Marker nodded. He had used the name inadvertently as an illustration,
and he had no wish to answer questions on the subject.
"A troublesome tribe, rather?" asked Lewis, noticing the momentary
hesitation.
"In the past. Now they are quiet enough."
"But I understood that there was a ferment in the Pamirs. The other
side threatened, you know." He had almost said "your side," but checked
himself.
"Ah yes, there are rumours of a rising, but that is further west. The
Bada-Mawidi are too poor to raise two swords in the whole tribe. You
will come across them if you go north, and I can recommend them as
excellent beaters."
"Is the north the best shooting quarter?" asked Lewis with sharp eyes.
"I am just a little keen on some geographical work, and if I can join
both I shall be glad. Due north is the Russian frontier?
"Due north after some scores of the most precipitous miles in the world.
It is a preposterous country. I myself have been on the verge of it,
and know it as well as most. The geographical importance, too, is
absurdly exaggerated. It has never been mapped because there is nothing
about it to map, no passes, no river, no conspicuous mountain, nothing
but desolate, unvaried rock. The pass to Yarkand goes to the east, and
the Afghan routes are to the west. But to the north you come to a wall,
and if you have wings you may get beyond it.
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