An altar in one of them was profusely decorated with gold and other ornaments. It was erected to the memory of the four martyrs of Sivas who were torn to pieces by the Pagans about 1500 years ago. It is said that our Saviour shortly afterwards appeared to the inhabitants of the town in the form of a bird, and alighted upon a large stone near the place where the four Christians had been murdered. The stone was subsequently taken to the monastery, and this altar had been erected upon it. In another chapel, there was a picture of one of the kings of Armenia in the act of being consecrated by an archbishop of Sivas. The holy father who called my attention to this picture pointed to the suppliant form of the king, who was kneeling before a priest, and to a monk who was writing the date of the coronation on a scroll of parchment, and looking down upon the sovereign. "Things are very different to what they were then," remarked the priest. "In those days even kings had to obey the holy Church. They do not think anything of us now," he added, with a sigh; "instead of giving presents to the Church, they take away from it the few privileges and the little wealth it has left." "Have you any privileges belonging to your order?" I asked. "Only one; we have not to pay any duty upon salt, and I suppose that even this slight exemption from taxation will be taken away from us ere long." A throne belonging to a former king of Armenia was next produced. It was made of ebony, and in form much resembled a shut-up garden-chair, but one of gigantic dimensions. The sovereign for whom this throne had been made, died several hundred years ago at Sivas. The worthy fathers differed a few hundred years as to the date of the monarch's decease, and so it is impossible for me to give it. His bones were taken to Van, and interred there; however, his sons reigned for many years afterwards, and held their court at Sivas. "Our nation has had a great many reverses," said the bishop; "but who knows what is in store for us?" "We do not want any Russian rulers!" said an old Armenian merchant. "When I was a child," he continued, "the Russians made war upon the Persians. A general, second in command of the Russian forces, was an Armenian. The head of our Church helped the Russians, and 25,000 Armenians were levied to aid them in the war against the Shah. The Persian army was annihilated; twenty-five cities were destroyed; the invading forces advanced towards Teheran. The Shah then made a treaty with Russia." "What has that got to do with your dislike of the Russians?" I inquired. "Listen!" said the old man. "After the war was over, the Russian chief was alarmed lest the Armenian general, who was a very skilful officer, might make himself King of Armenia. He accused him of treason, had his eyes taken out, and sent him a prisoner to Russia."[18]