On the
mountains we fell in with the tribes of Kurds, who live at this
height during the summer months, quite isolated from the rest of
mankind. I paid a visit to the chief of a tribe of 2000, and he
passed a great number of compliments on the English. This Bey is
all powerful with his tribe; he settles all disputes, divides the
pasture land among the families, etc. Although living in such a
deserted spot, they read the Turkish papers, and they asked
several questions about the English war with Persia. They are
very fanatical, and are much encouraged in their religious
fervour by the Sultan's agents. Their houses consist of stone
walls covered with camel's-hair tents, which are quite
waterproof, and lined inside with capital carpets made by
themselves. We encamped near them and obtained our milk, etc.,
from them; but, in order to let us know their habits, they stole
the horse of the Russian officer's interpreter during the night.
I should not mind trusting them at all, for the Bey would not
allow them to take our horses; perhaps this was only from his
hatred to the Russians."

He gives some particulars of the Lazes, to one of whose villages he
paid a visit, and as he believed that he was the only Englishman who
had ever done so, his remarks were based on special local knowledge:--

"On one side of it was Lazistan, and this part of Lazistan is
peopled by the fiercest tribe of Lazes, who scarcely acknowledge
even the Sultan. We had an escort of forty infantry, and were not
molested. This tribe and the Kabouletians supply the
Constantinople Turks with slaves, whom they kidnap from the
Gourelians, who are on the Russian side. The Adjars (the tribe
referred to) are most daring, and even proposed to us to bring
any person we might choose out to Batoum for L40 to L120. In
consequence of these kidnappings, etc., a deadly enmity exists
between the two peoples, and whenever they get a chance they kill
one another. During the last eighteen months sixty-two people
have been kidnapped, sixteen killed, and twenty or thirty wounded
on the part of the Gourelians. The Russian guards of the frontier
are helpless against these people, for the latter are armed with
a capital rifle and are also splendid shots, while the Cossacks
have only a trumpery smooth bore. The coun