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3H
CHAPTER XXI.
A KILLING JOURNEY OVER THE ARKA-TAGH.
Continuing our journey south, we marched in the usual
order, sometimes beside the stream, sometimes in its bed.
For the most part the ground was firm, though in places
it was very soft and treacherous. Chernoff, who was
piloting the way, very nearly came to grief, for his horse
literally disappeared underneath him in a quagmire, and
was only rescued with the greatest difficulty. For a long
distance we kept to the top of the scarped terrace, with
the stream boiling below us. Down beside the water we
observed a fiock of wild-geese ; a shot echoed. Most
of the birds spread their wings and took to flight ; but
two or three were unable to rise, although they fluttered
away across the mud-banks. With amazing agility and
daring Ordek scrambled down an almost perpendicular
escarpment, and chasing the wounded birds caught them
and drew his knife to kill them. But all at once over he
went headlong, and remained lying on his back motionless,
like a man that is dead. What was the matter with him ?
was it a stroke ? I at once sent two of the Cossacks down
to see. After they shook him a little he came to himself
and sat up ; but when he tried to walk he staggered and
reeled like a drunken man. However, he was soon able
to sit on horseback, and after about an hour was quite
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