I Discharged My Camels That Evening, As The Carts
Would Begin Their New Contract On The Following Morning.
I rose early on the next day, as we had a long march of twenty-two miles
before us
To Trichomo; but as the oxen had been resting for many days,
and I had been paying highly for their food while they had been doing
nothing, I knew they must be in first-rate condition, and in spite of
bad roads they would accomplish the distance. There was always a
difficulty in inducing the carters to start early, but this morning
there was a greater delay than usual, and I myself went to superintend
the loading of the carts. I could hardly believe my eyes! In Georgi's
cart the oxen had been yoked. There was a black creature about half a
foot shorter than its fellow, and composed of skin and bones. The horns
of this animal were antiquities: a drawn appearance about the head and
face, and deeply sunken eyes, denoted extreme age. The fellow ox I
recognised after some time as our old friend in reduced circumstances;
it had been going through a course of wild artichokes and prickly
thistles since I had seen it last, which had brought it into racing
condition by the loss of at least a hundredweight of flesh; the poor
beast looked starved. Georgi had accordingly saved the whole of the
allowance I had paid for food of the best quality, which he had pocketed
while his animal was turned out to graze.
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