to the house of my guide, that we might set out alone from thence in the morning.

We were mounted at least an hour before day-break, and went from this valley, in which we had passed the night, up over hills of lime-stone, which were in general steep and craggy, though their faces being covered with brush-wood gave them an agreeable appearance. When the day first dawned, we were on the summit of these hills, and after continuing over uneven ground, again descended over a slope, covered, like the former, with brush-wood, and reached the valley just as the sun rose.

There was here a small village, called Galleen, which was seated on the side of a hill facing towards the north, and the most conspicuous object in this was a castellated dwelling, built on the edge of a cliff, and commanding the whole of the plain. This was the residence of another chief, named Hassan Aga, who ruled over only a small portion of territory, but, like the one from whom we had just escaped, never failed to fleece all who were worth pillaging, whenever they passed through his possessions without a strong escort. We therefore carefully avoided going into this village, and as it was about the hour when most of the inhabitants were taking their first meal after morning prayers, it was favourable to our passing by without being observed.

Nothing could be more beautiful than the general aspect of this valley, or more romantic than the situation of the village of Galleen, at the entrance of it. The hills, by which it was hemmed in so closely on all sides, were sufficiently broken in their outline to be picturesque, and the narrow plain which skirted them at their feet was clothed with the richest verdure. Corn-fields were seen in different stages of growth, from the earliest appearance of the green blade, to the developement of the ear on the yellow stalk, and the full ripe grain of the red wheat now ready for the sickle.* The

* Similar variety in the progressive states of vegetation, all seen at the same time and nearly on the same spot, is described as common about Quito, in Peru, in the voyage of Don Ulloa to South America; and by Bruce, in his account of the ascent of Lamalmon in Abyssinia.

gardens and vineyards, occupying distant portions of the valley, gave a great luxuriance to the picture; and a stream of fine clear water, which here meandered between banks lined by full-foliaged trees and bushes, completed the union of fertility and usefulness with wealth and beauty.

We halted at this stream to refresh, as we had now gained a sufficient distance from the town not to be observed from thence, and conceived that we might therefore eat our bread in peace. Here we washed and prayed: for my guide, though a professed robber, did not neglect this common duty; and after enjoying a hearty repast from our own scrip, and reposing for an hour on the green sod, while the horses grazed by our side, we quitted this delightful spot, to renew our way.

After going for two or three hours over rugged hills of limestone, sparingly clad with brush-wood, and keeping always a north-westerly course, we reached a small village called Shoasheef, just as the sun was on the meridian, or in time to perform in public our noon-day prayers. This village, seated on the side of a gentle ascent, was peopled chiefly by Koords, and its population was said to consist of sixty families, or little more than two hundred persons, who were all peasants, and lived by the produce of their fields and flocks. We were received by one of the elders, who furnished our horses with food, and set before us some sour milk, the most refreshing beverage to be obtained in these countries, and always a welcome one in the summer of such a climate.

After sleeping for an hour, we remounted soon after one o'clock, and still went north-westerly over the same bed of hills, which is composed of many smaller ridges, crossed transversely, in the direction in which we travelled, as they stretch generally from south-west to north-east. The whole mass appears to be composed of limestone, and to be bare of wood, except in some few places where stunted trees and bushes clothe their sides. Their average height above the level of the plain of Mardin is less than a thousand feet; but even the valleys which are found among these ridges, of which

the great chain is composed, are at least five hundred feet above that plain; and some of them are as high as the site of Mardin itself. As they, therefore, enjoy a temperature highly favourable to vegetation, are amply watered by brooks and springs, and receive the soil of the hills, as it is washed down into them by the winter rains, they may easily be conceived to be charming little spots, when contrasted with the sterile aspect of the hills by which they are generally encompassed.

At El Assr, we reached the termination of this bed of hills, and by a very short descent came into a valley, through which ran a small stream of water. In this stream we noticed some of the same kind of tortoises as are found in the rivers of Syria, but they were here of a smaller size. The plain itself was on a higher level than most of the valleys through which we had come, and but little below the height of Mardin, though that is seated on the summit of a hill. At the entrance of it we observed a village called Shukra Tuppé; which we left about a mile to the right, or north-east of our path.

In continuing our way, we found this apparent plain to have, at first, a gentle ascent, and then to be formed of wavy land, the inequalities of which are not perceptible at a distance. There were no eminences throughout it that could deserve the name of hills. The soil was every where abundant in quantity, and of sufficient depth for cultivation. It seemed too of a fertile kind; for such portions of it as were now sown with corn offered the prospect of an ample harvest, the wheat being formed in the ear, and ripening daily under the influence of an unclouded sun.

In about two hours after our quitting the foot of the range of hills described, and first entering on this wavy land, we came to a small village called Akh Tuppé. This, though now having a population of not more than thirty families, had been at some former period evidently a place of more importance. Among the ruins of ancient buildings, I noticed the remains of a mosque, with the masonry in intermediate layers of lime-stone and basalt,

was rude, but very skilfully varied, from the abrupt and hurried measure to which the Athleta moved in his exercises of strength, to the rapturous softness and languishing cadence of the airs to which his effeminate companion danced.

This entertainment was so perfectly suited to the taste of the people here, that, in less than an hour after the exhibition began, every individual in the village, man, woman, and child, had gathered upon the house-tops to enjoy as much of it as they were able, our own terrace not being sufficiently large to contain more than about fifty persons, and this was already so crowded as to make us apprehensive of its falling in. The festivity continued until a late hour, it being long past midnight before the party had dispersed or the music ceased.

JUNE 27th.-Notwithstanding that we were now within three hours only of Diarbekr, it was thought so unsafe to go from hence to that city alone, that two horsemen had been waiting here the whole of the preceding day for the protection of additional companions, before they would venture to continue their journey. They had, during the entertainment of the last evening, solicited permission to join us, and as they were known in the village, we readily consented to their proposition.

We quitted Poorang together at day-light, being all four well mounted and well armed; and the road being now unobstructed by hills or rocks, we scoured over the plains, as if we were ourselves bent on some plundering expedition.