aid Samdadchiemba; "he was not used
to a nomadic life, and getting tired of wandering about over the desert,
he has taken service in the cultivated district. What is to be done?
Shall we wait for him?" "No, it is late, and we are far from White
Enclosure." "Well, if there is no dog, there is no dog; and we must do
without him." This sentimental effusion of Samdadchiemba gravely
delivered, we proceeded on our way.

At first, the loss of Arsalan grieved us somewhat. We were accustomed to
see him running to and fro in the prairie, rolling in the long grass,
chasing the grey squirrels, and scaring the eagles from their seat on the
plain. His incessant evolutions served to break the monotony of the
country through which we were passing, and to abridge, in some degree,
the tedious length of the way. His office of porter gave him especial
title to our regret. Yet, after the first impulses of sorrow, reflection
told us that the loss was not altogether so serious as it had at first
appeared. Each day's experience of the nomadic life had served more and
more to dispel our original apprehension of robbers. Moreover, Arsalan,
under any circumstances, would have been a very ineffective guard; for
his incessant galloping about during the day sent him at night into a
sleep which nothing could disturb. This was so much the case, that every
morning, make what noise we might in taking down our tent, loading the
camels, and so on, there would Arsalan remain, stretched on the grass,
sleeping a leaden sleep; and when the caravan was about to start, we had
always to arouse him with a sound kick or two. Upon one occasion, a
strange dog made his way into our tent, without the smallest opposition
on the part of Arsalan, and had full time to devour our mess of oatmeal
and a candle, the wick of which he left contumeliously on the outside of
the tent. A consideration of economy completed our restoration to
tranquillity of mind: each day we had had to provide Arsalan with a
ration of meal, at least quite equal in quantity to that which each of us
consumed; and we were not rich enough to have constantly seated at our
table a guest with such excellent appetite, and whose services were
wholly inadequate to compensate for the expense he occasioned.

We had been informed that we should reach White Enclosure the same day,
but the sun had set, and as yet we saw no signs of the town before us.
By-and-by, what seemed clouds of dust made their a