WILD BEASTS. 
235 
ever we got on tolerably well over a good road, until, at the 
end of two miles, we had to ford a small stream which ran 
between very rugged banks 5 the descent was therefore awkward 
to the animals which carried the panniers, and the bed of the 
water being covered with weeds, the feet of the mule got en¬ 
tangled in their net-work; he struggled a moment, and then 
fell, with my two poor sufferers, into the water. The accident 
was distressing in every way ; and the more so, from the time 
we lost in extricating them, and replacing all in array for re¬ 
suming our pace. Having accomplished this, and set forward 
again, we found the road sandy, on a perfect flat, and due south. 
The equalizing light of the moon, spreading one hue to the 
horizon all around, gave a solemn and almost desert appearance 
to the wide extent of a country which filled us with other alarms 
than those of banditti. At this time we were under constant 
apprehensions that a couple of lions might issue out upon us; 
which tremendous animals had been devastating the environs of 
Kizzil Robat for several weeks past, destroying their herds and 
flocks. Whether the growlings of these beasts were mingled with 
the unceasing howls and screams of the wolves, jackalls and hyenas, 
which yelled on all sides of us, I do not pretend that my know¬ 
ledge of such sounds yet enabled me to decide ; but what I can say 
is, that from the helpless condition of my two sick companions, 
I dreaded a rencontre with one of these animals, more than the 
closest quarter with all the wild Arabs we had seen a few morn¬ 
ings before. I killed one jackall, who was skulking within pistol- 
shot of iis. In the course of an hour and half’s farther travel 
through this howling wilderness, the country totally changed 
its character; becoming intersected with ravines, and broken 
masses of most singularly shaped cliffs, whose fretted and 
h h 2 
