LETTER xxxii NOBLE LIVES 357

late, and the Mush Plain especially has been ravaged all
the summer and autumn by the Kurds, with many bar-
barities and much loss of life, so that travelling for
Christians even in companies has been dangerous. Cara-
vans have lately been attacked and robbed, and in the
case of one large mixed caravan the Christians were
robbed but the Moslems were unmolested. A traveller
was recently treacherously murdered by his Jcatirgis, and

Miss ------, having occasion to employ the same men a

few days ago, saw and heard them rehearse his dying
agonies more than once for the amusement of Kurds on
the road.

Luxury is unknown in this mission house. It is so
small that in order to receive me the ladies are sleeping
in a curtained recess in the kitchen, and the reception-
room for the natives is the eating and living room of the
family. Among them all there is a rare devotion, and
lives spent in cheerful obedience to God and in loving
service for man have left on their faces the impress of
" the love which looks kindly and the .wisdom which
looks soberly on all things." The mission has had a
severe struggle. The life on this mountain slope above
the fanatical city is a very restricted one,—there is
nothing of what we are accustomed to regard as " neces-
sary recreation," and a traveller is not seen here above
once in two or three years. All honour to those who
have courage and faith to live such a life so lovingly
and cheerfully ! I. L. B.