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100 liant moon lighted them on their way, or it would have been impossible to advance along the dangerous path, which led them over loose stones, amidst fallen masses of rock, and by the brink of precipices, at whose foot roared and splashed, in a succession of cascades, a furious mountain stream. Their sure-footed beasts scrambled for a while, like izardslizards [sic], over the slippery rocks; then heavy clouds covered the moon, and they were obliged to halt and remain motionless till daylight. A few steps, taken in the darkness, might have consigned them to a horrible death. With the dawn they pushed forwards, mountains on every side, a snowy peak in the background. They were in the heart of the pass of Ali-Bag. They moved on for three hours and a half, " A short distance before reach- ing the plateau, we remarked in seve- ral places small spots of blood, which at first no one heeded, for they might have been left by some horse or mule that had injured itself against a stone. Soon, however, we came to a place which was covered with large blood- stains. This sight filled us with great horror. With anxious glances we sought the cause of these ominous traces, and presently discovered, in the depths below, two human bodies. One of these hung scarcely a hundred feet below us, on a projection of the cliff; the other had rolled further down, and was half hidden by a rock. We hurried as fast as pos- sible from this frightful scene of murder ; many days elapsed before I could prevent my memory from dwelling on it." This tragical inci- dent occurred within a short distance of Ravandus, a little town on the top of an isolated rock, with mountains all around. Madame Pfeiflfer had hoped to find there something like civilisation, and some of the comforts of which she stood greatly in need after her fatiguing six days 1 march. Disappointment awaited her. AH conducted her to Mansur, the mer- chant to whom she had a letter of introduction from the English vice- consul. Mansur, who was the first merchant in the place, was seated in a dark den, and took a quarter of an hour to read the few lines she pre- sented to him. Then he said Salam meaning, " thou art welcome," and repeated it many times ; and gave her a breakfast of bread, sheep's milk cheese, and melons, all mingled together. Conversation was impos- sible, save by signs he speaking no European, she no Asiatic languages. He made her understand that, being a bachelor, he could not receive her into his house, but he would take her to that of one of his relatives. There she vainly sought a quiet place for a change of dress and much needed ablution. She was hunted from nook to nook by the inquisitive ladies of Ravandns ; she found every room filthy, and trembled for fear of scor- pionsher constant bugbear, although during her whole travels she never saw but two specimens of that ob- noxious creeping thing. How gladly would she have taken a bath ! A woman offered to prepare one ; boiled water, and bade her follow into the cowhouse. There she was to stand upon a stone, and have the hot water poured over her, whilst the entire female community stood around to witness the operation. She preferred remaining unbathed. Poor Mansur did what he could, but that was not much ; Ravandus is a place of little resource. He took care that she was well fed, according to the savage notions of that country, where the bill of fare is extremely limited, and the cookery far from delicate. And he did his best to find a caravan with which she might continue her journey. After four days' waiting, Ali came to her with the joyful intelligence that he was going seventy miles further with a load of goods. Mansur filled her wallet with provisions, gave her a letter to a Persian friend of his, through whose residence she was to pass, and the next day at sunset she was again upon the road. A very strong interest runs through the whole of that portion of Madame Pfeiffer's third volume which com- prises her journey from Mossul to the Russian frontier. In every page there is something to amuse or to wonder at. It seems inconceivable that she should have passed safely through such a climate and country, through such Avild people and count- less perils. Her having done so is attributable to coolness, judgment,