Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/265

Rh eminence on which we stood we conld also see Kalaat Koomri, the residence of the Emeer of Berwari while directly at our feet was the small Nestorian village of Hayyis.

Berwari is inhabited by Coords and Nestorians, the latter occupy fifteen villages containing about 200 families, with ten churches and as many priests, under the episcopal jurisdiction of Mar Yeshua-yau (whom Ainsworth incorrectly calls "Ishiyah.") The Romanists have not as yet penetrated thus far, nevertheless the Nestorian population in this district, like that of the Supna, is fast decreasing, owing to the tyranny of the Coords and the cruelties practised upon them by Abd-ool-Samid Beg the Emeer. Some additional remarks on the state of the Christians in Berwari will be found in the narrative of my second visit to these parts made in the spring of 1850.

After crossing the Gabet Nerk, which bounds the valley beyond Hayyis, we descended into a pretty meadow called Suaret Shukoorli, to the north of which rose another high hill which we traversed before reaching the two small Nestorian villages called Mâya and Derishk. Mâya lay in our way, and gladly would we have put up there for the night, but our guards bade us trudge onwards. Yielding to their prejudices we continued our journey by the side of a stream lined with poplars, and in one hour reached the large Coordish village of Bedu, situated at the extremity of a high and craggy range of hills and commanded by several forts. Bedu is the nearest village to the Tyari, and forms the limit of Mohammed Pasha's jurisdiction in this direction. It was some time before we could be accommodated with lodgings; but in the course of an hour a barn was cleared out for us, when one and all of the party gathered round a smoky fire to warm ourselves and dry our clothes which were wet through with the snow that had fallen during the day. In the course of the evening, and after they had been refreshed with a hearty supper, the guards began to sing for my amusement and their own. The subject was one of pastoral love and romantic chivalry, and the tones of the performers though wild were extremely sweet and pathetic. The song was kept up by two only, but the whole company joined in the chorus. Ever and anon my thoughts would wander to the Christians who dwelt among the fastnesses of the everlasting hills before me