EN ROUTE FOR DAGHESTAN. 231 



CHAPTER XL 



EN ROUTE FOR DAGHESTAN. 



Start from Tiflis My yemstchik Travelling-carts Caucasian road- 

 niakers Camel caravans On the bleak steppe Persian hawking 

 Subterranean dwellings Shooting at Kariur Elizabetpol 

 An execrable journey Hawks and starling- Banditti Curing 

 official corruption at Tiflis Goktchai A wearying day's sport 

 Fear of highwaymen My guide, Allai Arrival at Gerdaoul 

 Hospitable Lesghians. 



ON Saturday morning, December 14, before the 

 first team of sleepy buffaloes had dragged their 

 load of country produce through the streets to the 

 bazaar, before the canine concert which makes the 

 night of Tiflis hideous had calmed down, Ivan 

 had returned from a last farewell to his young wife, 

 and I had put the last thing ready for a start. 

 Early as it was, my friend Lyall and his son were 

 up and ready to speed the parting guest they had 

 welcomed so kindly, and before six o'clock the 

 clattering of their horses and the rattle of my 

 wheels were waking the echoes of the German 

 colony. Dawn was breaking slowly as we dashed 

 over the bridge that spans the Km* where it passes 

 through the Tartar bazaar. The hills were 

 standing out black and clearly defined against low. 



