300 SECOND TOUR IN THE GREAT CAUCASUS. 



The large thin flat cakes served not only for food. 

 but also for table-covers and napkins, as well as for 

 cleaning the table -utensils. For us strangers chairs 

 were brought in. When we had seated ourselves upon 

 them, the old prince and his sons after him sprang 

 upon the table, and crouched opposite us with their 

 bread - cloths. Only we guests were provided with 

 knives and forks, the princes ate in true oriental 

 fashion with their fingers. The meal itself was ex- 

 tremely savoury, especially the fillet of shishlik would 

 have created a sensation in the finest Berlin restau- 

 rant. During the meal Kakhetian wine circulated 

 freely in buffalo -horns: it was only rather embar- 

 rassing, that custom required the draining of the 

 horn in honour of every person, whose health was 

 proposed. We Europeans, unaccustomed to such copious 

 drinking, could not long stand that. A second 



destination of the large table in the hall we got to 

 know at night-time; all the beds, both for us and 

 for the princes, were prepared upon it. 



Early in the morning of the following day we set 

 out. and ascended the slope of the great Caucasian 

 chain. Our horses carried us quickly and indefatigably 

 up the rocky way. When it was beginning to get 

 dark, we were almost at our destination and bivouacked 

 on a splendid ridge, at the junction of two mountain- 

 streams. Under the protecting roof of gigantic trees 

 we encamped at a spot, which afforded a wide view 

 over Kakhetia extended at our feet and the mountain- 

 district lying beyond. With surprising skill the prince's 



