TABRIZ TO ARZ-ROUM. 
313 
plain from E. to W. Three miles from Youngali we came to Cara- 
Klisse, a large village peopled by Gourds and Armenians; and then 
made a circuit to the N. to avoid a swampy road in the centre of the 
plain. We passed through several villages, the inhabitants of which 
seeing the numbers of our company mistook us for one of the fight¬ 
ing parties, and crowded on the tops of their houses at our ap¬ 
proach. Of these places, the principal were named Datte Tape, Kesick , 
and Arnat. 
Turpa Caleb is situated N. 60 W. from Youngali , on a distance of 
about fifteen miles or four hours. It is a larger place than any that we 
had seen since Khoi. The town is scattered on the slope of a conical 
hill, on the top of which is a castle. This the Turks deem impregnable, 
and with justice, if the failure of the late siege be a criterion, though 
the fort seems in every part accessible to cannon. The high mountain 
of Kusse Dagh overlooks the town and attracts continual clouds over 
it. We proceeded warily; and, about a mile before we reached the 
place, halted and sent forwards a man to reconnoitre the appearance 
and dispositions of the people, and to report on the expediency of our 
advance. He returned with the intelligence that we had nothing to 
fear; and we directed our course therefore to the Conac or dwelling of 
the Kiayah, the chief officer of Timur Beg. Here we dismounted, 
and were introduced immediately into a dark room, where twenty 
torpid Turks were indulging themselves in the quiet delights of smoking. 
The Kiayah sat in the corner, but rose when the Mirza entered ; and, 
having said the usual “ Khosh gueldin” (you are welcome,) closed his 
lips and left his guest to display the compliments and insinuative flat¬ 
tery so natural to his nation. The loquaciousness and vivacity of the 
Persian formed an inimitable contrast with the dull and heavy laconism 
of the Turk. 
When we had smoked and drunk coffee, a man came to inform us 
that Timur Beg was ready to receive us. The Mirza and I immedi¬ 
ately proceeded, leaving the rest of our party with the Kiayah. We 
ascended to the castle by a steep and difficult path, and entered it by 
