A
few dozen well-armed robbers would certainly get the better of a
caravan of even a hundred persons.
On the first night we rode ten hours, until we reached Jengitsche.
The country around was flat and barren, uncultivated and
uninhabited. Some few miles outside Baghdad cultivation appeared to
be suddenly cut off, and it was not until we came to Jengitsche that
we saw again palms and stubble fields, showing that human industry
is capable of producing something everywhere.
Travelling with caravans is very fatiguing: although a walking pace
is never exceeded, they are on the road from nine to twelve hours
without halting. When travelling at night the proper rest is lost,
and in the day it is scarcely possible to get any sleep, exposed in
the open air to the excessive heat, and the annoyances of flies and
mosquitoes.
18th June. In Jengitsche we met with a chan, but it was by no means
equal in appearance and cleanliness to that on the road to Babylon;
its chief advantage was being situated near the Tigris.
The chan was surrounded by a small village, to which I proceeded for
the purpose of satisfying my hunger.
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