The two figures with long sticks, whom I had suspected of being brigands, were peaceable shepherds, dressed in the ordinary Oriental khalat, and tending their sheep, which were grazing close by.

Instead of being in an empty hay-field, as I had imagined, we had before us a regular Tartar aoul, such as I had often read about.

For a moment I felt astonished and bewildered.

It seemed to me that I had fallen asleep in Europe and woke up in Asia! In a few minutes we were comfortably installed in one of the tents, a circular, cupola-shaped erection, of about twelve feet in diameter, composed of a frame-work of light wooden rods covered with thick felt.
It contained no furniture, except a goodly quantity of carpets and pillows, which had been formed into a bed for our accommodation.

Our amiable host, who was evidently somewhat astonished at our unexpected visit, but refrained from asking questions, soon bade us good-night and retired.