lman country, is punished with death, so sacred
is the harem held in our estimation. If I were to act right, I ought not
to lose a moment in sending you both back to Erivan; but that I will
not do, provided you agree to join us in our present expedition, and to
serve us as guide in those parts of the country with which you are best
acquainted.' I then explained to him the nature of my office, and what
was the object of the expedition.

'If you are zealous in our cause,' said I, 'you will then have performed
a service which will entitle you to reward, and thus enable me to speak
in your favour to the serdar and to my chief, and, _Inshallah!_ please
God, to procure your release. In the meanwhile, your wife may remain
here, in all safety, in the hands of the good folks of this village; and
by the time we return, she will, I hope, have been restored to health.'

The youth, upon hearing this language, took my hand and kissed it,
agreed to everything I had said, and having girt on his arms, he was
ready to attend us. I permitted him to go to his wife, to give her an
account of this arrangement, and to console her, with proper assurances,
that they would soon be restored to each other. He again thanked me;
and, with the agility of an antelope, had already gained the summit of
the first hill before we had even begun to ascend it.

CHAPTER XXXIX

The Armenian Yusuf proves himself worthy of Hajji Baba's confidence.

We proceeded towards the Georgian frontier, shaping our track over
unfrequented parts of the mountains, in which we were very materially
assisted by Yusuf, who appeared to be acquainted with every landmark,
and who knew the directions of places with a precision that quite
surprised us. He did not seem anxious to visit his own village; and, in
fact, he assured me, that had he even permission so to do, he could not,
because he felt himself bound by the oath which he had taken upon last
quitting it, not to return, except accompanied by his wife.

The intelligence which had been brought to the serdar of the advance of
the Moscovites proved false, for we found them posted on the banks of
the Pembaki river, occupying the village of Hamamlu, and fortifying
themselves in Karaklisseh. We were not far from the former place; and as
we approached it, I became anxious to acquire some precise intelligence
concerning the numbers and the dispositions of the enemy. A thought
struck me, as I pondered over the fate of my Arme