556 
COURDISH VILLAGERS. 
them pass, retreat, and approach again. At last I observed 
even through the darkness, the blacker form of a man warily 
passing the little aperture opposite my sleeping place, which 
opened into the body of the tent; he then cautiously approached 
the slender matting that was its partition, and after a moment’s 
pause, suddenly pushed his head between the canvas roof and 
that wall of rushes. In doing this, the latter gave way, and laid 
my quarters quite open. The figure instantly made some quick 
movement, probably recovering himself from falling forward, 
which I, construing into an immediate attack on myself, as in¬ 
stantly met by a discharge of one of my pistols; those weapons, 
in these countries, being the most essential part of a man’s pillow. 
The report roused the whole village ; and most of the inhabitants 
springing from their beds, as well as my own people, I was soon 
surrounded by a most goodly company, bearing lights, arms, 
and consternation in every countenance. The intruder had 
retreated only a few paces from the spot, and, thank God ! was 
not touched. He proved to have been one of the posted watch¬ 
men ; and had approached, he said, merely from curiosity, “ to 
see how a Frangy slept!” My mehmandar gave him a sharp 
admonition; while 1 could only feel heartily glad, that the in¬ 
trusion of his head had not cost him its brains. The case being 
soon understood, all was immediately silent again ; and after a 
few hours’ more rest, dawn broke, and rising, we prepared for 
departure. 
August 29th. — At six o’clock we set forward, keeping up 
the glen in a general direction N. 80° E. ; and in three quarters 
of an hour scrambled up its steep acclivities to our right, which 
brought us again upon arid downs, marble cliffed and turreted, 
similar to those of yesterday. Having passed them, the road 
