majesty.

A bridle-path conducted us for some miles along the edge of a gentle
stream, whose banks were clothed with long luxuriant grass extending
on either side for a few hundred yards; we proceeded rapidly at first,
keeping our horses at a hand gallop, as the path was smooth, and also
to escape from the myriads of forest-flies or blood-suckers which were
perpetually hovering around us, and irritating our cattle almost to
madness whenever we were obliged to slacken our pace; our tormentors,
however, did not pursue us beyond the limits of the pasture land, so
that we were glad to exchange the beauties of the prairie for the
stony barren ground which succeeded it. We soon reached the base of
a hill from whence the wished-for cavern was visible, situated about
half-way up its face. We were now obliged to dismount, and leaving
our horses under the charge of an Uzbeg, who could hardly conceal his
delight at being selected for the least dangerous duty, we commenced
the ascent.

During our ride I had endeavoured to gather a few more particulars
concerning the dreaded cavern, and as might have been expected, the
anticipated horrors dwindled away considerably as we approached it;
still enough of the marvellous remained to keep my curiosity on the
stretch. Shah Pursund Kh[=a]n confessed that he was not positive
that the devil actually lived there, but still, he said, it was very
probable; he had first heard of the existence of the cave when he
obtained possession of the Do[=a]ub twelve years ago, from the very
moollah who was our informant. Urged by a curiosity similar to our
own, he had ventured some little distance inside, but suddenly he came
upon the print of a naked foot, and beside it another extraordinary
impression, which he suspected to be from the foot of sheittan (the