DESERT OF KAVEEN. 
371 
an impediment, worthy to be classed with the unmeasured 
mountain ranges we had lately passed. Having atchieved this 
rocky wall, we came at once on a vast sandy desert, interminable 
as the horizon to the east and south-west. It was the same that 
Chardin travelled in his way to Sava. Its large tracts of salt 
appeared in the distance, spotting the burning plain, like so 
many shining lakes. The view was full of an awful grandeur, to 
one who had never seen an absolute Eastern desert before; such 
as he had read of in holy writ, in the passes between Egypt 
and Palestine; such as Greek story, or the subsequent histories 
of the crusades, had repeated to him, with all the terrible 
additions of consuming blasts, overwhelming sands, and thousands 
of human beings perishing beneath the fiery deluge. 
At one o’clock in mid-day, we reached the caravansary of 
Houze Soul tan, which opened to us the prospect of another 
sweep of sterile heights to the south-west, lying along the desert 
in the line of our route for the morrow. This halting-place is 
another work of the present Shah’s ; and its keeper enjoyed the 
same privilege as our last monopolizing host. Soon after we 
arrived, part of the contents of a covered tank of rain-water, 
which was sunk a few yards in front of the building, were 
brought forth for our use : the water was dirty and ill-tasted ; 
but it proved a very welcome refreshment to both men and 
animals, thirsty with long travel, and parched between the 
burning soil and atmosphere. Here, again, we encountered 
more of the native military ; but they put us to no inconvenience, 
neither encroaching on our quarters, nor abridging our provisions 
or provender; nor committing the smallest theft from man or 
beast; a tolerably good specimen of their discipline. Our journey 
this day might be about six farsangs, or twenty-four miles. 
3 b 2 
