acrossasiaminoro00chiluoft

112 ACROSS ASIA MINOR ON FOOT
travellers came in dusty avahas — men dressed in
black in European style, except for the scarlet fez
which signifies an Ottoman subject ; and Armenian
women not so European in their garments. A body
of troops in khaki, doubtful visitors at first glance,
presently marched in to be billeted. But on a
closer view they were reassuring ; they were clean,
they were shaven, they knew how to wear the
uniform and wind their puttees. Judged by face
and bearing and physique, one would have said
they
had the making of excellent soldiers. In their new
uniforms, picturesque hashluks, and brown sandalshoes
with upturned pointed toes, they w^ere as smart
and well-set-up a body of men as one could wish to
look upon. And then to my surprise I presently
found they were Armenians. Just what enemy they
would have been content to fight against was not at
all clear— one could not well imagine them fighting
whole-heartedly for the Ottoman State with which
their race is at bitter variance ; and yet at various
times, and that even recently, Armenian troops have
fought well for the Turkish Empire. But these men
appeared to be satisfied, and were in the highest
spirits^ though on watching them I thought their
contentment only of the moment. Like me, it
seemed, having fallen into pleasant quarters, they
wefe on good terms with themselves and every one
else, and could live each day as it came.
Above the low roof opposite to me as I sat on the
balcony, I could see the castle high on its rugged
crag, with a tall white minaret standing out sharply
against the background of dark rock. There were
glimpses of grape vines climbing over red roofs.
Doves fluttered in the Ma?i-yard among men and
vehicles and horses. On this hot windless afternoon,
the town seemed to sleep among its hills under a blue
sky. Life, one thought, must go very pleasantly here.
As I took in these impressions to me appeared the
Mrt?i-keeper, the purpose of whose coming was to ask
about food. The cook-shops of Tokat, he said, were