LETTER xxvm UNRULY KA TIRGIS 261

LETTEE XXVIII

KOCHANES, Oct. 23.

THE Kurdish Jcatirgis turned out very badly. They came
at twelve instead of eight, compelling me to do only a
half-day's march. Then they brought six horses instead
of the four which had been bargained for, and said they
would " throw down the loads " if I did not take them.
Each night they insisted on starting the next morning
at daybreak, but no persuasions could get them off before
eight. They said they could not travel with a Christian
except in broad daylight. They would only drive a mile
an hour, and instead of adhering to their contract to bring
me here in four days, took four to come half-way. On
the slightest remonstrance they were insolent and violent,
and threatened to " throw down the loads " in the most
inconvenient places, and they eventually became so
mutinous that I was obliged to dismiss them at the half-
way halt at the risk of not getting transport any farther.1
The " throw on the road " from Urmi was a very large
one, and consisted of nearly all the English and American
Mission clergy and two Syrians, all on screaming, biting,
kicking horses. It was a charming ride through fruitful
country among pleasant villages to Anhar. The wind
was strong and bracing. Clouds were drifting grandly

1 I have since heard that these Kurds, a short time afterwards, be-
trayed some Christian travellers into the hands of some of their own
people, by whom they were robbed and brutally maltreated.