606 A FORMIDABLE ENCAMPMENT.

destroyel. Tt was the second day’s march from Plothus that, by
the clouds of dust behind us, at a great distance, some of our
people began to be sensible we were pursued. We had entered
the desert, and had passed by a great lake called Schaks-Oser,
when we perceived a very great body of horse appear on the other
side of the lake to the north, we travelling west. We observed
they went away west as we did, but had supposed we would have
taken that side of the lake, whereas we very happily took the
south side; and in two days more we saw them not, for they,
believing we were still before them, pushed on till they came to

the river Udda. This is a very great river when it passes farther

 

north ; but where we came to it, we found it narrow, and fordable.

The third day they either found their mistake, or had intel-
ligence of us, and came pouring in upon us towards the dusk of
the evening. We had, to our great satisfaction, just pitched upon
a place for our camp which was very convenient, for the night; for
as we were upon a desert, though but at the beginning of it, that
was above five hundred miles over, we had no towns to lodge at,
and indeed expected none but the city Jarawena, which we had
yet two days’ march to. The desert, however, had some few woods
in it on this side, and little rivers, which ran all into the great
river Udda. It was in a narrow strait between two little, but very
thick woods, that we pitched our little camp for that night, ex-
pecting to be attacked in the night.

Nobody knew but ourselves what we were pursued for; but as
it was usual for the Mogul Tartars to go about in troops in that
desert, so the caravans always fortify themselves every night against
thei, as avainst armies of robbers; and it was therefore no new
thing to be pursued.

But we had this night, of all the nights of our travels, a most
advantageous camp; for we lay between two woods, with a little
rivulet running just before our front; so that we could not be
surrounded or attacked any way but in our front or rear. We
took care also to make our front as strong as we could, by placing
our packs, with our camels and horses, all in a line on the inside
of the river, and felling some trees in our rear.

In this posture we encamped for the night; but the enemy was