Page:Kennedy, Robert John - A Journey in Khorassan (1890).djvu/64

This page has been validated.
50
A Journey in

ago. Here we found abundant supplies, lambs, chickens, milk, &c.; and the inhabitants, who flocked out in great numbers to inspect us, were very civil and friendly in their demeanour.

The next morning, Saturday, March 29th, broke wet and drizzly, and after striking the camp about nine a.m., we rode for several hours wrapped in our mackintoshes and sou'-westers. Our destination was Huntalabad, and our road, after passing through the whole village of Kanabis, the inhabitants of which assembled in crowds on their flat, round roofs to witness our passage, lay north-east over a cultivated plain. After four miles it bent north-north-east over a line of low hills,crossing a line of 'kanauts,' or underground water-courses, and a plateau with scanty herbage, after which it descended a short, steep ravine, and entered at right angles a narrow and well-cultivated plain. Then, turning to the left, the track lay up the valley, north-north-east,under some high, over-hanging cliffs, until the small fortified village of Namisar, inhabited by Hazaras, was reached. Here we made a halt for luncheon, and in the afternoon, the rain having cleared off, we con-