i88 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



aged limbs were chilled, and bears he never liked ; he 

 had never bargained for hunting bears. The Prophet 

 knew that he had never engaged to shoot bears with 

 us. We couldn't help laughing. It was true enough. 

 Ali had never posed as a shikari, the unwonted 

 sport was thrust upon him. Pour moi, I should not 

 care to face any of the bear tribe, either, with nothing 

 but an old matchlock which went off only when it 

 chose. As we laughed, the trouble went from the old 

 man's eyes, and he took a deep draught of the sour 

 milk which hung at his waist in a leaky " bottle," 

 sighed a sigh of complete contentment, and remarked 

 that Allah was great. 



