384 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



plary person. It is true that we received a pressing 

 invitation from a neighbouring great man to honour 

 his konak with our presence, and we were very much 

 disposed to do so ; but we were assured that it would 

 give such mortal offence to our kind hostess, and cast 

 so dire a reflection upon her hospitality in the eyes of 

 the surrounding population, that the move was given 

 up. Meantime we rode about the country exploring 

 the neighbourhood, and sketching its beauties. The 

 fort, as usual, consisted of four walls, enclosing a 

 number of tall poplars and a great deal of rubbish. 

 All the forts to the north of Souchoum were dis- 

 mantled by the Russians prior to their evacuation ; 

 but Souchoum itself was left untouched, as Prince 

 Michael assured the Eussians that, if they damaged 

 the place in any way, the people of the country would 

 rise and cut off their retreat. As the weather was by 

 no means propitious, we congratulated ourselves upon 

 our good quarters, and did not regret the abrupt con- 

 clusion of our tour. The Circassians, too, lingered 

 on in spite of their hostile feelings towards the 

 country-people, and seemed disposed to be somewhat 

 intractable when the important duty of recompensing 

 them for their trouble was to be entered upon. 



Like thorough savages, they resorted to all sorts of 

 manoeuvres to screw more out of us than they were 

 entitled to. First, they disputed the terms of the 

 agreement collectively ; then one of them adopted a 

 conciliatory tone, while the others departed in high 



