ater. Even the old
gentleman, Raffl, joined heartily in the gaiety induced by this clear,
cold water from Ararat's melting snows.

[Illustration: PARLEYING WITH THE KURDISH PARTY AT THE SPRING.]

Our ascent for two and a half hours longer was through a luxuriant
vegetation of flowers, grasses, and weeds, which grew more and more scanty
as we advanced. Prominent among the specimens were the wild pink, poppy,
and rose. One small fragrant herb, that was the most abundant of all, we
were told was used by the Kurds for making tea. All these filled the
evening air with perfume as we trudged along, passing now and then a
Kurdish lad, with his flock of sheep and goats feeding on the
mountain-grass, which was here much more luxuriant than below. Looking
backward, we saw that we were higher than the precipitous cliffs which
overtower the town of Bayazid, and which are perhaps from 1500 to 2000
feet above the lowest part of the plain. The view over the plateau was now
grand. Though we were all fatigued by the day's work, the cool,
moisture-laden air of evening revived our flagging spirits. We forged
ahead with nimble step, joking, and singing a variety of national airs.
The French "Marseillaise," in which the old gentleman heartily joined,
echoed and reechoed among the rocks, and caused the shepherd lads and
their flocks to crane their heads in wonderment. Even the Armenian
muleteer so far overcame his fear of the Kurdish robbers as to indulge in
one of his accustomed funeral dirges; but it stopped short, never to go
again, when we came in sight of the Kurdish encampment. The poor fellow
instinctively grabbed his donkeys about their necks, as though they were
about to plunge over a precipice. The zaptiehs dashed ahead with the
mutessarif's letter to the Kurdish chief. We followed slowly on foot,
while the Armenian and his two pets kept at a respectful distance in the
rear.

The disk of the sun had already touched the western horizon when we came
to the black tents of the Kurdish encampment, which at this time of the
day presented a rather busy scene. The women seemed to be doing all the
work, while their lords sat round on their haunches. Some of the women
were engaged in milking the sheep and goats in an inclosure. Others were
busy making butter in a churn which was nothing more than a skin vessel
three feet long, of the shape of a Brazil-nut, suspended from a rude
tripod; this they swung to and fro to the tune of a weird Kur