344 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



the brow of the hill, to gaze at us, in a picturesque 

 group. 



Although the Circassians are a restless race, we 

 did not meet many travellers in the course of our 

 day's journey. We found two, however, resting 

 under a clump of magnificent horse-chestnuts, who 

 attracted our attention. One was attired in the 

 costume of a prosperous usden, or gentleman ; the 

 other was holding a loaded horse, and had the dingy 

 ragged coat of the serf. He Avas a man of ill-favoured 

 countenance, with a short red heard, and sinister 

 expression. Our guide rode up and addressed the 

 master. He was the only specimen of a travelling 

 pedlar we saw in the country, and indeed there is 

 not much encouragement for such gentry, as the in- 

 habitants have nothing to give in exchange for their 

 merchandise. The slave was a Russian, and, despite 



his forbidding countenance, C became seized 



with a sudden desire to become his purchaser. To 

 our remonstrances upon the illegality of this proceed- 

 ing, he replied that he intended to free his purchase ; 

 and against so laudable an object nothing more was 

 to be urged, so the bargain began in earnest. The 

 Circassian at first valued his serf at 30, saying that 

 he had become used to the country, could speak the 

 language, was of a hardy constitution, and otherwise 

 a valuable piece of property. Our interpreter looked 

 contemptuously upon the object of barter, and denied 

 that he was worth 5. The man himself was by 



