'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎332] (441/496)

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ing but those of my own party being aware of the fact. The ascent of
the Seghirmeh chain was a tough and tedious job, but the scenery
made amends for its weariness. The descent, however, from its summit
into the Assyrian plains was a more serious affair. Most of the party
led their beasts down the steep declivities of the mountain, but, from
my weak state, I preferred the saddle, at the risk of a broken neck.
Five hours were occupied in this of all others the most harassing tra
velling ; and, to add to our mortification, when the skirts of the range
were reached, a south wind, accompanied by clouds of dust, blew strong
in our teeth, and almost blinded the party with the fine sand that swept
over the country. A red and lurid haze prevented objects being seen at
a hundred yards’ distance, and the heat of the fierce sun was insufferable
after our sojourn in the mountains. The weariest day however has an
end, and the black tents of a small Kurdish tribe, subjected to Sulimani-
yeh, pitched on the borders of a mountain torrent, at last sheltered us af
ter ten hours’ occupation of the saddle. The people were, however, but
barely civil, and had I not had a written order for an escort of horsemen
to accompany me over the next stage, which is a disturbed tract, infest-
ed by parties of rebellious tribes, I must have w r aited to accompany the
first passing caravan, or have retraced my steps to Sulimaniyeh. The
note of Abderahman Beg changed the posture of affairs, but instead of
the fiby horsemen that should have accompanied me, they declared that
ten were alone available, the fighting men having gone to repel an at
tack made by some of the Ham a wend the night before. On my say
ing that ten were sufficient, and urging them to mount, new obstacles
w r ere thrown in my way, but seeing me determined on proceeding, about
twenty armed horsemen were collected, and a like number of foot. By
8 p. m. we were again in the saddle, had forded the stream, and reach
ed a distance of a mile from the camp, when a halt was called by the
party before going through a ravine in which two individuals had been
murdered the previous evening. This halt enabled the valiant escort to
cool, and many oojections to proceeding farther by night were started;
when, tiled with their vacillation, I pushed on, attended by Saleh, a Kur-
disn sei vant of mine, through an open plain about half a mile long, that led
to the dreaded ravine. We had reached the head of the ravine, and
halted, in hopes that the escort would follow, when a vigorous firing was
commenced and kept up for some time; but suspecting its cause, I re '
mained on the spot. Saleh, however, fairly took to his heels, and, as fai
as I could distinguish him, was belabouring his mule with such sturdy
blows that quickly conveyed him out of my sight. Left alone, I was