down old caravanserai, and about thirty large caves burrowed in the cliff overhanging the river, which afford accommodation to the numerous caravans that frequent this route. Fortunately for us a small house, recently built by a wealthy Persian as a summer residence, was tenantless, and it having been placed at our disposal by the caretaker, we camped with tolerable comfort for the night. We continued our march at eight a.m. on Saturday, 26th of April, after a somewhat disturbed night, proceeding in a southerly direction by a good rough track cut in the towering cliffs, which here overhang the foaming river Haraz. Occasionally we passed a wretched village nestling in the rocks, and after a twenty-four miles march we took up our quarters in a small caravanserai in the miserable village of Bandabourideh.
Next morning we left for a short day's march of thirteen miles to Raineh, proceeding in a south and south by west direction, and still following the grand defile along which we had marched the previous day. Just after leaving Bandabourideh we passed a spring of warm
