TRAVELS IN CIRCASSIA. 347 



rains, often rounding promontories which projected 

 unpleasantly, and left nothing visible between us and 

 eternity. Generally, however, there was sufficient 

 wood on the steep bank to stop any rolling body. 

 Sometimes the hill sloped back a little more, and 

 advantage was taken of some little valley in its side 

 to erect a cottage, and cultivate a few acres of ground. 

 These were always carefully fenced in, and the path 

 was thus blocked ; but the owner never hesitated to 

 rush out, and in the most obliging manner removed 

 all obstacles. The cultivation never varied from 

 millet and Indian corn. Once we passed through a 

 mulberry plantation, and the whole country is covered 

 with fruit-trees and vines, some wild and some 

 planted. In these parts, however, the latter were 

 not in the same luxuriance as we afterwards saw 

 them. Towards evening we found we had almost 

 reached the head of the valley, and rested in a grove 

 of walnut-trees, while one of our Circassians went on 

 to prepare the Bey, at whose house we were to lodge, 

 for our arrival. Here, too, we collected our forces, a 

 good deal scattered by the terrible path along which 

 we had journeyed. As one by one they wearily 

 approached, it was amusing to hear of the different 

 adventures and the narrow escapes that each had to 

 recount. The poor baggage-horse had tottered over 

 another precipice, and there evidently was not above 

 one more day's work in him. Our artist, in sticking 

 too pertinaciously to his saddle, while ascending a bit 



