"Yes; there is a great meeting once a year near London. All the best marksmen attend, and the Queen gives a prize to the best shot."
"Does she give many paras?"
"A great many—several hundred liras."
"Now could one of your best shots hit that cow?" pointing to an animal about 400 yards distant.
"Yes."
"What a marvel!" said the Turk. "Even the Kurds could not do that, and they shoot very well. They manufacture their own powder," he continued, "and very good powder it is too. The powder sold by the permission of our Government is very bad and dear; besides that, a man is only permitted to purchase a very small quantity at a time. There is plenty of sulphur, saltpetre, and charcoal in the mountains, and the Kurds supply themselves."
I afterwards learnt that all the powder which is furnished to the troops in Asia Minor is sent from Constantinople. There is no gunpowder manufactory in this part of Asia Minor. It is a great pity that the Turks have not long ago started an arsenal in the neighbourhood of Erzingan, which could have supplied the troops on the Turko-Russian frontier with cartridges and small-arms. As it is, every cartridge served out to a soldier before Kars costs the Government fifty per cent in addition to its original cost, owing to the difficulties of transport.
"The Pacha at Sivas wrote to me to make your stay at Divriki as pleasant as I could," presently remarked my companion.
"How did you like him?" observed an Armenian who now joined us.
"Very much."