, did not quite appeal to me.

The Afghan invariably has a slippery, treacherous look about his
countenance which he cannot disguise, and which, personally, I do not
much admire. He seldom looks at one straight in the face, can be very
sullen when he is not boisterous, and I should think would easily seek
cause of offence and pick a quarrel with any one weaker than himself in
order to have a fight. These fellows were, for instance, most unlike the
gentlemanly Beluch. They shouted at the top of their voices when they
spoke, and were uncouth in speech and manner. I was rather glad when they
departed.

Further on I came upon more people and animals, but they, too, were quite
peaceful.

Having accomplished my object I again crossed over into Beluchistan.

CHAPTER XXXI

Saindak--Beluch prisoners--Thana and Bungalow--Beluch bread--The
Saindak mountain and its mineral resources--The Daftan
volcano--_Surmah_ and lead--Mukak and its strong man--A sick
camel--Gypsum--_Regheth_--Where the track will deviate in
future--Difficulty in obtaining drinkable water--Wells made
attractive--Sahib chah--A well ventilated rest-house.

Saindak had an imposing _thana_, the elaborate gateway of which was
decorated with heads of wild sheep and _dumbahs_. There were nine
rooms--some boasting of wooden doors--at the end of the large court, but
all were occupied by the seven _sawars_, the postal _moonshee_, the three
_kassildars_ and the _havildar_, one _duffadar_, and one _jemadar_.

[Illustration: The Thana and New Bungalow at Saindak. (Saindak Mt. in
background.)]

On my arrival they proceeded to clear one of the chambers for me, and to
my astonishment out of it came four wretched men chained together by the
hands and feet and in a pitiable condition. Not that their countenances,
when one examined their faces, called for much pity. More palpably
criminal types could be found nowhere, but somehow or other to see these
poor devils stumbling along, with the iron rings round their bruised and
sore ankles showing through the torn rags which covered their skeleton
legs, and the agonized expressions on their worn, repulsively cruel
faces, was not an edifying sight. They had been brought down here to work
and, for prisoners, were treated considerately enough, I suppose. But
they seemed very ill and suffering. Two were robbers, the other
two--father and son--had murdered a man and stolen 400 sheep. They were