214 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



the^next post-station came at the end of another 

 fourteen. 



If a change of horses could be effected as speedily as 

 the versts are covered posting would rank as one of the 

 quickest methods of systematic locomotion, for the 

 animals gallop when on the straight the whole time. 

 They wear no blinkers, and understand the shouted 

 words of the yamschik in almost human fashion. 

 These rough Jehus have the quaintest way of stopping 

 the rushing steeds, " Purr ! Purr ! Purr ! " rolling 

 the "r's " prettily. A much more taking method than 

 our harsh " Woa ! Woa ! " 



A ruinous little place, Mtsket, the famous one-time 

 capital of Georgia. Here the waters of the Aragva, 

 Strabo's Aragon, join those of the Kura. 



Mtsket claims to be as old as any city in the world, 

 and I don't see how the contention can ever be con- 

 clusively disproved. When you go grovelling in the 

 vasty recesses of all time, things are apt to get a little 

 beyond even the explanatory powers of the tradition- 

 smashing historian. So Mtsket, with the confidence of 

 invincibility, dates itself back to the day of its chosen 

 founder, Mtsketos, great-great -great-grandson of Noah! 

 In this valley of the Aragva the hero lived, and here, 

 we suppose, he died. No, we did not see his tomb- 

 stone. That will be " discovered " and all in readiness 

 when we " follow the man from Cook's." 



Compared with hoary Mtsket, Tiflis, dating only from 

 A.D. 380, is as an American town, the mushroom of a 

 night. 



All along the soft rocky sides of the Kura we noticed 



