"Are there any asses?" inquired Ahmet.
"No more asses than mules."
"No asses!" exclaimed Kéraban, "You are playing with us, monsieur. No asses in this country—not enough to form a team—not sufficient to relay a carriage? You are joking."
As he spoke Kéraban looked round at a number of natives who had assembled near the post-house.
"He is quite capable of having those people harnessed to the chaise," muttered Bruno.
"Yes, them or us," replied Nizib, who knew his master.
However, since there were neither horses, mules, nor asses, it was evident that the travellers could not proceed; and all they could do was to resign themselves to the delay of twenty-four hours. Ahmet, who was as greatly put out as his uncle, was about to try to make him hear reason in the absolute impossibility of procuring horses, when Kéraban cried out,—
"A hundred roubles to any one who will find me a team."
A shiver passed over the natives who heard this offer. At length one man boldly came forward, and said,—
"Seigneur Turk, I have two dromedaries to sell."
"I will buy them," said Kéraban.
To harness a pair of dromedaries to a carriage was an experiment never hitherto made, but it was going to be attempted now.
In less than an hour the bargain was completed, and at a high rate. But no matter. Seigneur Kéraban would have paid double the amount. The two animals were harnessed, and with the assurance of a substantial "tip" the late proprietor of the dromedaries, mounting as postillion, seated himself on the hump of one of the animals. Then the chaise, to the great astonishment of the natives, and to the extreme satisfaction of the travellers, descended the road toward Kertsch at a long slinging trot. The same evening the travellers reached Argin, twelve leagues from Arabat.
There were no horses there either, in consequence of the Seigneur Saffar having had them. Our travellers were obliged to sleep at Argin and give the dromedaries a rest.
Next day, on the 3rd of September, the chaise departed
