392 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



produce, not required for home consumption, to the 

 Turks ; who make good husbands, are of the same 

 faith, and much akin in habits and manners. The 

 custom of admitting foreigners and prisoners of war 

 into the tribes, was doubtlessly adopted in order to 

 make up for the loss of men killed in battle, and 

 not from any great partiality towards strangers. 

 During my sojourn in the country — to which time 

 my mind often reverts as being the happiest of my 

 life — I found that, among these unsophisticated 

 people, the possession of large hoards of the " yellow 

 metal " does not constitute the value of the man ; 

 and the most beautiful maidens of the world esti- 

 mate their lovers' worth by the qualities they dis- 

 play — not their possessions. There, a bold spirit, a 

 cool head in the time of danger, a good shot, a skil- 

 ful horseman, and a strong arm that can defend 

 his own, is looked upon as a rich man and a suit- 

 able " partie ; " if, withal, he possesses a kind heart, 

 nothing more is required to make a home happy 

 in Circassia. But, Heigh Allah ! I must check 

 myself upon such subjects, and put the curb upon 

 my pen, or it will run upon other reminiscences of 

 the past than those connected with " The Hunting 

 Grounds." 



I had passed many happy days in the konak of 

 the Bey and amongst other friendly tribes, when 

 one afternoon, as I was returning from a successful 

 deer-stalking expedition, I fell in with a young 

 mountaineer who was en route to his home, close to 



