ither side of the track, and high
distant mountains to the south--a red stretch of flat sand between
extending all along from north-east to south-west. When there were no
more sand hills we came to sand banks, which made the track undulating
like a switchback railway.

Our attention was drawn to a curious plant with a fruit resembling small
oranges lying upon the ground and called by the natives _karenghi rirri_.
There were hundreds of these fruit about, but Mahommed, who had great
local botanical knowledge, advised me not to eat them because their
poison was deadly, and we did not care to experiment in order to test the
accuracy of his statement.

All along this Robat-Nushki route one finds a great many _Mesjids_ (or
_Masit_, as the word is pronounced by the Beluch). The Mesjid or Masit is
a sort of temporary praying spot where good Mussulmans say their prayers
at sunrise or sunset, and answers the purpose--if one may be allowed the
expression--of an open-air mosque! The Mesjid may be simple or elaborate,
small or big, according to devoutness, patience and materials at hand,
but its most frequent shape is circular, or at least more or less
regularly curved, and its material, stones, or if stones are not
obtainable, sand or mud banked up. Looking to the west towards Mecca is a
stone higher than the others, and in the more elaborate Mesjids, such as
the one shown in the illustration, a proper kneeling-place to fit the
knees is made on the western side, with a stone in the centre to mark the
exact direction of Mecca. A "revered tomb" is duly placed in the centre
of the larger Mesjids, and an entrance way into them bordered with stones
is always present. To enter the Mesjid by stepping over the ledge from
any other side would be considered irreverent. The interior is always
cleared of all stones and made as smooth as practicable.

There are Mesjids just big enough for one man, these being frequently
made by caravan men to say their prayers; and there are large ones for
the use of several people. The praying spot to the west is, however,
generally only big enough for one at a time.

[Illustration: Circular Mesjid, with Tomb and Outer Kneeling Place.]

[Illustration: Mesjid on the Site where a Man had been Killed.

(Between Kishingi and Morad Khan Kella.)]

Then there are the more ornamental constructions which had a neatly made
wall of white marble enclosed in a case of black stones, a high black
pillar to the west a