302 SECOND TOUR IN THE GREAT CAUCASUS. 



After we had arrived at this conclusion, the return- 

 journey was immediately commenced. 



At sunset we again arrived at the pile-built palace 

 and spent another night under its hospitable roof. 

 The next morning we took leave of our princes, and 

 rode back through the valley of Kakhetia. with the 

 intention of travelling across the steppe direct to 

 Kedabeg. As robbers were infesting the neighbourhood, 

 the chief of the district gave us a body-guard com- 

 posed of men. who themselves were not free from 

 suspicion of the robbers' trade. Placed under their 

 friendly protection, we travelled with perfect safety 

 according to the custom of the country. 



The crossing of the broad and rapidly flowing 

 Kur. whose left bank we reached at noon, was attended 

 with some difficulty. We found a single small boat 

 there, which could only carry a few persons, but 

 discovered no oars, which moreover with the rapid 

 current would not have been of much use. The mode 

 of crossing employed by our guides was very inter- 

 esting, and I commend it to the Postmaster General for 



O 7 



his description of the postal service in primitive times. 

 The two best horses were driven into the water until 

 their feet no longer touched the bottom. Then two 



o 



Tartars in the boat laid hold of their tails and had 

 themselves together with the boat and a few passengers 

 carried over the stream by the swimming horses. 

 When after depositing the passengers the boat had 

 been brought back in the same manner, they carried 

 over a second batch with other horses, and thus it 



