inspection, they would smash them up and help themselves. This was an
everyday occurrence, which became only insignificant, as it was
repeated without being carried into execution. Most of the time the
Abban was away, stopping at his home, and no business could be done. I
therefore took short excursions about the valley shooting, and
inspecting the various habitations.

Animals were more abundant, in consequence of the greater extent of
water; and I shot gazelles, little saltiana antelopes, hares, Egyptian
geese, rock-pigeons, ducks and teal, and snipe and partridge, besides
a choice collection of small birds. In one place I found a small stone
hut, occupied by an old man who had once been on a pilgrimage to
Mecca, and had seen the art of cultivating ground. He was now turning
his experience to account by growing jowari (a species of millet), and
effected it with some success; for he had two small enclosures, which
he irrigated by cuts from the nullah, that produced grain, which grew
from eight to nine feet high. He was loud in praise of the advantages
which he derived from his farm, saying it saved his flocks, and
assisted him in the means of food when his ewes were pregnant, or
giving lamb. I patronised this farmer, and offered to lend him some
tools for digging with, when he said he did not want that so much as
some hints about sowing, and wished I would send a man to instruct
him. Farhan, who was with me, delighted at the prospect of showing his
skill in any manner--for he styled himself professor of all things--at
once took the hint, and bargained to do a day's work, and furnish him
with some wrinkles for his future guidance, for the payment of a goat,
which was readily agreed to.

The people here were highly superstitious, and, like all ignorant
races, very punctilious in their ceremonies of worship. As _true_