68 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



thousands of his tribe to Turkey. The best of our new- 

 hunters was a Lesghian, who spent most of his hfe in the 

 mountains, and it would have been better for him if he had 

 spent it all there, for he only came down to the settlements to 

 get vodky, and there he would remain till his last rouble had 

 vanished. 



We had occasion to pass through a village in changing our 

 shooting ground, and once in the village it took us three clear 

 days to get our Russian followers out of it ; baking bread, 

 buying sheep, changing ponies, all in turn were pleaded. At 

 last we were ready, but the Lesghian did not show. When he 

 arrived he was ridiculously drunk ; his drunkenness taking the 

 form of excessive politeness. If either Mrs. Littledale or I 

 spoke to him, off w^ent his cap and he bowed nearly to the 

 ground. Near the village we crossed a river with some difficulty ; 

 directly he saw us well started in the water, back he doubled 

 for the village. I recrossed at once and captured him. I thought 

 it would keep him out of mischief if he led a baggage pony. 

 He objected, pointing out that he was over forty, and that one 

 oi the Russians was a younger man, who ought to lead the 

 pony. I shook my head, and said he was much too young to 

 be trusted, but that, as I was over forty too, I arranged that 

 he and I should lead the pony alternate versts. 



I agreed, at his earnest desire, to let him have my alpen- 

 stock when he had not the pony ; if he said he was tired and sat 

 down I said it was the very thing I was dying to do ; when he 

 wished to carry my field glasses I took a fancy to pack his 

 rifle, and so the farce went on ; Mrs. Littledale was in fits of 

 laughter at us. But he was worth the trouble, and knew more 

 about the habits of the game than all the rest of them put 

 together. Before we camped that night he was himself again^ 

 and he had no other opportunity of breaking out ; once or 

 twice he expressed a wish to go down to look after his bees, and 

 we appealed to his feelings by telling him he was the only 

 trustworthy person in camp, and that Mrs. Littledale would not 

 feel safe were he to leave. Little presents of tea and quinine 



