travel in these mountain districts of Kurdistan would, I feel sure, well repay the antiquary.

Were I to describe fully each day of our four weeks' journey in Kurdistan, I should use up all the available space at my disposal, and yet fail by a long

spell to bring my narrative to the end of my journey. The day of leaving Siama we reached Bana, a picturesque little town nestling at the foot of high mountains in a circular valley. Here the same hospitality as I have recorded elsewhere was shown me, and under the guidance of the governor, a pleasant

young Kurd, some sports were got up for my amusement, and the afternoon was given up to dancing, partridge-fighting, and shooting at targets, at the latter of which the natives are most proficient. But what to me was the most curious of all the sights of Bana were the gunsmiths, who from raw iron imported from Russia, and without any machinery, can turn out by hand really excellent Martini rifles, firing regulation ammunition; and these they can sell at from £2, 10s. to £4 sterling! I sat for a long time watching these men at work, and one could not help admiring their dexterity and the skill with which they manufactured and fitted all the parts of the rifle, which when completed bore not only every resemblance to the real article, but even the stamps of the Prussian and Turkish firms that manufacture them. This art is entirely self-taught, and originated absolutely from copying the genuine article. That the rifled barrels are capable of good direction I can answer myself, as I was witness to some really excellent shooting at 200 to 400 yards with these same hand-made weapons.

Here, again, at Bana all idea of pushing into Turkish Kurdistan was quickly at an end, for at the time of my stay in the little town a large body of influential Kurds were there from over the frontier to try and arrange a settlement of the interminable

feuds that existed amongst the tribes, and they pointed out to me once for all how dangerous any attempt to push through during the absence of the chief men would be. There remained only to once more abandon my idea, and proceed on my travels farther into Persian territory.

234

CHAPTER XI.

BANA TO KERMANSHAH.

I HAVE divided my travels in Persian Kurdistan into two portions, not only because as one chapter its length would have been excessive, but also because after leaving Bana, although our travels were still for some time to be amongst Kurds, we left the independent tribes behind, and entered upon an entirely different class of people. The Kurd seems greatly susceptible to extraneous influences, and in the case of Persia the influences of the reigning Power are by no means elevating ones. The short journey of a couple of days between Bana and Sakiz showed us the transition between the Kurd of the highlands, an independent, hospitable, and kindly warrior, and his brother of the country more accessible to Persian officials. Here we found a class of people debased in life, ideas, and morality, aping the Persian in dress and character, and suffering hardships at the hands of Persian officialdom.