same odours emitted from the houses, and the vast firmament over our heads is of the same inimitable blue, which even the turquoise cannot reproduce. It seems impossible that our journey should be rudely interrupted, commenced as it is in such bright sunshine; the earth presents itself under too smiling an aspect to deceive us afterwards.
For a little way we skirted the crenellated walls of the town, against which are built various earthen huts with creepers growing up them, and then we said good-bye to Kourla and made southward. The road which leads out of the oasis is dusty, and branches out into paths which get lost in the desert, as rivulets exhaust a river before it has reached the end of its course.
On arriving at the last of the saklis, we bought some sheep from a friend of the Aksakal of the Russian subjects. Although we are certain of having enough to feed men and beasts as far as the Lob Nor, it is as well to have with one a small flock of fat sheep, as a matter of precaution; this, again, will enable us to purchase others of the natives at a lower figure for our daily consumption, for when they see that we are not at their mercy, they will not put up their prices.
October 11.—We had loaded some of our camels when we saw the dust rising on the plain in the direction of Kourla, and presently recognised the chiefs of Kourla in full dress, accompanied by several horsemen. When they got close to our bivouac, they politely dismounted, and one of their attendants came to ask for an audience on the part of his masters. This we at once granted, and the chiefs advanced with a certain degree of haste, no doubt to signify thereby that they were under the influence of some strong emotion. They had smiling faces, they shook hands cordially with us, and leaned forward as they did so, their whole attitude being one of sympathy. They had no sooner seated themselves on the white felt which had been
