RETURN TO TIFLIS. 331 



insolent brutality giving way to disgusting 1 , fawning 

 complaisance as if by magic. But I knew my man 

 too well to let him go, so that, having made him 

 order two troikas, one for ourselves and one for 

 the Armenians, I kept him a close prisoner until 

 the carts were actually at the door, when, with 

 many thanks from my fellow-travellers, I left Aksu 

 rejoicing. 



These fellow-travellers claimed my help again 

 at the next station, alleging that they were co- 

 religionists of mine, being members of the Pro- 

 testant Church at Shemakha. It seems that forty 

 years ago their sect was founded at Shusha, my 

 informants said, by English missionaries, but the 

 names they gave them, 'Larambe' and 'Fanther,' 

 sounded very un-English in my ears. Shortly after 

 the founding of the Protestant Church at Shusha, 

 the non- Protestant Armenians rose against their 

 newly-converted brethren, and induced the Czar to 

 have them expelled from Shusha, whence they 

 migrated to Shemakha, and there founded a 

 church, in which they now celebrate five services 

 a week, and number 500 of the richest inhabitants 

 of Shemakha amongst their congregation. 



From Shemakha 1 sent a telegram on to Capt. 

 Lyall or Mr. G , I forget which, friends of 

 mine at Tiflis, to announce my return, and to pre- 

 vent my letters being sent on to Lenkoran. To 

 give some idea of the Russian telegraph service 



