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InafewmomentsMichael，dragginghishorsebythebridle，reachedalittlelarchwood，throughwhichtheroadlay。
Beyondthisitwasdestituteoftrees，andwoundamongbogsandpools，separatedbydwarfedbushes，whins，andheather。
Thegroundoneithersidewasquiteimpracticable，andthedetachmentmustnecessarilypassthroughthewood。
TheywerepursuingthehighroadtoIrkutsk。Plunginginaboutfortyfeet，hewasstoppedbyastreamrunningunderthebrushwood。
ButtheshadowwassodeepthatMichaelrannoriskofbeingseen，unlessthewoodshouldbecarefullysearched。
Hethereforeledhishorsetothestreamandfastenedhimtoatree，returningtotheedgeoftheroadtolistenandascertainwithwhatsortofpeoplehehadtodo。
Michaelhadscarcelytakenuphispositionbehindagroupoflarcheswhenaconfusedlightappeared，abovewhichglaredbrighterlightswavingaboutintheshadow。
“Torches！“saidhetohimself。Andhedrewquicklyback，glidinglikeasavageintothethickestunderwood。
Astheyapproachedthewoodthehorses’pacewasslackened。
Thehorsemenwereprobablylightinguptheroadwiththeintentionofexaminingeveryturn。
Michaelfearedthis，andinstinctivelydrewneartothebankofthestream，readytoplungeinifnecessary。
Arrivedatthetopofthewood，thedetachmenthalted。
Thehorsemendismounted。Therewereaboutfifty。
Adozenofthemcarriedtorches，lightinguptheroad。
BywatchingtheirpreparationsMichaelfoundtohisjoythatthedetachmentwerenotthinkingofvisitingthecopse，butonlybivouackingnear，toresttheirhorsesandallowthementotakesomerefreshment。Thehorsesweresoonunsaddled，andbegantograzeonthethickgrasswhichcarpetedtheground。
Themenmeantimestretchedthemselvesbythesideoftheroad，andpartookoftheprovisionstheyproducedfromtheirknapsacks。
Michael’sself-possessionhadneverdesertedhim，andcreepingamongstthehighgrassheendeavorednotonlytoexaminethenew-comers，buttohearwhattheysaid。ItwasadetachmentfromOmsk，composedofUsbeckhorsemen，araceoftheMongoliantype。
Thesemen，wellbuilt，abovethemediumheight，rough，andwild-featured，woreontheirheadsthe“talpak，“orblacksheep-skincap，andontheirfeetyellowhigh-heeledbootswithturned-uptoes，liketheshoesoftheMiddleAges。Theirtunicswereclose-fitting，andconfinedatthewaistbyaleathernbeltbraidedwithred。
Theywerearmeddefensivelywithashield，andoffensivelywithacurvedsword，andaflintlockmusketslungatthesaddle-bow。Fromtheirshouldershunggay-coloredcloaks。
Thehorses，whichwerefeedingatlibertyattheedgeofthewood，were，liketheirmasters，oftheUsbeckrace。
TheseanimalsarerathersmallerthantheTurcomanianhorses，butarepossessedofremarkablestrength，andknownootherpacethanthegallop。
Thisdetachmentwascommandedbya“pendja-baschi“；thatistosay，acommanderoffiftymen，havingunderhima“deh-baschi，“
orsimplecommanderoftenmen。Thesetwoofficersworehelmetsandhalfcoats-of-mail；littletrumpetsfastenedtotheirsaddle-bowswerethedistinctivesignsoftheirrank。
Thependja-baschihadbeenobligedtolethismenrest，fatiguedwithalongstage。Heandthesecondofficer，smoking“beng，“theleafwhichformsthebaseofthe“has-chisch，“
strolledupanddownthewood，sothatMichaelStrogoffwithoutbeingseen，couldcatchandunderstandtheirconversation，whichwasspokenintheTartarlanguage。
Michael’sattentionwassingularlyexcitedbytheirveryfirstwords。
Itwasofhimtheywerespeaking。
“Thiscouriercannotbemuchinadvanceofus，“saidthependja-baschi；
“and，ontheotherhand，itisabsolutelyimpossiblethathecanhavefollowedanyotherroutethanthatoftheBaraba。“
“WhoknowsifhehasleftOmsk？“repliedthedeh-baschi。
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