22 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL, 
to suspect the sincerity of Sirkeh, and ordering the 
guide to be brought before him, he closely cross- 
examined him, first as to his master, and next as to 
the country which lay before them. The guide 
spoke openly and freely of his master, and with so 
much tact as entirely to remove Mallek-ul-Tija’ s 
suspicions. As to his knowledge of the country, 
he replied that, in order to prove his truth, he 
would minutely describe each new difficulty which 
was yet to be encountered, and, if the chief did not 
find them precisely as he foretold, then, let his head 
pay the price of his falsehood. This he acted upon, 
and Mallek-ul-Tija, as they again advanced, finding 
the rocks, the river, and the mountain pass, exactly 
as the guide had predicted, regained a measure of 
his confidence. Here and there the way became a 
little more practicable, but still they could not dis - 
cover a suitable place of repose, owing to the noxious 
effluvia of the soil, and the swarms of venomous 
reptiles which infested the ground. The character 
of the country was, however, becoming more moun- 
tainous, and, although the guide would make no 
flattering promises, Mallek-ul-Tija could not help 
hoping that they might yet discover some pleasant 
valley in which to bivouac. Night drew on, how- 
ever, without any more cheering prospect, and after 
winding fatigued, alarmed, and spirit-fallen, until 
it was almost dark, the foremost troops entered a 
narrow ravine overhung by a dense forest, a passage 
