t occasionally
afterwards.

In seven hours' time we arrived at the khan of Malacash, where I had
slept before; and my carpet was spread in my old corner. I heard my
companions talking earnestly about something, and on asking what it was,
I was told that they could not make out which room it was where the
people had been murdered--this room or the outer one.

"How was that?" I inquired.

Why, some time ago, they said, a party of travellers, people belonging
to the country, were attacked by robbers at this khan. One of the party,
after he had been plundered, had the imprudence to say that he knew who
the thieves were. Upon this the gang, after a short consultation, took
the party out, one by one, and cut all their throats in the next room;
and this was before the present disturbed state of the country.
Nevertheless, I slept very soundly, my only sorrow being that no tidings
came of the two manuscripts from Meteora.

_November 11th._--In our journey of this day we crossed the chain of the
Pindus by a different pass from the one by which we had traversed it
before; and in the evening we arrived at Mezzovo, where I was lodged by
a schoolmaster who had a comfortable house. The ceiling of the room
where we sat was hung all over with bunches of dried or rather drying
grapes. Here I presented each of my escort with a small bundle of
piasters. We had become so much pleased with each other in the few days
we had been together, that we had quite an affecting parting. Their
chief, the red velvet personage from whom I had received the letter
which gained me the pleasure of their company, was gone, it appeared,
towards Berat; but they had found some of their companions, with whom
they intended to retire to some small place of defence, the name of
which I did not make out, where in a few days they expected to be told
what they were to do.

"Why won't you come with us?" said they. "Don't go back to live in a
confined, stupid town, to sit all day in a house, and look out of the
window. Go back with us into the mountains, where we know every pass,
every rock, and every waterfall: you should command us; we would get
some more men together: we will go wherever you like, and a rare jolly
life we will lead."

"Gentlemen," said I, "I take your kind offers as highly complimentary to
me; I am proud to think that I have gained so high a place in your
estimation. When you see your captain, pray assure him of my friendship,
and how much I f