PEASANT WOMEN. 177 



venience to the wife of our host, from the 

 proximity of the hovel to the tent in which she 

 was living. She never once quitted it after our 

 arrival, and when anything was required of her 

 by Nicolo during the day, she remained concealed, 

 except her hands and arms thrust out of the 

 door of the tent, holding the bowl of milk, yaoot, 

 or whatever was required, until it was taken 

 from her by some of her children, as Nicolo did 

 not dare to approach so near. There appear to be 

 two classes or tribes amongst the peasantry, whose 

 habits of life and mode of living are in most 

 matters the same, but with whom the female part 

 act very differently towards strangers. The one 

 which is by far the larger body, rigidly adhere to 

 the Oriental custom of excluding females en- 

 tirely from the gaze of any one but their own 

 domestic circle ; whilst the women of the other 

 do not veil, and freely converse with the men. 

 We could never learn from our guides or ser- 

 vants, that they were distinguished by different 

 names. The Urooks, however, appear to be of 

 the latter class. 



" April 7 th. — We early relieve the hostess from 

 her imprisonment, by starting to return down 

 the east side of the valley ; as I hear of no- 



N 



