TOUR TO CIBELDA. 289 



native of Western Europe. A small military expedition 

 for the purpose of taking us to the metallic beds was 

 therefore equipped, under the command of a young 

 Russian captain, who had superintended the exodus 

 of the population of Cibelda. 



Sukhum-Kale, i. e. the "Sukhum fortress", lies 

 very picturesquely on a small rocky bay at the foot 

 of the lofty ring of mountains girding Elbrus. Its 

 environment is entrancingly beautiful, above all by its 

 vegetation, whose luxuriance defies all description. 

 In the place itself my admiration was excited by a 

 long avenue of weeping willows, the height of which 

 vied with that of our loftiest forest-trees, their massy 

 branches hanging down from the dome -like tops to 

 the ground. Unfortunately this splendid avenue fell 

 in the year 1877 a sacrifice to the Russo -Turkish war. 

 The way taken by our well-mounted expedition led 

 immediately behind the town up the valley of a small 

 mountain stream studded throughout with magnificent 

 trees. It struck me that the mighty oaks and chestnuts 

 frequently, especially in sunny places, had a perfectly 

 brown envelope, which shut out all sight of green leaves. 

 This was owing to the wild hops, which covered them 

 to the very summits, and gave them this hue through 

 their large ripe umbels. As I knew the great value 

 of the hop, I proposed to General Heymann on our 

 return to have these hops gathered by his soldiers, 

 and sent as samples for examination to Germany. The 

 general did so, but the trial, as I may as well state 



at once, unfortunately proved unfavourable. It was 



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