my seat. His belly was
swollen and covered with clotted blood, from their bites. The hadji's mule
began to show symptoms of illness, and we had great difficulty in keeping
it on its legs. Mr. Harrison bled it in the mouth, as a last resource, and
during the afternoon it partly recovered.

An hour before sunset we reached Ilguen, a town on the plain, at the foot
of one of the spurs of Emir Dagh. To the west of it there is a lake of
considerable size, which receives the streams that flow through the town
and water its fertile gardens. We passed through the town and pitched our
tent upon a beautiful grassy meadow. Our customary pipe of refreshment was
never more heartily enjoyed than at this place. Behind us was a barren
hill, at the foot of which was a natural hot bath, wherein a number of
women and children were amusing themselves. The afternoon heat had passed
away, the air was calm, sweet, and tempered with the freshness of coming
evening, and the long shadows of the hills, creeping over the meadows, had
almost reached the town. Beyond the line of sycamore, poplar and fig-trees
that shaded the gardens of Ilguen, rose the distant chain of Allah Dagh,
and in the pale-blue sky, not far above it, the dim face of the gibbous
moon showed like the ghost of a planet. Our horses were feeding on the
green meadow; an old Turk sat beside us, silent with fasting, and there
was no sound but the shouts of the children in the bath. Such hours as
these, after a day's journey made in the drowsy heat of an Eastern summer,
are indescribably grateful.

After the women had retired from the bath, we were allowed to enter. The
interior consisted of a single chamber, thirty feet high, vaulted and
almost dark. In the centre was a large basin of hot water, filled by four
streams which poured into it. A ledge ran around the sides, and niches in
the wall supplied places for our clothes. The bath-keeper furnished us
with towels, and we undressed and plunged in. The water was agreeably warm
(about 90 deg.), had a sweet taste, and a very slight sulphury smell. The
vaulted hall redoubled the slightest noise, and a shaven Turk, who kept us
company, sang in his delight, that he might hear the echo of his own
voice. When we went back to the tent we found our visitor lying on the
ground, trying to stay his hunger. It was rather too bad in us to light
our pipes, make a sherbet and drink and smoke in his face, while we joked
him about the Ramazan; and he at