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BELIEF IN THE EVIL EYE 139
these people get away at dawn and do not halt till
late forenoon but here they were camped by the wayside,
their cattle still uncoupled, and no preparation
for setting out apparent. I could not help connecting
these dallying folk with the affair in the town.
They were gathered or halted here in the desire
of securing Armenian plunder, and like others on
the same business had not yet given up hope of
securing it. They could not readily believe that
this time the authorities were in earnest to prevent
massacre. They argued by past experience. But
their patience, I heard afterwards, had met with no
reward.
I wished to photograph one of these picturesque
halted groups, but found the men unwilling— not
hostile, but disliking the camera, and doubting what
the effect of facing it might be. However, they put
their objections aside after drawing revolvers—taking
this course as a precaution, and not with the vain
idea of exhibiting their weapons. Like most people
of the country. Christian as well as Moslem, they
believed in the Evil Eye and the ever-present need
of guarding against its influence. Some think that
blue beads confer the necessary protection, others
have the beads in doubt, and believe the Eye may
be averted or disturbed more effectively by an act
of definite opposition ; all agree, however, that the
fatal thing is to be caught by the Eye unawares.
There is no saying where the Eye may lurk ; but a
camera looks a likely hiding-place, so when I pointed
the apparatus these Circassians fired a few warning
shots, and in this way ensured safety.
During the day's journey my road lay for a good
part over naked undulating uplands in which it had
more of rise than descent. The sun was bright, but
the wind cold. It was a bleak, high-standing, cheerless
country, without sign of dwelling, without so
much as a bush to break the monotonous brown of
coarse sun-dried grass. About noon I came upon a
sight entirely and characteristically Mohammedan.