IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
| |||||||||
|
| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Overland to India : vol.2 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Citation Information
xt.m THE DESERT OF ALEXANDER 109
by cairns and showing fresh trails of wayfarers. We follow this road southwards, now through narrow and now through broad valleys, which gradually lead us to higher regions. Long strips of snow hang down from the summit of Kuh-i-Naibend, but in the hazy air everything is faint and subdued.
The camping-ground this day (3829 feet) was chosen
in a desolate spot where the camels were let loose to graze on the scanty shrubs. The storm pressed hard against the tents, and drove clouds of dust and sand against our airy dwellings. Two travellers from Arababad passed by in the evening. They were the first we had seen since
Fahanunch. We had never been in such forsaken country as the Bahabad desert. Even at the edge of the salt desert we had always met with herdsmen, and caravan
e routes strike through the great Kevir. But here, in the
t. Bahabad desert — not a soul. At nine o'clock in the
evening the temperature was still 65.1°, and the warm,
a dust-laden wind moaned through the tent-ropes. The
sky also was overcast, and the veil of clouds retained the heat on the earth's surface.
Exceedingly tired and sleepy I went early to bed, but
lay awake listening to the rain, which began directly after nine o'clock and drummed against my tent in dense, rattling showers. The welcome douche, which continued all night long, and was probably caused by the proximity
of the lofty Kuh-i-Naibend, soaked the dry ground, gave
I new life to the scanty, languishing vegetation, filled the
of
01 water cisterns, which are so necessary to the regular
~å continuance of caravan life, and would cool and purify the
lid air for the next day. A small ass caravan tripped past in
the darkness, its peal of bells ringing gently. Nevengk lay outside, but when he found the weather too wet he
kk owing to the humidity, and towards morning I was glad
crept, whining dolefully, into the tent, usually forbidden him. Though the temperature was 50.7° it felt fresh,
to draw my skin coat over the blanket.
Even at seven o'clock a shower pelted on the wet tent canvas, and deafening thunder growled in Kuh-i-Naibend.
60 An end of rainbow was strikingly beautiful among the
101
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright (C) 2003-2019 National Institute of Informatics and The Toyo Bunko. All Rights Reserved.