CHAPTER IX.

Hospitality of the People.-Return by way of Van.-Night in the Valley. Visit to Koordish Villages.-Pastoral Life.-Death of Shultz.-Van.-Interview with the Hakary Chief.-Change of his Relations.-Incident among the Koords.

May 25, 1840.-IT was afternoon before I could leave the Koordish bey; for, after all other business was finished, and he had written a letter to the next chief beyond the borders of the Hakary country, he constrained me to wait for a repast, of which he partook with me; while his mother prepared food for us to eat on the road, spreading

own hands, and She then brought

honey over the bread with her rolling it up with great care. forward a bag of raisins and nuts, into which she put a small loaf of sugar, and gave it to my son, who had become a great favourite with her and with the whole household, especially with the little Koordish children. He was now able to speak three languages, Turkish and Syriac as well as English. The patriarch's sister had also sent a quantity of bread, in which was rolled up a large supply of holwá, or honey, butter, and flour simmered together so as to form a kind of rich cake. His mother sent us bread, cheese, and eggs, so that our scrip was really very well furnished by our benevolent friends in these wild mountains; a kindness, to appreciate which one must place him

self in the same dependant circumstances, and remember that there was a scarcity of food approaching to a famine. Wheat was selling at five or six times its ordinary price, and scarcely to be obtained at all. The bey had already given my son a small sum of money, in anticipation of our proceeding next day by way of Môsul, telling him that he would have given him a mule to ride, but, on account of the snow, the roads were impassable for mules. His mother, at the same time, suspended a small gold coin, with some beads, to my son's neck, as a memento of her affection.

Such were some of the tokens of kindness which the Lord put it into the hearts of this people to bestow upon the pilgrim missionary in this land of violence and blood. May He reward their kindness by the gift of his word and Spirit; and oh, may I be made the honoured instrument of leading them to the great Physician of souls, and thus impart a more sovereign balm than all that art or science can produce!

As we proceeded down the narrow, rugged path cut out of the mountain, and anon cast a glance down the fearful abyss, it looked more terrible than it had ever done before. I was glad, therefore, to dismount and walk for half an hour over the most dangerous part of the road, rather than trust myself to the sure-footed mule, who might, by one false step, dash me in pieces at the

foot of the precipitous declivity. Having descended to the bed of the river, we continued along its bank until about sunset, when we encamped for the night in the open air, while the boisterous Zâb sung our lullaby in notes of solemn bass. The night was clear, the stars shone with unwonted splendour, and all was hushed to silence save the river's loud roar. On either side, the everlasting mountains reared their adamantine crests, till they appeared to touch the skies; all seemed to invite to communion with nature's God. Three fierce-looking Koords had spread their brawny limbs by the side of a blazing fire, which they had kindled to supply their lack of clothing, while we were in a good degree protected from the chills that now advanced upon the night breeze. At such an hour and in such a place, so suited to deeds of darkness, it was sweet to realize a present God, and to know that the angels of the Lord encamp round about them that fear him for their deliverance.

May 26.-After a refreshing sleep, we rose with the sun, and pursued our way for some miles along the bank of the river; and then, entering the mountains, followed the valley of a large stream to its source. In our course we passed over the remains of several avalanches, in which rocks, trees, and earth had descended with immense masses of snow, upon which the feet of our mules

made but a slight impression. Near the summit of the first range of mountains, we stopped an hour in a grove of willows and wild pear-trees, that had just put forth their blossoms, shedding a delightful perfume. Another hour brought us to a small Nestorian village, where we stopped for breakfast. For want of a more suitable place, we were seated in the vestibule of the church, where several of the villagers came to see us, and brought their sick to be healed.

This is one of ten or eleven Nestorian villages which form a small district called Berwer, the whole of which now contains scarcely two hundred houses, and the people are poor and ignorant. The district is subject to the Koords, and was last year invaded by one of the nomadic tribes, when six men of this village were killed in trying to defend their flocks.

We arrived about noon at the residence of Tâhr Aga, the chief of a tribe of Koords called Piniánshi, comprising about 1000 households, under a nominal allegiance to the Hakary chief. Another division of this tribe (7 or 800 houses) live near the Tehoma tribe of Nestorians, and are represented as a very lawless and sanguinary clan. I spent the night with the chief, and can truly say that I was never more hospitably received and entertained than by this mountain chieftain. He insisted upon my occupying his own seat, an easy

cushion or mattress, with pillows to lean upon. A bowl of fine-flavoured sherbet was followed by coffee and other more substantial refreshments. A bountiful supply of my favourite pilau was served for supper; and a basket of eggs, roasted in the ashes (a common method of cooking them in this country), was in readiness after breakfast the next morning, to replenish our scrip for the road. The chief and two of his wives required my professional services; and I believe that this was the principal reason why the bey at Jûlamerk desired me to take this route. Many of the villagers were suffering from coughs, which I attributed to their residence in a region of almost perpetual snow, and to their drinking large quantities of it in their water. It was a pleasant summer residence, but truly dreary in winter.

May 28. Still among mountains. Passed several villages and encampments of Koords, at some of which we stopped for refreshments, giving medicines to the sick. The Koordish women in one of the black Koordish tents gave us two or three pairs of native socks, and a small piece of tentcloth made of hair. About an hour before sunset we passed a large encampment of the Hertush Koords, who are among the most formidable robbers in the country. Their chief came out to inquire who I was, and some of the people gratified their curiosity by gazing at my Frank costume, L