As foon as we found the villages deferted, and that there
■were no hopes o f a fupply o f bread, we ftruck our tent, and
¡proceeded on our journeys the pointed mountain Gutchbore
‘north from our tent, at the diftance.of about two miles.
On the 29th, at ten in the forenoon, we left the inhof-
pitable villages.of Gimbaar, not without entertaining fome
apprehenfions o f meeting the inhabitants again in the
■courfe o f the day. But though we took every precaution
againft being furprifed, that prudence Could dictate, our
fears o f the encounter did not rife to any great height. I
got, indeed, on horfeback, lea v in g my m u le ; and, putting
o n my coat o f mail, leaving the fire-arms under the com*
mand o f Hagi Ifmael, the old Turk, I rode always about
a. quarter o f a mile before the baggage, that they might
not come fuddenly upon us, as they had done the night
before.
In afewminutes we palled three fmall clear dreams in a ver
y fertile country; the foil was a black loomy earth; the grafs.
Already parched, or rather entirely burnt up by the fun»
Though this country is finely watered, and mull be very
fertile, yet it is thinly inhabited, and, as we were informed,
v e ry unwholefome. At three quarters pad: ten We came
to the river Mahaanah, which fwallows up thefe three
brooks, its courfe nearly N. W. it was (even at this dry fea-
-fon o f the year) a con Adorable ftrearnt.
H e r e we refled h a lf an hour, and then purfued our
Journey ftraight north. We palled a large and deep valley
.called Werk Meidan, or the country o f gold, though there
is ,no gold in it. It is fu ll o f wood and bufhes. We had
1 -left
left it fix miles, at leaft, on our left hand, and the baggage
near ha lf a m ile behind, when I met two men ve ry decently
drelled; one mounted on a mule, the other on foot; both
o f them armed with lances and Ihields, and both feemed
furprifed to fee a man on horfeback alone completely armed.
The rider palled by at a very quick pace, apparently
not defirous o f any intercourfe with me. The man on foot
at palling faluted me with a Salam Alicum; b y w hich I knew
him to be a Mahometan, and we were about to enter into
converfation, when his neighbour called to him, with
feeming impatience. He immediately left me, faying only
thefe fhort fentences, “ He there before is a Chriflian, and
a liar ; don’t be afraid, Ayto Confu w ill be at Tcherkin ax
foon as you.”
U p o n this we parted, I pafFed on fomethirig more than
a mile further, and at ten minutes after twelve Hopped
fo r the baggage. The Mahaanah is here about a quarter
o f a mile to the N. E. and the fharp-pointed mountain o f
Gutch S. E. and by eaft, diftance about three miles. It was
fome time before our baggage came up, when our companions
who efcorted it exhibitedfomefmallmarksof confufion.
T he T u rk was bluftering violently in Turkifh, and' fet-
tiiig all at defiance, wilh ing to be attacked by a hundred
that minute; the others feemed to be much more moderate,
and not to agree with Hagi Ifmael, either in time or
in number, but were very willing to be exempted from attacks
altogether. I alked them what was the oecafion o f
all this warlike difcourfe from Ifmael, who fcarcely fpoke
Arabic fo as to be underftood ? I could learn nothing but
threats againft the Chriftians. At laft, the feryantstold me,
Vox. IV. - N n that