'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎99] (148/905)

CHAP. V.]
SOCIAL STATE OF THE PEOPLE.
99
we know from Kinneir and others, that they are still made in
that city. The Armenians are exceedingly fond of foreign
commerce and home trade, both of which are prosecuted with
such success, that even the Jews are in many instances driven
out of the field of competition. We find the industrious
Armenians scattered over Arabia, Persia, and even the greater
part of India in pursuit of gain.
In the healthy territory of Armenia, we meet with fine- Pliability of
looking peasants, of a powerful and robust frame, but rather character -
dull and heavy in disposition. The people possess more of
the passive and enduring than of the active qualities; and as
the Armenian is generally without any fixed character of his
own, he, from habit, moulds himself to that of his master or
ruler, whoever that may happen to be. Consequently we
find him in turn become Turk, Persian, Russian, or Kurd,
according to the circumstances in which he happens to be
placed.
The Armenians have been described as brave, 1 a quality,
however, which has long since passed from them; and we do
not find that the people of this country have distinguished
themselves in war since the days of Armenac, having been
from that time either subject to other nations, or distracted
by internal divisions.
They are now a commercial and agricultural people; well Their dweiibg-
clad, abundantly fed, and possessing sheep, cattle, and fine house *'
horses in great abundance. They live in warm and substan
tial houses, which are usually made of logs of trees, deeply
covered with earth, and generally consisting of four or five
apartments connected with each other. Two of these are
allotted for the animals, and the remainder for the members
of the family, who are commonly very numerous. A large
portion of the building is formed by excavating the side of a
hill, and in such situations the villages or hamlets are almost
invariably placed. The towns are Van, Erivan, Nakhchevan,
Kars, Bayazid, Bitlis, Amadiyah, Mush, Se'rt, and Diyar
Bekr (Tigranocerta).
1 In former times, they were esteemed expert and brave soldiers.—Marsdeu's
Marco Polo, p. 41.
O 2