TRAVELS IN ^ 
them alfo one of myhorfes; that, In cafe of 
any accident, they might be able to give nic 
earlier intelligence of it. 
An hour after I ordered my relays, cows, 
flieep, goats, and all the women of the horde, 
with their children mounted upon their oxen, 
to follow them, and a party of their men to 
march behind. This company was efcorted 
alfo by fix of my chafleurs. My three carriages, 
wdth the reft of my people, clofed the rear. I 
myfelfj, mounted on my beft horfe, in order that 
I might have my eye every where, rode back- 
wards and forwards on the wings, and from 
right to left, continually afraid of being fud- 
denly furprifed ; for I can fafely affert that, 
had the leader been once difmounted, the reft 
of the caravan would have been expofed to the 
moft horrid butchery, and muft have become 
the prey of the moment. 
I was completely armed. In the fide pockets 
of my breeches I carried a pair of double-bar- 
relled piftols ; I had another pair of the fame 
kind at my girdle ; my double-barrelled fufee 
was flung at the bov\r of my faddle ; and a 
large fabre hung by my fide, and a poniard 
or dagger from the button-hole of my veft : I 
qould therefore fire ten times almoft in a 
^ moment* 
