"Do you believe that there are many Russian agents in the neighbourhood?" I inquired.
"Undoubtedly; particularly at Erzeroum, and there they intrigue with the Armenian clergy. In the other towns the Armenians will not have much to say to them. The Russians are more unpopular near the frontier of the two empires than elsewhere. We are spoken of very harshly in Europe," continued the Caimacan. "The massacres in Bulgaria were very horrible, but they were the work of a few fanatics, and brought about by Russian instigation. It is hard upon us for people to judge of the entire Turkish nation by the misdeeds of a few Circassians."
My host insisted upon seeing me off, and the following morning we walked down to the narrow wooden bridge which spans the Euphrates—here about forty yards wide.
After crossing the river, our course lay across the Hasta Dagh (mountain). Presently we came to a glacier. The frozen surface extended for at least one hundred yards. The incline was steeper than the roof of an average English house.
How was this to be passed? Radford looked at Mohammed. The latter gave a grunt.
"What do you think of it, Mohammed?" I asked.
"Effendi, we shall go down very fast. If the Lord wills it, we shall not break our bones."
"If we do not take this route," said the guide, "we must make a détour for at least two hours. I think the horses can manage it, Effendi."
"Very well," I said, "you can try."
The guide rode his horse to the glacier. The poor animal trembled when he reached the brink.