DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4752#0034
24 TURKISH VILLAGE LIFE IN ASIA MINOR
Then Murad got out my blankets, and found in the
Oda a very old and thin mattress, which served to
keep the hard floor from my bones, while a water-
proof spread over it prevented its inhabitants from
reaching my skin. It was now about three hours
since we entered the village, and about two and a
half since any one had spoken. I made my pre-
parations for the night, disrobed myself, performed
my simple ablutions, and got in between the blank-
ets. Everybody gazed, and admired, and won-
dered what should come next. A lighted lamp
hung from the roof. I sat up and blew it out.
Then, at last, the leading magnate of the village
remarked, "Now let us go" {Kshimdi gidclim),
and they left me alone. I think they were a little
chilled and depressed, for, next morning, hardly
any one came to see us breakfast.
Again in 1884, returning to camp after being
detained from it by distance the preceding night,
I was seized with fever, when there was still two
hours' journey before us. As we were near a
village we went into it, and as the Oda was not fit
to use, from some cause or other, I lay down on
the shady side of a wall, while my servant put up
my horse, and then rode off to camp with orders
to bring me a kettle, some tea, and some quinine.
I waited alone ; a score of villagers came and sat
round in a semicircle ; I doubt if any of us moved
Then Murad got out my blankets, and found in the
Oda a very old and thin mattress, which served to
keep the hard floor from my bones, while a water-
proof spread over it prevented its inhabitants from
reaching my skin. It was now about three hours
since we entered the village, and about two and a
half since any one had spoken. I made my pre-
parations for the night, disrobed myself, performed
my simple ablutions, and got in between the blank-
ets. Everybody gazed, and admired, and won-
dered what should come next. A lighted lamp
hung from the roof. I sat up and blew it out.
Then, at last, the leading magnate of the village
remarked, "Now let us go" {Kshimdi gidclim),
and they left me alone. I think they were a little
chilled and depressed, for, next morning, hardly
any one came to see us breakfast.
Again in 1884, returning to camp after being
detained from it by distance the preceding night,
I was seized with fever, when there was still two
hours' journey before us. As we were near a
village we went into it, and as the Oda was not fit
to use, from some cause or other, I lay down on
the shady side of a wall, while my servant put up
my horse, and then rode off to camp with orders
to bring me a kettle, some tea, and some quinine.
I waited alone ; a score of villagers came and sat
round in a semicircle ; I doubt if any of us moved