1 38 . INTRODUCTION.
2 of the town of Muckud. Many other places were pointed out, but
3 m MMdi ft ooniniion of hills and vaUe7a» ilotfaiiig made a distinct im-
4 pression. From this pcnnt we descended a steep and ragged mfld*
5 where, for the first time, we saw the wild olive. We encamped in m
6 hollow in the face of the mountains, ei<yhtecn miles from our last
7 ground. This place was called Cluishmeh (the spring), from the
8 rare eircumstancc of its having tVcsh water ; it had also some deep
9 soil, and hail been cultivated by the Bauriks, a wild trilie. to whom
10 these mountains belong. It rained hard before we <T<)t t o our ground,
11 aiiii in the midst of it I observed iVloolla Jafier trotting on, sheltered
12 by a cloak of stiff lelt, which came to a point over his head, and
13 Coveretl him and all the hinder part of his horse* like a tent ; behind
14 him was iiis servant, with a cullean packed into boxes, which were
15 fixed to his saddle like holsters, and a chaffing-dish of burning char-
16 eoai swinging fimli* a dbain benaedi his hone*s belljr, and sparkling
17 in tpite of the ibid.'
18 The lain continued aU nij^ and neKt moEBiDgwefqiiBd it almost
19 impossible to move. It waa neoesaaiy» however, to try, aa onr prarnh
20 aions irefe likely to nm ahoit; and»aooordinj^, we be^ our maidif
21 amidst a diMnil aeene of mountains, sommiided with doada»
22 flhioded vaUeys, and btating rain. Our road lay down a steep ytmh
23 and then down the channel' of a salt torcent* which was running with
24 gntm Som Though we began to load the cattle at noon, it was kte
25 at m^jtk befere any of us reached a reces8 between the torrent and the
26 IWdkB, <Nlly a mile and a half fi-om the place we had left; Many of
27 Cttr people wandered about all night in the rain and cold ; and all
28 were not arrived by two on the afternoon of the next day. Some of
29 our camels died during the march, and the Bauriks took advantafre of
30 the fonfiision and disorder, to plunder some of our baggage. The
31 rain fell heavily during the whole of the next day.
32 On the momint? of the 19th, it was fair when the dav firoke, and
33 at ;^f ven we proceetied on onr journey. The torrent had run off, and
34 its bed was now an excellent road. The air was clear, and the moun-
35 tain scenery picturesque and agreeable. Ln the course oi' the niorch
36 Digitized by Google