234 EN ROUTE FOR DAGHESTAN. 



possesses to retain his precarious position. Many 

 natives never get used to this method of travel- 

 ling, and suffer a species of mal de mer from the 

 jolting, as well as other inconveniences. But for 

 myself, I had done a good deal of travelling in 

 post-carts, and except for the want of shelter in 

 bad weather minded it very little, being even 

 able to sleep as we drove, although how I ever 

 retained my seat whilst so doing I could never 

 understand. 



At the first station from Tiflis we saw beside 

 the Kur a large congregation of vultures gathered 

 round some carcase which the river had deposited 

 on its banks. Amongst them was one large black 

 vulture, a very rare bird, which I in vain 

 endeavoured to stalk and secure. 



After leaving the station of the vultures we 

 drove day and night, sleeping in the cart when- 

 ever nature asserted her need of rest, through a 

 plain bounded on the right by mountains, and on 

 the left by a scanty line of trees, which marks the 

 course of the Kur. All along the route road 

 repairs were going on, bringing together gangs of 

 the most villanous-looking scoundrels the various 

 nationalities of the Caucasus can produce. I take 

 it, many of the highway murders and other out- 

 rages one hears of may fairly be ascribed to 

 them. Strings of camels, with solemn tinkling 

 bells, which seemed to stretch from us to the 



