306 FROM GOKTCHAI TO LENKORAN. 



around it, singing in time to their steps the while. 

 Now and again another band, which formed a 

 chorus to the principal performers, broke in with 

 a chant, of which I could only catch two con- 

 stantly-repeated words, seeming to my ears to be 

 best represented thus, ' Shaksay, Maksay.' The 

 dance, though extremely rude and simple, was 

 effective from the surroundings and the great 

 accuracy with which each performer executed his 

 part ; and this was the more remarkable since every 

 male from four to eighty in the village seemed 

 to be taking part. The women only were idle 

 spectators. 



After watching them for some time the dance 

 came to an end, and the people began to scatter, a 

 signal for me to get back to my cart before any one 

 caught me intruding. Ivan, my man, told me 

 that in another fortnight they would begin still 

 wilder rites, hacking and mutilating themselves 

 with knives, after the manner of the priests of 

 Baal. 



The Russian peasants tell you that the Tartars 

 do this in memory of a certain Lutra, queen and 

 Amazon, erst of Erivan, whom Russian soldiers 

 slew. She, dying, bade the Tartars thus maltreat 

 themselves once a year in memory of her, the 

 which if they did, she on her part would in thirty 

 years' time rise again, to lead and rule over them 

 in great glory. Many a thirty years has passed 



