36 
PASS OF OURTCHINY. 
for repose undisturbed, and ample means of refreshment. While 
yet enjoying the cool cells of our quarters during the extreme 
heat of the ensuing day, we were more concerned than surprised 
at the hasty return of some of the Kofla travellers we had passed 
the preceding evening, and who, having followed their own 
obstinacy rather than our warning, had been beset, attacked, and 
robbed by the Bactiari horsemen. Some of the unfortunate 
people had fallen, and others fled, while a great part of their laden 
mules were carried off by the successful troop. On our mus- 
queteers hearing the circumstances of an event we had almost 
anticipated, they were seized with a desire to rescue the booty ; 
and saying, if we would allow them to attend us to a place 
where they could secure us another escort, they themselves, who 
knew the pass the robbers must take in conveying their plunder 
into the mountains, would engage to be on the spot in full 
time to dispute the booty. Previous disposition, they said, 
would give them every advantage, in such a gorge, over superi¬ 
ority of numbers; and they did not doubt bringing off in 
triumph, what, in a more open field, they might not have been 
able to defend. We should have been sorry to damp this sort 
of spirit, and accordingly set off rather before our usual start¬ 
ing time of six in the evening ; and on reaching the broken 
arches of an old caravansary, (now a depot for the native military, 
who act as guards over caravans or travellers, against the native 
robbers,) our former escort turned us over to ten other well- 
appointed musqueteers; and then wheeling round with one 
accord, scoured the country in full career towards the mountains 
in the west. 
At six o’clock we commenced descending the tremendous pass 
of Ourtchiny, the natural difficulties of which put all appre- 
