[Tir-Medoin] Wandering Welchman

[Rod Jackson]

Greetings, All,
   
  Have left the Stellar Kingdom, again, and from here I can see the foothills of the Himalayas.
   
  To the South and East lie the domains of the Rajas, with the spices of India, if I can find a pass thru these mountains.
   
  To the North and East are the Mongol Steppes, I am at a crossroads on the fabled Silk Road.  Either way, I will have to cross the mountains, and I feel that I will not be able to do that before the winter storms.
   
  I am camped at the edge of a great desert, and some of the natives are not too hostile.
   
  They have a curious sport here, goat dragging.  If I understand the rules (as such) correctly, a goat had a long rope tied to its neck.  Two teams of horsemen start at opposing sides.  The object is to grab the rope and drag the goat to a predetermined goal.  The only real rule that I can understand is that you may not touch the hand that is holding the rope.  Other than that pretty much anything goes.
   
  Unfortunately for the goat, like his bovine cousins on the Iberian Peninsula, he rarely survives the contest.  And some of the riders occasionally don’t make it, either.  The horses seem to make out the best in this contest.  They are much smaller than our European war horses, more like ponies, but fast, nimble and tough.
   
  Sort of reminds me of Ogre Ball on horseback.  With (at least initially) a live Ogre.
   
  Not sure when I will be wandering back.
   
  Live the Dream!
   
  Your wandering Welchman,
   
  Colin McCrandall


Do, or do not.  There is no try. -- Yoda