THE LESGHIAN MOUNTAINS. 263 



us with the hope of rest and refreshment. Two 

 more minutes spent in warding oft' the attaeks of 

 a clamorous host of dogs ; then a door opens, a 

 flaming brand is held up, a swarthy face peers into 

 the equally dusky countenance of our guide, and 

 amid many greetings, we are ushered into the one- 

 roomed cottage of a Lesghian Tartar shepherd. 



Cushions and carpets were soon arranged by the 

 hearth, slippers being brought forme ; and then the 

 hospitable good fellows set to work to serve us 

 with their best. In the room were but few signs 

 of civilisation nothing, in fact, that would have 

 been strange in the tents of the Ishmaelites of old. 

 The men were rough and tanned to a copper- 

 colour by the winds and weather of their wild 

 mountain home. Their clothes were rough and 

 ragged, and they were all armed to the teeth, 

 never laying their kinjals aside from sunrise to 

 sunrise ; but their eyes were broad honest eyes, 

 that looked the stranger steadily in the face ; their 

 manner to me was deferential as to an honoured 

 guest, but perfectly self- possessed and confident. 



The women of the house had retired on our 

 entry, and for the whole of our sojourn with these 

 people, they remained in a kind of outbuild- 

 ing attached to the cottage, vouchsafing us only a 

 rare glimpse of two very pretty faces, which were 

 lost to sight in the folds of their envious mufflers 

 almost before they were seen. After the chicken 



