652 
PASS OF SAGANLOO. 
tattered, and with aspects as like gibbet-birds, as any which fol¬ 
lowed the “ old knight of the castle” to the field of Tewksbury. 
Indeed, I did not doubt, that though these might not have 
performed the slight-of-hand manoeuvres so dexterously as some 
of honest Sir John’s elite , they were just as ready to cut a 
throat, as a purse; or, when seriously opposed, to run away, as 
the best of them ; though with the additional fundamentals of 
character, that robbery and murder have most likely been the 
calling of their race, from time immemorial. On these grounds, 
I confess to viewing them rather suspiciously ; but our Janis¬ 
sary seeming perfectly satisfied, I could not be otherwise, and 
so with such sorry defenders we moved forward to brave the 
dangers of the “ fatal Pass of Saganloothat being its name 
in the country. Our road lay nearly in the same direction as 
yesterday; and still on the fertile, populous plain, till after an 
hour and half’s riding, we reached its western boundary, and 
there commenced the dreaded vale ! At that spot, my band of 
mercenaries sat down and loaded their pieces ; and I verily believe 
the contents of one powder-horn supplied them all. In short, 
I remarked enough, to be sure that if any thing of real alarm 
should happen, I must not rely on them for defenders. This 
wary operation achieved, Ahmed Aga marshalled our force, and 
getting us into pretty close order, we set forward. 
The scene we entered presented the magnificent of nature to 
the highest degree ; — a long winding valley, ascending amongst 
the steeps of bold, craggy, and picturesque mountains, open¬ 
ing into narrow, deep, and endless defiles ; while their over¬ 
hanging, or receding brows, and vast irregular sides, were every 
where covered with forests of lofty fir-trees ; at some points 
towering aloft in thick interminable woods, in others pendent 
