340 
ARZ-ROUM TO AMASIA. 
We rode for five hours through thick woods of pine trees beautifully 
enlightened by the moon, which rose an hour after we had mounted. 
We again stopped, and in a charming valley fed our cattle till morning- 
dawned; when we proceeded, and in four hours reached the village of 
Isker Sou. From the general direction of our road, we averaged proba¬ 
bly about N. TO W. on a distance which might be twenty-seven miles. 
Three hours before we reached Isker Sou is the large village of Kizzil 
Javer an, high on the mountain on the left; and afterwards on both sides 
a number of villages, the small wooden houses of which are scattered 
unconnectedly in various directions on the declivities and summits of 
the hills. The people build their houses entirely of wood, laying trunks 
of the pine trees horizontally one over another, and fitting their extre¬ 
mities at the angles by notches and holes. About five miles from Isker 
Sou, on the left of the road, is a rock completely insulated among green 
fields. The substance is a hard grey granite, in which is excavated, 
certainly with great labour, a chamber nine feet square, with a seat and 
two recesses. On the left of the inside on entering is a figure, which, 
from its resemblance to a Cross, induced me to suppose that the spot, 
in which it appeared, had been the retreat of some of the primitive 
Christians. 
Our Bosnian Quixote had been missing since the preceding evening; 
and we felt a general apprehension that he had fallen a prey to the 
Turks, who warned us from their pasture. He was late in preparing to 
follow us, was encumbered with two horses, and with trappings so nu¬ 
merous, that notwithstanding his warlike appearance he would have 
presented an easy conquest to any attack; above all, he was known to 
carry much gold. But his life was in fact uninjured, and he rejoined 
us in a subsequent part of our route. The poor creature was now and 
then wont to sing some of his patriotic songs, which are of a peculiarly 
doleful and melancholy harmony; and every time he begun his lay it 
happened that rain fell soon after. I unluckily told the Persians, who 
were too credulous and superstitious not to believe me, that the singing 
of the people of Bosnia invariably draws down rain: so that the poor 
