THE LESGIUAN MOUNTAINS. 271 



mountain. The mountain sends them down the 

 purest of water, finds them in unlimited fuel, and 

 provides them with a dessert as varied as that of 

 the richest Russian in the land : medlars, beech- 

 nuts, chestnuts, walnuts, pears, and berries of a 

 dozen different kinds. Their religion forbids them 

 to drink wine, so that, never having used it, they 

 do not feel the want of it. Apples may be bought 

 in the neighbouring village of the largest size and 



O > ~ O 



most luscious quality for threepence per hundred. 

 Pheasants and red-legs abound, and are easily 



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caught or shot (though I never heard of snares 

 being used for them), while red deer and moun- 

 tain sheep are for the bolder and stronger among 

 the young men. Wild swine come all too close to 

 the cornfield in autumn, and in slaying of these 

 the Lesghian not only protects his harvest, but 

 obtains leather of the best quality for his mocassins. 

 Bear's fat furnishes the lamps (made after the fashion 

 of the sepulchral lamps of Greece) with fuel ; and 

 the rheumatic patient with an external application 

 that beats Elliman's embrocation out of sight ; 

 while those who suffer from colds take it internally, 

 as English people take gruel, and, I dare say, with 

 as good a result. From the beard moss the Les- 

 ghian makes a dye with which to stain his hands, 

 and make them a manly brown, or 'good fast 

 washing colour,' as the haberdashers have it ; while 

 if he lie a dandy, he borrows from it a darker hue 



