172 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



Through a low and excessively dark subterranean 

 passage-way, leading from the ground-floor of the 

 Yuzbashi's house, we passed sharply up and out into 

 the light and air, thence to a flight of rough stone steps 

 which led upwards to a cultivated rocky ledge high on 

 the face of a cliff. The earth had all been transported 

 in basketfuls ! Throughout Daghestan the natives 

 act exactly as the land had though ground value of 

 Piccadilly, and much prefer these laboriously con- 

 structed gardens to the more easily-come-by areas of 

 excellent loam which lie here and there for the hoeing. 

 I thought, maybe, it was a desire to catch every ray 

 of the short-lived sun which popularized these lofty 

 patches, but no, — it was just old-time custom. 



In a corner, rotting and dying, was a goodly pile of 

 ibex skulls, evidences of an eaten army. Two or three 

 of the heads were record breakers, as we ascertained by 

 the tape, slain, too, by the primitive muzzle-loaders 

 of the place, quaintly constructed pieces with the 

 shortest of short stocks and longest of long barrels. 

 And we think ourselves so clever with our Mannlichers 

 and our methods ! 



Our generous friend, willing and anxious to play 

 beneficent provider, could not understand us at all 

 when we refused the pick of the bunch. Perhaps Ali 

 made things a trifle plainer by explaining that all 

 Franks are mad, and this particular lot of Franks 

 madder than most. 



Unlike the African natives, who call every bit of old 

 gas piping sight withs set on it " rifle," these big 

 mountain men envied us our weapons not at all. 



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