by two milk-white oxen, preceded and followed by a 

 retinue of ten or twelve demons, as men, armed with bows and 

 shields. The chief demon was seated in the carriage, as a man 

 of ranfe adorned with lotus flowers; his head and clothes wet 

 with water, and the wheels of his carriage dripping with mud. 

 The attendants who preceded and followed him had their heads 

 and clothes wet; they were adorned with lotus flowers, had 

 bunches of water lilies in their hands, were sprinkled with 

 water and mud, and were chewing the edible roots of water 

 plants. 



The chief of a trading caravan, when a head wind blows, 

 precedes the caravan seated in his waggon, to avoid the dust; 

 but when it blpws in tjie opposite direction, he follows the wag-? 

 gon train. At this, time, a head wind blew, and the trader was 

 in advance. The demon, seeing him approach, drove his car- 

 riage from the road to give him the path, and entering into 

 conversation with him, enquired where he was going. The 

 tracer moving his own carriage out of the way to let the wag- 



