acrossasiaminoro00chiluoft

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132 ACROSS ASIA MINOR ON FOOT
khan more quickly. A very simple explanation
awaited me. The traveller's dog was chasing fowls
the traveller himself swearing at the dog; and the
Armenian ^'^ayt-keeper and his man, seemingly torn
between hope of compensation and doubt of exacting
it, were obstructing first the dog and next
the fowls—at least so they appeared to be doing.
After securino- his dog: the traveller told me he
was from Sivas, where for two years he had been
the only Englishman in a dismal city. But fair
shooting could be got in the disti'ict, he added, and
he was a sportsman, and his dog so much a sporting
dog that it killed birds at sight.
The day's work after leaving Chiftlik Khan was
to cross Chamli Bel, the highest pass but one ou the
journey. It is about 6000 feet in height, and on it
snow comes early and lies deep and stays late. Of
Chamli Bel I had heard many travellers speak with
respect. But on the whole mountain-range not a
streak of snow could be seen this morning as I
crossed the plain in deep dust and sweltering heat,
wondering which valley the road would take, which
saddle was that of the pass.
Speculations like these are among the pleasures
of unknown roads in this land of many mountainranges.
At least it is so for a pedestrian, whose
view ahead is always open, whose pace is leisurely,
whose mind therefore is chiefly occupied with what
he looks upon. From the summit of a pass you
see a far-off range of blue mountains lying athwart
your line of route. You will reach it to-morrow
you know. But between you and it lie valleys and
hills and perhaps small plains to be crossed. You
descend from the pass and get into the undulating
country below, and for a while lose sight of the
distant mountain-range. Then perhaps from a hill,
or through a depression of the intervening heights,
the range comes into view again ; nearer to you now,
and greater, and more distinct, and more blue—
vivid suggestive blue that makes the range a barrier