A Day in Chitral 9 



He numbered half Chitral among his disciples, 

 and lived in a style not inferior to the chief 

 himself, the "turbulent priest" that so often 

 figures in history. Originally a political refugee 

 from over the border, he had been given land 

 in one of the northern valleys in Chitral, and 

 from the first wielded tremendous influence among 

 all classes of Chitralis that belonged to the 

 "Ismaili" persuasion and not altogether unnatu- 

 rally, seeing that their hopes of salvation rested 

 to no small extent on his good offices with the 

 Creator. And so he had come to be a thorn in 

 the sides of his benefactors. A clever man, but 

 no ascetic. He was, no doubt, in agreement with 

 the " friar of orders grey," who gave out as his 

 firm belief that living a good life, and living 

 well, were much the same thing. 



And now rounding a corner, we saw a crowd of 

 people massed on a gentle eminence, over which 

 the road ran, some seven or eight hundred yards 

 farther on. A curious undulating motion appeared 

 to animate them, and there was the faint sound 

 of a chorus. Approaching nearer, we saw the 

 swaying mass in the middle of the crowd to be 

 a number of men linked tightly together, arm in 

 arm, performing a grotesque dance, every fifth 

 step of which they almost sank down to the 

 ground, keeping time the while with their voices. 



