20 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
ever, had they been able ; but there was a something 
in the air, a something in the scene, so cold and 
desolate, that even courtiers could not command a 
happy laugh. The gloomy feeling which prevailed 
soon communicated itself to the chief ; and as they 
slowly struggled on through wreathed underwood 
and hanging boughs, and over broken ground and 
deep ravines, where the horses could scarcely find 
footing, the spirit of silence descended upon all ; and 
only now and then a growled oath, a muttered 
curse, was heard as the fretted steeds floundered 
and scrambled on, wounding their limbs upon the 
splintered rocks, and dragging their riders through 
the tangled thorns. When at noon they again 
halted, the proud commander with a gloomy frown 
ordered three hours’ rest, instead of one, remarking 
that, as they must soon be on the borders of San- 
ghir’s territories, they would have their troopers 
fresh for their march to the capital. Then turning 
to Sirkeh, he said in the hoarse voice of ill-temper : 
“ Truly, friend Sirkeh, you have kept your promise ; 
and be assured I will also keep mine. So far were 
you from exaggerating the difficulties of this abomi- 
nable country, that your words in reality gave me 
but a faint idea of what my gallant troops would 
have to encounter. Never could the imaginations 
of poets have painted to the view paths so horrible. 
They tell of darkened roads, of pestilent shrouded 
passes, so thickly strewn with terrors that a male 
