Some years ago, the chances in these feuds and battles were about even; and had they continued so the writer could not have found it in his heart to advocate the abolition of so ancient and interesting a form of sport, nor would any of the combatants have wished it. It is true that the Christians had usually to face odds in numbers; but they had strong positions to defend, and such a reputation as fighting men, that the Kurds themselves admitted that when you went against the men of Tyari and Tkhuma, it was well to have odds of five to one in numbers on your side. Then, however, each side used old guns of much the same character; flint-locks to wit, with home-made powder and bullets. This, as noted elsewhere, is not the case now; for the Kurds have been equipped with more modern arms. The powder the folk of the mountains manufactured for themselves, being able to get sulphur in plenty in their hills, and burning their own charcoal. Nitre could always be gathered in some caverns where the sheep were folded, but our knowledge of chemistry does not enable us to say exactly how. Bullets were easy to come by, for lead crops out in thick veins in certain gorges, and can be absolutely cut out of the rock in chunks for the purpose. As for the casting, it is wonderful what unsuspected uses there are for a thimble! Nobody dreams of using it hereabouts as an assistance to sewing; but when set in a lump of clay, it makes a very tolerable bullet-mould! One skilful old priest of our acquaintance earned quite a good income by converting muzzle-loaders into "Martinis," which is the general term for any sort of breech-loader. He was a very fair smith, and though his copies of the Martini lock and breech mechanism might not have passed the War Office standard, they were very satisfactory for their owners. Some artists hope to improve the local brand of gunpowder. One of the first questions put to us during our wanderings in the mountain glens was, "Rabbi, is it oak charcoal or walnut that you English use for the making of your gun-medicine?" "Neither, but willow," said we, that piece of unclerical information having somehow stuck in our mind from some old "book of useful knowledge." Hence it would appear that the most unlikely things come in useful at times, for the answer materially increased our prestige. Many a primitive practice and habit goes on in these mountains, but perhaps the most startling to a stranger is the taking of the bath _coram publico_; a custom which is common to both Christians and Kurds. The _rationale_ of the habit is sound enough. Mud floors get damp and unhealthy with the weekly wash, and the much splashing of water that it entails; let it then be done in the open, by the spring or river, where a fire can be lit to heat the water and for the comfort of the bather.