was unanimously chosen commander of
the party, and the next morning at break of day, without further
preparation beyond taking a small supply of food, they started on
their journey. Travelling long days, and resting short nights in the
crevices of the mountains, after eighteen days' toil, they at length
reached a part of Tartary, distant only two days' march from the fort
belonging to the robber Uzbegs who had so cruelly injured them. It now
became necessary to advance with more circumspection, as they could no
longer depend upon the peasants for protection in the less friendly
country they had reached, so separating into several small parties
they approached stealthily the Uzbeg fort; some kept the hills on
either side, while the rest followed the winding of the grassy plains.
Thus proceeding, they formed a kind of circle round the fort, so that
they could notice the ingress or departure of its tenants on every
side. The fort appeared too strong for an open attack, and when, at
night, the leaders of the detached parties assembled to discuss their
future plans and to report what they had seen during the day, it was
determined to lie in ambush another day for the chance of the main
body of the Uzbegs quitting their fort on some foray, so that they
would have a better chance, should it become necessary to attack it.
Providence seemed to favour their designs, for early next morning
considerable parties of Uzbegs were seen issuing from the fort and
proceeding towards a large savannah, where some festival was evidently
in preparation--for, from the quantity of women and children who
accompanied the horsemen, it was clear that fighting was not the
business of the day.

"Anxiously did Azeem and his followers watch the movements of their
unsuspecting enemy, and soon, from the nature of the preparations
going forward, they discovered that a wedding race was about to take
place. It was instantly determined to allow the ceremony to proceed,
and the capture of the bride was to be the signal for all the Huzarehs
to rush in and carry out their object.

"And now the suitors of the maiden, nine in number, appear in the
field, all unarmed, but mounted on the best horses they can procure;
while the bride herself, on a beautiful Turkoman stallion, surrounded
by her relations, anxiously surveys the group of lovers. The
conditions of the bridal race were these:--The maiden has a certain
start given, which she avails herself of to gain a s