'Journal of a Journey from Persia to India through Herat and Candahar. Also Report of a Journey to the Wahebee Capital of Riyadh in Central Arabia' [‎15v] (30/268)

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Here was the young chief of old times over again, careless,
generous, impetuous, in debt, in distress, proud as ever, and
unable to bend to circumstances. His followers still hanging on
to the last, and like himself, wholly without definite aim, yet always
looking to the future.
*
It was a long and a wearisome ride of about 40 miles across the
Desert to the village of Myomeed. About 8 a.m. at Myomeed I
put up, as usual, at the post-house, while the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. and his party
occupied the adjacent caravansarai. I amused myself during the
morning in watching the proceedings of his party. On arrival
every man hooked his horse to the outside of the caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). wall,
and perched himself in an arched niche in the wall itself. Then
he opened a rag and commenced his breakfast of bread and
such savoury accompaniment as might suit his palate or his
purse. For instance, one would buy a melon from the salesman
under a neighbouring Neem-tree; another would draw from
his pocket a fid of goats* milk cheese ; while a third would run
out into a garden and help himself to an onion or a savoury
garlic stem. None, I observed, drank any liquid during the
meal. Meantime the horses stood saddled, and with their
everlasting cloths over them. But after breakfast the saddles
. were removed; the belts lifted and readjusted; some chopped
straw was taken from a sort of network for the animals* imme
diate use ; and then came a spare quantity of barley. A coarse
bag was then brought, and they put the horse’s nose in the bag
to feed him.
While loitering over this view, as I lay in my upstairs chamber
and munched grapes, the Mirza came in and reported that a large
caravan of pilgrims had arrived from Meshed, and had been es
corted by guns to within a distance of some eight miles from
Myomeed. “ Well,** said I, “ let us gallop across this bit of
ground and then avail ourselves of the return guns for escort on
wards.’* This plan, however, was futile, for the guns had already
returned to the next station of Meeandusht, where they would
remain till the following morning. “ Then we must go on with