TRIP TO VLADIKAVKAZ AND KARBARDA 211 



If you do not require a whole vehicle to yourself, 

 there is a regular service between Tiflis and Vladikavkaz 

 by diligence which carries six persons, not counting 

 driver and conductor. Two first-class individuals 

 contend with the dust which circulates inside the 

 covered omnibus, three second-class ticket-holders 

 have places outside by the driver, and on the principle, 

 I suppose, of the last being first, a "traveUing third" 

 is allotted a perch at the back, free of the fog of 

 grit and penetrating sand. If a fourth-class is ever in- 

 stituted, to what heights of comfort may it not attain ! 



On discovering that the amount of luggage carried 

 free by diligence is fined down to the near thing of 

 three pounds per passenger, we gave up all idea of 

 utilizing this coach. Our rifles, saddles, provisions, 

 etc., weighed more like three hundred. 



Luggage, as we understand the word, is quite 

 impracticable on post-road journeys, and the diffi- 

 culty of securing boxes to the telega, even to be 

 smashed, takes up endless time. Our kit, though of 

 undoubted utility, was hopelessly untidy, and re- 

 sembled nothing so much as the outfit of a Manx 

 fisherman off to the herrings. Long sacks, opening 

 lengthwise, and capacious saddle-bags held all our 

 goods and chattels, a plebeian collection enough to take 

 a-visiting. Only one immaculate dressing-case spoke of 

 civilization, and that, whether its gold- topped bottles 

 broke or not, Cecily clung to through thick and thin, 

 because her husband gave it to her. It was a sort of 

 leathery link between them, and a very tying one. 



Four horses, worse-for-wear, hardy creatures, har- 



