'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎253] (292/360)

TO QUETTA WITH THE BRITISH COMMISSION 253
It was at Mustong that I had the pleasure of meeting
the first European lady that I had seen for over a year. I
had hardly realised how much I had missed the intercourse
with my own sex until I began to talk with her, and I felt
quite excited to think of all the female society I should
enjoy at Quetta and Simla.
There was a low pass to be crossed before we could
emerge into the Quetta Plain, and just before reaching it
we got upon the new road which Mr. O'Hara was making
from Quetta down to Kalat, a contrast to the ill-defined
tracks along which we had proceeded hitherto. The road
was cut on the side of a hill and was by no means broad,
and just at the narrowest point we met a great drove of
female camels and their young, which were being driven
by some nomad tribe into Baluchistan.
The creatures were much alarmed, and seemed to have
no clear idea as to where they were going, scurrying from
side to side of the road, and groaning and roaring.
Luckily we were on the inside, and wedged our frightened
horses closely to the rock wall, as otherwise we should
have run considerable risk of being pushed over the cliff in
all the thronging and pressing. But with patience, the two
parties passed one another in safety, and we congratulated
ourselves, somewhat prematurely, however, for when we had
reached the top of the pass we perceived some hundreds
more of camels ascending from the plain in front of us and
blocking up the road entirely. My brother rode on ahead
slashing his hunting-lash like a stock-driver, and to my
surprise the great drove was apparently seized with panic,
for the animals all turned tail and raced to the bottom of
the pass, going along at a tremendous pace. One small
child, perched on a big camel, did not seem to mind the