TIMUR BEG. 
27 
bravery. Whilst fighting against such fearful odds, 
the horse of Amyr Hussyn, being wounded by an 
arrow, threw him ; his wife, however, who was pre- 
sent, immediately dismounted and gave him hers. 
Timur having remounted Hussyn’s wife upon the 
same horse with his own, the two amyrs began to 
discharge their arrows with fatal aim at the enemy. 
Not a shaft missed its mark. There now remained 
of their little troop only seven mounted persons ; 
but the foe being much reduced, and fatigued with 
extreme exertion, withdrew from the hill, and took 
shelter in their tents upon the plain. Seizing this 
opportunity, Timur made a hasty retreat with his 
brave troopers, and proceeded on his journey. They 
were immediately followed by the Jetes, who fortu- 
nately missed them, and, becoming perplexed amid the 
trackless mazes of the desert, speedily returned to 
their camp. 
After the fugitives had travelled for many hours 
over these arid and pathless plains, they came to a 
well, where, being exhausted with fatigue, hunger, 
and thirst, they alighted, and, having refreshed them- 
selves, slept all night round the spring. The whole 
party consisted, besides the females, of seven mount- 
ed persons, and three foot-soldiers from Balkh, the 
ancient Bactria. In the morning it fortunately hap- 
pened that a shepherd, who was tending his flock in the 
desert, brought them to drink at the well. Of him Ti- 
mur purchased several goats, part of which he and his 
little party cooked between heated stones, and thus sub- 
dued the pangs of a long-protracted hunger. They re- 
mained at the spring another night, and in the morning. 
