My dress, the smallness of my baggage, and
being alone, agreed perfectly with this; they believed him, and my
silent supplicative look, and let me go; they even asked me if I
would have some water, of which there is a scarcity in these
villages. I begged them for a draught, and so we parted good
friends. Nevertheless I was for some time fearful that they might
repent their generosity and follow us.
We came to the shores of the lake again today, and continued to
travel for some time at its side. After a ride of fourteen hours,
we rested at a chan in the village of Schech-Vali.
3rd August. The oppressive sense of fear was now at an end. We
passed through peaceful inhabited valleys, where the people were
working in the fields, carrying home corn, tending cattle, etc.
During the hot noon hours we rested at Dise-halil, a rather
considerable town, with very clean streets; the principal street is
intersected by a clear brook, and the court-yards of the houses
resemble gardens. Here also I saw outside the town a great number
of very large gardens surrounded by high walls.
From the number of chans, this town would appear to be very much
visited.
