126

MEDITATIONS AMONG THE TOMBS.

abroad their branches with more wanton verdure: this alone, winter and summer, day and dark night, seems to have an existence apart, never to rejoice him, as others do, but to watch. So much has this tree become to me a sign-post of death, that as one rises before my sight I look below for a clump of brighter verdure, beneath which, shielded, sheltered, screened, may appear the tomb, the short home of the case of the mind. Fancy will then indulge: fiction prunes her wings, and away imagination rides. This was, perhaps, some daughter, fair as the poet's dream, who died in the prime of her virgin bloom ere yet she had learned ill, or man had made her the creature of his will; perhaps a wife loved, how loved, taken away in sleep, ere yet the horns of the marriage moon had waned. After all, perhaps it was only some beast, who ate, and drank, and lived, till this lone vault received his well-worn clay.

CHIFIS KLOSTER.

127

CHAPTER VII.

Island of Chifis Kloster-Axbraf-Myriads of Gnats-Abundance of Aquatic Birds on the Lake-Large Cemetery-Dispute as to its Occupants between the Hadjee and the Armenian-Reflections in Illness-Fascinations of Travel-Spirit of Independence it engenders-Variety of Scene-Girl's Advice to me-' -The Veil, how regarded in ancient times-Disappointed in finding Ruins-Serpent Rocks-Visit from two Priests, who prove Job's comforters-Admiration by Villagers of the Russian Rule-Autana, the Holy Island -The Old Man and his Legends-Past Grandeur-Plain of Ardisch -Swarms of Locusts-Tent pitched in a Prairie-Visit from Isman Bey-His Visit returned-Furniture of his Tent-Shields and Spears of the Koords-Mollah of Komdingars-His Gratitude for a trifling Present-The Hadjee disputes with some Koords-Armenians en Route for the Frontier-Arrive at Patnos-Fight between the Hadjee and a Christian-Its Cause-How settled-Present Appearance of Patnos-Its Buildings-Houses at Karakone-Its present Aspect-Wonder of the ex-Bey that Englishmen should study-Turkish Confidence in Christians as Guards of the HaremIts Cause-Karaka-Difference of Demeanour in Slaves and Freemen-Arrival at Melasquert.

MERIK to a Koordish kislah, one hour beyond Armis, six hours. I skirted along the plain, which is here, perhaps, a mile broad, from the lake to some steep and rocky cliffs, rising fifty or sixty feet high; the plain itself well cultivated. The hills above it produce a rough crop of hay and thistles beneath, the lake, so still, so quiet. We paused opposite the island of Chifis Kloster, with

its few trees and its lone, lifeless, monastic look and the pretty town of Aschraf, whose domes and minarets seemed to rise out of the blue lake and float amidst its limpid waters. An hour after starting we descended through a forest of roses to the lake's side, the road lying along the beach.

No pleasure but has its alloy the road was charming; the heavy scent of the roses softened by other sweet perfumes grateful to the sense; yet myriads of gnats literally made the air ring, and the whole caravan were busy fanning them away: even the horses, generally so patient and enduring, were maddened by the bites; so I felt no regret when we turned up over a dry barren plain, leaving a promontory to run out into the lake. The water here is said to be more salt than in any other portion of the lake: this is probably occasioned by the lake being for miles excessively shallow; so much so, that here at the northern angle it may almost be waded. The lake here finishes in sedgy bogs, which abound with swans, coots, ducks, and geese. They were little disturbed by my approach, swimming slowly away; but the hadjee, with an eye to dinner, fired; then the whole air was alive with birds; every sedge and

tuft around seemed to give up its store; round they swept with startled cry, the air whistling with their rapid whirls, as they flew to safer places.

At the very north-east corner of the lake was a large cemetery, and behind it the ruins of a large village. Enchanted with the view, I made my noonday halt. The tombs were placed on a small eminence looking on the lake, the tenants, perhaps, in life loved so well. The hadjee fondly asserted they were the graves of true believers, while an Armenian who had joined us, loudly denied the fact one might have said—

"Christian or Moslem, which are they?
Let their mothers see and say,
When in cradled rest they lay;
And each nursing mother smiled,
On the sweet sleep of her child.
Little deemed she such a day,
How those limbs would mould away;

Not the matrons that them bore

Could discern their offspring more."

But the subject ceased to interest, and my thoughts were withdrawn from the beauty of the scene to to others more closely connected with myself. I felt my weakness; felt grievously the fatigue of travelling; felt how true the opinion of the Doctor, that I must return to colder regions to recruit, if I wished to live. Henceforth

my course was west: henceforth my shrivelled sickly shadow would mark my morning path

before me just as I had learned enough of the

me—just

languages to enter into familiar intercourse, to enjoy travelling; just as boundless regions opened before my wandering steps, my body proved unequal to the task, and all was dashed. Well might Cræsus say, " Pronounce none happy on this side the grave." And even the reflection of dear fat Sancho Panza, that there is a remedy for all, save death, afforded no consolation.-Allah Kerim !

"Let us be patient; these severe afflictions
Not from the ground arise;

But oftentimes celestial benedictions
Assume this dark disguise.

We see but dimly through the mists and vapours
Amid these earthly damps;

What seem to us but sad funereal tapers,
May be heaven's distant lamps."

What is it there is so fascinating in this lifediscomforts, inconveniences of all kinds? Dangers abound, but they are excitements. Yet, what is ? It would be hard indeed to find an answer. Is it that this wild nomad existence is after all our natural state, and that, spite of generations of civilisation, the tendency still remains? Is it that we are then free, are loosed from all conventional