VISIT TO A PACHA IN TREBIZOND. 269 



vegetation on the really beautifully made road. When 

 about an hour had passed the valley narrowed, and the 

 road appeared to make a sharp bend. Then the pacha 

 moderated the pace of his steed, and remarked that 

 the evening was already far advanced and he must 

 return, as he had still some business to attend to. 

 Perhaps the purchase of the slaves was not yet com- 

 pleted, as the consul whispered to me. I was seized 

 however with a great curiosity to see how the country 

 would open out beyond the bend of the valley, and 

 called to the pacha that I should like to take just 

 one glance round the corner, as the beautiful landscape 

 took my fancy exceedingly. But when at full gallop 

 I reached this corner, I found to my great astonishment 

 that the road came to a sudden end. Of course I 

 immediately turned back and in a few minutes caught 

 up my companions. The pacha evidently regarded me 

 with some suspicion, but I was so full of the beautiful 

 view, which I had enjoyed round the turning, that he 

 was soon at his ease again, and took leave of me in 

 very friendly fashion as an old acquaintance. The 

 consul however asked me afterwards, if I had also 

 seen where the road ended - - the pacha had pocketed 

 the continuation! 



Trebizond is magnificently situated at the foot of 

 the Armenian table-land, with a rather abrupt and 

 broken descent along the entire coast. The beauty 

 of its situation is very considerably enhanced by the 

 exceeding luxuriance of the trees and shrubs, which 

 characterizes the whole region. Perhaps I should 



