562 
SHASSIVANNI HORDES. 
have accepted their civility, to have viewed them nearer; but 
our mehmandar declined the invitation, with some excuse; 
telling me, apart, they were too lawless a race to be trusted, 
and particularly in this case, where they believed a Frangy was 
made up of valuables. Their physiognomies did not offer any 
better report; therefore, as soon as they rode away, which they 
did not do till they had enquired which road we were travelling, 
we set forth also; and making a feint to mislead, if evil inten¬ 
tions were really a-stir against us, at first took the direction the 
mehmandar had told them; but were no sooner out of sight, 
than we struck into the mountains, over, indeed, an almost 
impracticable path to the south-east; and whence our careful 
guide, to elude all possibility of being traced should a pursuit 
be attempted, continued to lead us through such windings and 
twistings, amongst smothering ravines, and rocky hollows heated 
by the sun like ovens, then up scorching, slippery acclivities, 
and across unsheltered mountain-summits; that, by the time 
we reached our quarters for the night, I was literally almost 
broiled to death. The halting-place was Gashappery, a re¬ 
spectable village, where we procured a tent; and pitching it 
on the bank of a little brook which waters the valley, gladly got 
under canvas, after a ride of ten hours’ complete exposure to the 
sun. Tackt-i-Solomon is called four farsangs from Chok-Chok, 
and from Gashappery five. 
August 31st. — Started this morning at five ; our route con¬ 
tinuing over the hills for three hours, north 45° west; it then 
turned nearly west, and two more hours brought us to the village 
of Hazar or Hissar, where I was agreeably surprised by again 
meeting Ali Khan, the frank-hearted governor of Sian Kala. 
This was once a very flourishing place, and still shews a few 
