[15] In Consul Brant’s time (1838) Khinis belonged to the pashalik of Mush, and was supposed to contain no more than 130 houses. It is described as “a most wretched town” (op. cit. p. 345). [↑]
[16] I have decided, after all, not to reproduce this photograph. [↑]
[17] It is interesting to compare Brant’s account of Kulli in 1838. His words are:—“It formerly contained a great many Armenian families. I was told that 200 emigrated to Georgia, and only about 15 Mohammedan families now reside among extensive ruins” (op. cit. p. 344). In 1893 the transformation has been completed, and Kulli has become a Kurdish village. The successive steps of the process, which is of general application, may be defined as follows:
1. Emigration or disappearance of Armenians (friends of Turkey make excuses).
2. Lapse into barbarism: enrolment of Hamidiyeh (friends of Turkey exult).
3. Standing nuisance at the doors of Russia (a heavy calm).
4. Russian conquest (Turkey disappears, her friends having preceded her). [↑]
[18] See Ritter (Erdkunde, vol. x. pp. 390 seq.), and Brant (op. cit. p. 341). Hamilton (Researches in Asia Minor, etc., London, 1842, vol. i. p. 185) throws doubt upon the popular belief that this and similar castles were built by the Genoese; but I know not upon what foundation he may have based his scepticism. [↑]
[19] Which, by the way, is, I believe, made in England out of cloth. Quousque tandem! [↑]
[20] I will again cite Brant’s account, written in 1838:—“The greater portion of the Armenian peasantry emigrated into Georgia when the Russian army evacuated Turkey, after the peace of Adrianople; in consequence of which emigration, the population of the villages has been much diminished, and there is a great deal of ground uncultivated for want of hands” (op. cit. p. 341). [↑]