Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Among the Mohammedans and Kurds at Ararat. The Rev. N. F. Hoijer - Over Mount Alagats - Among Wild Kurds
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
174 Among the MoJiammedans and Kurds
then you may continue your trip tomorrow, but do not go to yon
mountain!" I felt sorry that 1 had to decline such a friendly offer,
but continued my way. The old man shook his head and said: "You
do not know what you are doing, stranger!"
Towards evening I came to a place where the Kurds were living.
The mountain consists of a soft kind of stone and in this the Kurds
have dug out their caves. One can, therefore, say that every dwelling
is a fortress. When the Kurds saw the lonely rider, they gathered
near their dwellings and they engaged in a lively conversation. They
decided to set their dogs on me. These were very much like wolves in
color, size and shape. These dogs have been so trained that if they
are set on some one by their masters, be it a man afoot or on horse-
back, they are sure to take him prisoner. I knew this because of my
former experience with them. I shouted therefore in a commanding
tone in Russian. "Derzhite vashikh soback!" (Call back your dogs!)
To my great astonishment the dogs were called back at once. The
Kurds thought certainly that I was a Cossack officer. I had a broad
Asiatic gabardine which covered my garments and I wore a sheepskin
cap like the one worn by Cossacks. They certainly thought that I
had a whole Cossack company behind me and so I was allowed to pass
on.
After riding a few hours more I struck upon another Kurdish colony.
The same experience was repeated here. The Kurds set their fierce
dogs on me and I shouted again so that the echo sounded through the
mountains: "Call back your dogs!" and again the Kurds called back
their dogs.
Among Wild Kurds
It was late at night and I had reached a considerable height in
the mountain. There were masses of snow and the moon shed its pale
light on the mountain scenery. The light of moon and stars made
the snow sparkle like a mass of diamonds. My thought was drawn to
my old home and I wondered if I would ever see my dear ones again.
I resolved to ride all night, if the Kurds did not take me prisoner.
With such meditations I came to a third encampment of Kurds, larger
than those I had passed. There was manifest a general interest in
the lonely rider and the men seemed to be gathering for conference.
To my astonishment they did not set their dogs on me. This was
rather disappointing, because I began to wish eagerly for some change
in the situation. It became colder and colder and the snow deepened
and there were packs of hungry wolves roving in those wild moun-
tains. If the Kurds were to arrest me, I could at least make myself
understood with a few words and possibly, after all, I could be met
in a friendly way. But it would be useless to talk to wolves. If I
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
