422
The New City of Nushki (overlooking the Tashil Buildings.) 426
Jemadar and Levies, Nushki 428
A Giant Beluch Recruit. (Chaman.) 428
The Track between Nushki and Kishingi 432
Taleri (Kanak). The new type of Rest House between Nushki and Quetta 438
The Horse Fair at Sibi, Beluchistan 440
Beluch Boys off to the Races--Horse Fair at Sibi 442
Map at the End of Volume.

ACROSS COVETED LANDS

CHAPTER I

Difficulties of crossing the Great Salt Desert--The trials of
arranging a caravan--The ways of camel-men--A quaint man of the
Desert--A legal agreement--Preparations for the
departure--"Kerman" and "Zeris," my two Persian kittens and
travelling companions--Persian cats--The start--The charms of
camel riding--Marching among mountains.

My intention was to cross the Salt Desert in an almost easterly direction
by the route from Khabis to Neh, which seemed the most direct route from
Kerman to the Afghan frontier, but on mentioning my project to the Consul
and his Persian assistant, Nasr-el Khan, they dissuaded me from
attempting it, declaring it impossible to get across in the autumn. Why
it was impossible I could not quite ascertain, each man from whom I
inquired giving a different reason, but the fact remained that it was
impossible. The Governor of Kerman, all the highest officials in the
town, told me that it could not be done till three or four months later,
when the Afghan camels would come over, laden with butter, by that
route. Even faithful Sadek, whom I had despatched to the bazaar to get
camels at all costs, returned with a long face after a whole day's
absence, and for the first time since he was in my employ had to change
his invariable answer of "Sahib, have got," to a bitterly disappointing
"Sahib, no can get."

A delay was predicted on all hands of at least a month or two in Kerman
before I could possibly obtain camels to cross the desert in any
direction towards the east. The tantalising trials of arranging a caravan
were not small.

I offered to purchase camels, but no camel driver could be induced to
accompany me. Offers of treble pay and bakshish had no effect, and I
found myself in a serious dilemma when a camel man appeared on the scene.
His high terms were then