er expressing his thankfulness and gratitude for
having so well got rid of such unwelcome visitors.

'As soon as they were fairly out of sight, he dispatched one of his
shepherd's boys to his son in the mountains, ordering him to bring back
the mare; and when the animal was safely lodged in the women's tent, he
called together the elders of his tribe, consisting of his own and his
wives' relations, who were encamped in our vicinity. He explained to
them the situation in which he was placed; showing that his and their
destruction was inevitable should they continue any longer in the
territory of the pasha, who would not fail to seize this opportunity of
levying fines and exactions, and reducing them to want and beggary.
They were assembled in the men's tent, to the number of ten persons; the
place of honour, the corner, being given to my father's uncle, the elder
of the tribe, an old man, whose beard, as white as snow, descended to
his girdle.

'"You know," said my father, "that we are Yezeedies; and you also know
the hatred which all Mussulmans bear to us: the pasha has hitherto
pretended friendship to me individually, because I have fought his
battles, because I am a lion in the fight, and drink the blood of his
enemies; but his love of money is so great that nothing can satisfy it;
and rather than lose this opportunity, he would see me, my father, my
grandfather, my great-grandfather, and all my race grilling in eternal
fires. We are too few to resist him, although, by that great Power whom
we all worship, if we had not wives and children to protect, I, with a
spear in my hand, my sword by my side, and mounted on my mare--I would
not fear to encounter the whole host of his dastardly ragamuffins, and
I should like to see the _cherkaji_[45] that would face me. I propose,
therefore, that, without a moment's delay, we abandon the Turkish
territory, and migrate into Persia, where we shall not fail to meet with
welcome and protection."

'"Okous Aga," said his uncle to him, whilst every one seemed to
listen with great respect to what he would say, "Okous Aga, you are my
brother's son; you are my child; you are the head of our tribe, and our
best support and protection. If I were to advise you to give up the mare
to the pasha, you would think me unworthy of being a Curd and a Yezeedi;
and even were he now to get possession of her, we should not be spared;
for such is the experience I have of Turkish governors, that when onc