84 AVELAH. 



Avelah, and the village of that name. In seek- 

 ing for ruins here, we caused no little astonish- 

 ment to an old Turk, on whose family circle we 

 suddenly intruded, in consequence of his dwell- 

 ing being built against a rock which we ascended 

 as a good look out. The ladies and children of 

 the family were busily engaged in picking corn 

 for their hand-mill, whilst the old gentleman was 

 pensively occupied in knitting a worsted sock, 

 no uncommon amusement of the male sex in 

 this country. Our intrusion disturbed the do- 

 mestic arrangements sadly, the women hurriedly 

 drawing their handkerchiefs over their faces, and 

 the children hiding their heads in their mothers' 

 lap, and screaming " Ghiours ! Ghiours !" Good- 

 humour was restored, however, when with blunder- 

 ing familiarity we bade them welcome (" Khosh 

 Geldun! 1 ') instead of waiting according to eti- 

 quette for their salutation first, which amused the 

 master of the house amazingly. This good im- 

 pression we followed up by the exhibition of the 

 sextant and pocket compass, amid sundry excla- 

 mations of " Chok Marrofat !" (very wonderful) 

 with the usual outward sign of admiration in the 

 east, the slow raising and pressing of the points 

 of the fingers of the right hand on the lips, which, 



