338 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



bright light upon the wild countenances, manly fig- 

 ures, and romantic costumes of the Circassians stand- 

 ing gazing at our proceedings, and over the surround- 

 ing group of recumbent horses, and bustling servants 

 and tired travellers reclining amid baggage and pack- 

 saddles, smoking, or sleeping, or lazily sipping their 

 tea, I thought the scene one well worthy a place in 

 the memory. It has since been portrayed in a vivid 



and graphic water-colour drawing by Mr S . At 



last, about half an hour before midnight, a tin basin 

 and water was brought round, and we washed our 

 hands with the utmost despatch, preparatory to the 

 arrival of dinner, of which that ceremony was the 

 indication. The sheep made its appearance in a 

 state of elaborate dissection upon a round table, 

 about eighteen inches in diameter and as many above 

 the ground. Upon this were piled the junks of plain 

 boiled mutton, and from their midst rose a pyramid 

 of pasta, a sort of consistent porridge made of millet 

 seed, and by no means disagreeable when one is 

 accustomed to it. Of course plates, forks, chairs, 

 &c., are unknown in Circassia ; and it was with the 

 utmost difficulty that our large party of seven could 

 squeeze ourselves round the little table which sus- 

 tained the precious burden on which our desires were 

 centred. When we had satisfactorily arranged our- 

 selves, our attitiides were sufficiently grotesque : one 

 squatted on both heels, another on one, and rested his 

 chin on his knee ; a third knelt, and a fourth seated 



