ere girded about
them, slashing furiously with their daggers, to cut the straps of their
guns and pistols. The turbans were torn from their heads, and
appropriated among the rabble. Similar violence was about to be shown
us, when these operations were suddenly interrupted by the appearance,
from the castle, of Melul Agha.

"He was a man taller by several inches than any of his tribe, and with
an expression of face which was that of one accustomed to be obeyed, He
was dressed in a more elegant style than could have been expected in
these mountains; wearing upon his head a turban of gray silk, and a long
rifle slung from his shoulders. With a melo-dramatic wave of his hand,
which was at once obeyed, he motioned his noisy tribe to desist, and,
approaching us, pointed out a tree, a few hundred feet up the hill, to
which we might retire. As we moved alone toward this spot, a grim
suspicion of his intentions crossed our minds. Might it not be for
convenience in dispatching us, that we had been removed? We seated
ourselves quietly in the shade, and watched the proceedings. The
property of the muleteers and donkey-drivers had been unloaded and
placed by itself. One of our loads had been thrown from the mule, and
the other was now brought near us, taken from the animal, and laid under
a neighboring tree. Mr. Marsh now went down toward the castle to assist
Khudhr in bringing the rest of our property toward the tree. This done,
Khudhr returned to the crowd to learn what he could of their intentions.
He soon came back to us in evident terror, and said, with a significant
motion of his hand, that they were intending to kill us."

After sending the servant a second time, he came back with the
announcement that the Agha would examine their baggage, take what he
pleased, and send them on to another Agha; but would not allow them to
return to Mosul.

This examination was soon made, and the party was plundered of one
thousand piasters, (forty-four dollars,) besides razors, knives, and a
quantity of clothing.

The whole affair was conducted with a politeness of manner which was
highly creditable to the Agha, and calculated to put us very much at our
ease. He showed himself, in every thing,

----"As mild a mannered man
As ever scuttled ship, or cut a throat"

For instance, in searching our trunk, his eye was caught by a small,
sealed parcel, which I supposed to contain jewelry; I immediately told
him, through a servant, t