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 138 ON THE TRACK OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

itself as populous, because enjoying the advantage of good water from the mountains, a cool climate, and fertile soil.^ Two of the streams, the Nam Rud and the Dal-i Chai, which form branches of the larger Havla Rud, we could already see, and we knew that the station of Kishlak, or Gishlak, ' Winter Quarters,' was not far distant. Anon we could descry its walls, surrounding a few towered buildings ; and after we had crossed a small bridge and driven along a narrow mud-walled street, from which could be discerned a towering beehive structure of mud and cement, exactly like the reservoir in the Sar-Darrah, our horses galloped up at 8.10 p.m. before the post- house that forms the center of Kishlak. ^ Here was to be our resting-place for a part of the night, even as Alexander had made his short halt on the second night in the vicinity of Kishlak, most probably at Aradan, a stage beyond toward the northeast, where are still to be seen the remains of an old forti- fied mound.

The caravansarai was so crowded that there was little comfort for us; and the night was broken by the incessant chatter of two Persians, who argued for a couple of hours about some bargains, whether the price should be one shdht or two shdMs, a fraction of a cent difference. At last in despair I cried out, sabr kun^ 'hush up ! ' — and silence followed, bringing sleep for a brief space till a famished cat sprang in through a hole in the wall, dashed over our wretched bunks to grab up the small remnant we had left of a scanty supper, and disappeared through another opening. Then finally I fell asleep, dropping off into an inex- tricably tangled dream of Alexander, Darius, shdhls, and — cats.

1 For references to IbnHaukal,Kaz- 2 The population of Kishlak was vini, and Mustaufi, see Le Strange, quoted to me as numbering about ♦ one Eastern Caliphate^ p. 367 ; cf. also hundred families,' or approximately- Yakut, in Barbier de Meynard, Diet. five hundred persons. geog. p. 213.

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