ward down the nullah’s right bank a few miles, turned
up northwards, and continued along the creek to a
village, eight miles distant, at the farther end of the
Urmia district, where we took up our quarters. The
country has a mixed and large population of smiths,
agriculturists, and herdsmen, residing in the flats and
depressions which lie between the scattered little hills.
During the rainy season, when the lake swells and
the country becomes super-saturated, the inundations
are so great that all travelling becomes suspended.
The early morning was wasted by the unreasonable
pagazis in the following absurd manner.
I t will be remembered that, on starting from Un-
yanyembe, these cunning rascals begged for cloth as a
necessary protection against the cold. This seemed
reasonable enough, if they had not just before that received
their hire in cloth; for the nights were so cold
that I should have been sorry to be as naked as they
were; but their real motive for asking was only to
increase their stock for this present occasion, as we
now shall see. Two days ago they broke ground with,
great difficulty, and only on my assuring them that I
would wait .at the place a day or two on my return
from the Lake, as they expressed their desire to make
a few halts there, and barter their hire of cloth for
j embes (iron hoes), to exchange again at Unyanyembe,
where those things fetch double the price they do in
these especially iron regions. Now, to-day these dissembling
creatures, distrusting my word as they would
their own brethren’s, stoutly refused to proceed until
their business was completed,—suspecting I should
break my word on returning, and would not then wait
for them. They had come all this way especially for
their own benefit, and now meant to profit by their
trouble. Fortunately, the Jemadar and some other
Beluches, who of late had shown great energy and zeal
in promoting my views, pointed out to them that they
were really more bound to do my business tha-n their
own, as they had engaged to do so, and since they
could never have come there at all excepting through
my influence and by my cloths; further, if they bought
their hoes then, they would have to carry them all the
way to the Lake and back. The Kirangozi acknowledged
the fairness of this harangue, and soon gave
way; but it was not until much more arguing, and the
adoption,of other persuasive means, that the rest were
induced to relinquish their determination.
lsi August.—This day’s march, commenced at 6 A.M.,
differs but little from the last. Following down the
creek, which, gradually increasing in breadth as it
extended northwards, was here of very considerable
dimensions, we saw many little islands, well-wooded
elevations, standing boldly out of its waters, which, together
with the hill-dotted country around, afforded a
most agreeable prospect Would that my eyes had
been strong enough to dwell, unshaded, upon such
scenery! but my French grey spectacles so excited the
crowds of sable gentry who followed the caravan, and
they were so boisterously rude, stooping and peering
underneath my wide-awake to gain a better sight of