cii. X. WEEKI.Y MARKET NEAR AMSMIZ. 251 



his company, from an attitude of midisguised aversion to 

 the Christians, whom he was forced to treat with a faint 

 show of outward civility. We afterwards learned that it 

 was by his express order, that his people were prevented 

 from applying for medical advice, and kept aloof from us 

 during our stay in the valley, not even replying to the 

 ordinary courteous salutation. The latter is quite a re- 

 markable incident, and without example in our pretty 

 wide experience of Oriental people. 



Our party was as far as possible reduced in number, 

 most of our followers and all the escort, except two 

 soldiers, being left behind. After the usual delay, we were 

 under way soon after 10 p.m. Instead of directing our 

 course towards the cleft by which the torrent issues from 

 the mountains, we left the little town by the side farthest 

 from the stream, and rode across the strip of plain lying 

 between it and the outer range of steep hills. After 

 riding about a mile we came to a place where, according 

 to the usage of the country, the weekly market was being 

 held. A considerable crowd of wild-looking people, most 

 of them apparently mountaineers, formed a busy throng, 

 wherein, under different dress and aspect, human nature 

 showed itself much the same as it does everywhere else. 

 One half of the crowd was intent on business, and hard 

 bargains were driven where the difference between the 

 seller and the buyer may not have exceeded the tenth 

 part of a farthing. The rest were mere idlers, come to 

 while away the time in gossip, or in listening to profes- 

 sional story-tellers, or in beholding the feats of serpent- 

 charmers, who make a precarious living by frequenting 

 these gatherings. 



"We soon reached the hills, and began to mount by a 

 well-beaten, but rather steep path. The vegetation on the 

 dry stony slopes, mainly covered with brushwood, was 

 already much parched, and we noticed nothing of especial 

 interest till we reached the top of the ridge overlooking 

 the valley of Amsmiz. Here stood two lonely poplars, 



