PIDAH AND DEY-LORS. 
397 
a distance have the imposing effect of a castle. A clear stream 
of excellent water flows at the base of the eminence. 
May 23d. The refreshment which that pure stream gave to 
us, seemed a silent promise of better things to come ; and this 
morning’s march convinced us, that only will and diligence were 
necessary to make the sterile tract of Sow change its character 
to that of a garden of plenty. At four o’clock this morning we 
quitted the caravansary, keeping in a direction south 5° east 
along the valley. Fertility now clothed all its slopes, with grain 
and fruit-trees; which we sorrowingly left, after a farsang’s ride, to 
enter upon a very wide and extensive sandy plain, encircled by 
mountains rising over each other with the gradations of a theatre, 
till the sight grew giddy in pursuing their rugged peaks into the 
sky. Marching onward, we passed two handsome villages; the 
first, on our right, was called Pidah, and the second, which was 
at some distance further on our left, had the name of Dey-Lors. 
Being on the open plain, we had the full power of the sun, with 
the addition of being exposed to whirlwinds of the hot dust; 
which met us in sweeping columns, in appearance like pillars of 
yellow smoke, but with all the substantial realities of fiery par¬ 
ticles, filling our eyes, adhering to and scorching our skins, and 
exasperating the thirst with which our parched throats were 
burning. Not a drop of water presented itself any where, for 
many miles, to allay the dreadful drowth for one moment; and 
the specimen, brief as it was in comparison, gave us no faint idea 
of the like sufferings endured sometimes for days together, in 
passing the great deserts. However, our pains of the kind were 
soon over, for, after a travel of three farsangs over this minor 
waste, we approached a large tank of water ; and drank of it with 
a zest and a gratitude not to be understood, till the need and 
