r the expedition, we spent three hours among the half
dilapidated bazaars of the town, which have never been repaired since the
disastrous Russian bombardment. The most difficult task, perhaps, in our
work of preparation was to strike a bargain with an Armenian muleteer to
carry our food and baggage up the mountain on his two little donkeys.

[Illustration: WHERE THE "ZAPTIEHS" WERE NOT A NUISANCE.]

Evening came, and no word from either the mutessarif or the Kurdish chief.
Although we were extremely anxious to set off on the expedition before bad
weather set in, we must not be in a hurry, for the military governor of
Karakillissa was now the guest of the mutessarif, and it would be an
interference with his social duties to try to see him until after his
guest had departed. On the morrow we were sitting in our small dingy room
after dinner, when a cavalcade hastened up to our inn, and a few minutes
later we were surprised to hear ourselves addressed in our native tongue.
Before us stood a dark-complexioned young man, and at his side a small
wiry old gentleman, who proved to be a native Austrian Tyrolese, who
followed the profession of an artist in Paris. He was now making his way
to Erivan, in Russia, on a sight-seeing tour from Trebizond. His companion
was a Greek from Salonica, who had lived for several years in London,
whence he had departed not many weeks before, for Teheran, Persia. These
two travelers had met in Constantinople, and the young Greek, who could
speak English, Greek, and Turkish, had been acting as interpreter for the
artist. They had heard of the "devil's carts" when in Van, and had made
straight for our quarters on their arrival in Bayazid. At this point they
were to separate. When we learned that the old gentleman (Ignaz Raffl by
name) was a member of an Alpine club and an experienced mountain-climber,
we urged him to join in the ascent. Though his shoulders were bent by the
cares and troubles of sixty-three years, we finally induced him to
accompany our party. Kantsa, the Greek, reluctantly agreed to do likewise,
and proved to be an excellent interpreter, but a poor climber.

The following morning we paid the mutessarif a second visit, with Kantsa
as interpreter. Inasmuch as the Kurdish chief had not arrived, the
mutessarif said he would make us bearers of a letter to him. Two zaptiehs
were to accompany us in the morning, while others were to go ahead and
announce our approach.

At ten minutes