TRAVELS IN CIRCASSIA. 341 



descended to the bed of the Soubachi, and crossed 

 and recrossed that impetuous stream perpetually. In 

 some places it was with the utmost difficulty that our 

 ponies managed to keep their legs as they stenibled 

 over the large stones, and at the same time stemmed 

 the torrent. Occasionally the Circassians themselves 

 Avere at fault, and made two or three vain efforts to 

 find the ford. Then we all splashed in together, and 

 the moment was exciting as we urged our steeds, 

 Avdth heads well directed up stream, to the opposite 

 bank. Once our interpreter got out of the line into 

 a hole ; his pony fell ; the rider incontinently rolled 

 off, but clutched his nag frantically round the neck. 

 They were swept down the stream for some yards 

 together in this affectionate embrace ; the terrified 

 countenance of L , who had by this time swal- 

 lowed an immense quantity of water, surmounted by 

 his red fez cap, giving a ludicrous effect to the scene, 

 except that we were not without apprehension of its 

 terminating tragically; and he had repeatedly informed 

 us that he could not swim, and had moreover been 

 most anxious in his inquiries from the Circassians as 

 to the frequency of deaths by drowning among them- 

 selves. Fortunately, by dint of severe struggling, and 

 a friendly bend of the stream, he got ashore, dripping 

 and dejected, and it was some time before he recovered 

 those conversational powers with which he contributed 



largely to the amusement of the party. L was 



a Georgian by birth, but he had lived for some time 



