K AIR AN. 
273 
in the very teeth of the tempest. Having descended their 
slippery sides at the risk of broken bones at least, for still 
nothing could be distinguished far before our horses’ feet, 
we found ourselves in another part of the Deerzy valley, 
and again on the margin of that river, which had taken as 
winding a circuit as ourselves. Journeying on, we passed a 
caravansary fallen into ruin from disuse, and the crumbling walls 
of an old deserted village. At this point, the road struck off 
north-east, between low hills; and, in an hour more, we arrived 
at Kairan, a pretty village, situated on a gentle slope, surrounded 
by gardens, and watered by a small stream called the Kara- 
kairan. Wet and frozen, I gladly saw the open gates, and 
hurried to the refuge of a roof and comfortable fire. 
In most of the village-houses, which had been my quarters 
during this winter-journey, I had found a regular hearth for 
whatever kind of fuel the family were accustomed to burn ; 
but in some, where the fire-place had been omitted, a very 
sorry expedient presented itself, in the shape of a large jar, 
called a kourcy, which is sunk in the earth, generally in the 
middle of the room, with its mouth on a level with the floor. 
This, the people fill with wood, dung, or any other combustible; 
and when it is sufficiently chared, the mouth of the vessel is 
shut in, with a square wooden frame, shaped like a low table. 
The whole is then covered with a thick wadded quilt; under 
which the family, ranged round, place their knees, to allow the 
hot vapour to insinuate itself into every fold of their clothing. 
When very cold, they draw the borders of the quilt up as high as 
their chins, and form a group, something resembling our ideas 
of a wizard incantation. This mode of warming is very dis¬ 
agreeable, and often dangerous. In the first place, the immove- 
VOL. i. 
N N 
