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acrossasiaminoro00chiluoft

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191<br />

CHAPTER XVIIL<br />

Ighaan begins his duties — Fever at the khan — Seeing Kaisariyeh<br />

— Salutations— Self-conscious Turkish officers— At the Mosque of<br />

Houen—The castle—Dungeons— On the castle tower— The site of<br />

Maxaca— St Basil and Coesarea—Buying in the bazaars— " Another<br />

Englishman has come"—A dinner-party at the khan—A Jew-hater.<br />

I TOOK my gear into Kaisariyeh by araha, and put up<br />

at the Yeni Khan, purposing to spend only two or<br />

three days exploring the city. I was anxious to<br />

get on the road with the pack-horse, and see just<br />

what that form of travelling had in store for me, the<br />

more so that some had predicted trouble.<br />

Ighsan arrived punctually on the day appointed.<br />

He put off his shoes at the door, and kneeling before<br />

me placed my heavily booted feet on his head and<br />

shoulders and embraced my knees.<br />

It was embarrassing,<br />

and I had difficulty in preserving not only my<br />

dignity but also my physical balance, for in raising<br />

my* feet he almost tilted me backwards over the<br />

stool on which I sat. He was promising faithful<br />

service, however, and I would interrupt no rites havingl<br />

that for their purpose, so kept a solemn face<br />

while propping myself ludicrously with one hand.<br />

But again I seemed to find in him cause for serious<br />

misgivings. He mumbled dreadfully, and was inclined<br />

to shed tears. More than ever I had the<br />

picture of him giving out on the road and having<br />

to be nursed. I resolved to feed him well, notwith-

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