condemned to captivity for life.

I declined to put up in that room, especially when I happened to peep in
and was nearly choked by the foul odour that emanated from inside, and
preferred--although it was very cold--to inhabit the unroofed new
two-roomed bungalow in course of construction, which I found really very
comfortable.

As can be seen by the photograph the thana and bungalow of Saindak are
built on rather an attractive site under the shelter of the Saindak
Mountain. Whenever I see a mountain I cannot resist the temptation to go
up it, and now, after all the thousands of miles of flat country I had
traversed, I felt this desire more strongly than ever. The ascent of the
mountain presented no difficulty except that its rocky sides were
somewhat steep. I resolved to go up early the next morning before making
a start with my camels.

In the meantime during the evening I was instructed by Mahommed Hussein,
my camel man, in the Beluch fashion of making bread--really a most
ingenious device. A stone of moderate size, say 4 inches in diameter and
as round as can be found, is made red hot on the fire, and upon it a
coating of paste--flour, water, and salt--is deposited evenly so as to
make an envelope of paste one inch thick all over. Three, four, five, or
as many of these balls as required being made, they are placed in a
circle near a blazing fire, so that the outside may get baked as well as
the inside. When ready for consumption the balls are split open and the
stones removed. The bread is really most excellent and resembles a
biscuit.

[Illustration: Beluch Prisoners at Saindak.]

At Saindak (altitude 3,810 feet) there are a number of wells, mostly very
salt, but one has quite fair water, only slightly brackish. The water,
however, had a peculiar taste of its own, as if it had gone through lead
deposits, and, on mentioning this to some Beluch they told me that lead
was, in fact, found on the mountains just above this camp. Having drunk
two glasses of this water I was taken with bad internal pains, but I must
in fairness own that I do not know whether to attribute this entirely to
the water or to indiscreet consumption of an irresistible, extra rich
plum-cake which the wonderful Sadek now produced, much to my surprise and
delight, from among my provisions.

Travellers, however, would do well to bring their own supply of water
from Kirtaka, if they are coming from Robat, or from Mukak, if travelling
from Quet