I t was remarkably unpleasant to be dragged into
a row by tbe conduct of these brutal traders, with
whom I had nothing in common, and who, should
a fight actually occur, would be Certain to behave as
cowards. The Latookas would make no distinction
between me and them, in the event of an attack, as
they would naturally class all strangers, and new
comers with the hated Turks.
I t was about 5 p .m . one hour , before sunset. The
woman who usually brought us water delivered her jar,
but disappeared immediately after without sweeping
the courtyard as was her custom. Her children who
usually played in this enclosure had vanished. , On
searching her hut, which was in one corner of the yard,
no one was to be found, and even the grinding-stone
was gone. Suspecting that something was in the wind,
I sent Karka andGaddum Her, the two black servants,
to search in various huts in the neighbourhood to
observe if the owners were present, and whether the
women were in their houses. Not a woman could be
found. Neither woman nor child remained in the
large town of TarrangoM There was an extraordinary
stillness where usually all was noise and chattering.,
All the women and children had been removed to the
mountains about two miles, distant, and this so quickly
and noiselessly that it appeared incredible.
I immediately sent to the house of the chief,, and
requested his attendance. There were two chiefs;
brothers; Moy was the greater in point of rank,
but his brother, Commoro, had more actual authority
with the people. I was giad that the latter
appeared,
I sent to request an interpreter from the Turks, and
upon his arrival I asked Commoro why the women
and children had been removed ? He replied, “ That
the Turks were so brutal that' he could not prevail
upon his people to endure it any longer; their
women were robbed and beaten, and they were all so
ill-treated, that he, as their chief, had no longer any
control over them; and that the odium of having
introduced the Turks to Latooka was thrown upon
him.” I asked him whether any of my men had
misbehaved. I explained that I should flog any one
of my men who should steal the merest trifle from
his people, or insult any women. All my men were
in dark-brown uniforms. He said, “ That none of the
men with the brown clothes had been complained of,
but that his people had taken a dislike to all strangers,
owino' to the conduct of the Turks,o and that he could
hot answer for the consequences.” There was a division
among his own people, some wishing to fight and
to serve the Turks as the Latookas had served the