96 HEIMAWS DATCH. 



ing nothing of it, rode slowly on. In about half 

 an hour they rejoined, looking mightily pleased 

 with themselves, and very drunk. They had dis- 

 covered a large bottle holding about three pints 

 of vodka, which I had brought with me for our use 

 during the next fortnight. This they had quietly 

 sat down to the moment my back was turned, and 

 finished it. It was no good my making a row 

 about it ; I was in their hands, and determined to 

 bear with them, at least until I found out where 

 o;ame was to be found, after which I could decide 



c5 7 



whether to keep them or try alone. Meanwhile 

 they had finished their grog, and as I did not 

 mean to give up mine, they would be punished by 

 enforced abstinence for some time to come. 



A Cossack station in the Caucasus is about as 

 strange a place to pass the night in as can well be 

 imagined. Ten or a dozen privates, with the man- 

 ners of monkeys in the Zoo, all sleeping in the 

 same room with yourself and their officer, a young- 

 ster generally little better educated than themselves, 

 and thoroughly hail-fellow with them all. Such is 

 your company. Your couch the top of the ' petchka ' 

 (oven), if you like heat and dirt, and are inclined 

 to pay for the berth ; if not, as much room as you 

 can get on the floor or on a form, with a Cossack's 

 boots next your head and a Cossack's head next 

 to your boots. For supper we got some barbel, 

 and a fish they called ' golovin/ which one of the 



