274 THE LESGHIAN MOUNTAINS. 



vodka and the papiros, and her greatest happiness 

 a village wedding, at which she generally assists 

 as one of a kind of chorus which I have described 

 before. It is needless to add, perhaps, that in 

 appearance she is sufficiently gruesome to hold the 

 youngest child in awe of her. 



Having photographed the ' baboushka,' we went 

 in to our evening meal, during and after which 

 guests dropped in rapidly, until we had quite a 

 crowded reception. Photography was evidently 

 the attraction ; and as soon as our pipes were lit 

 the aged hadji moved that the photographs be 

 exhibited. To comply with this request it became 

 necessary to 'develop.' Now to stand behind a 

 tripod with a black rag over your head, and direct 

 the machine as required, Ivan and myself had found 

 fairly easy ; but when with chemicals and other 

 diablerie we had to make manifest the results of 

 our mumming on the hillside, we began to grow 

 nervous. Still we put as good a face upon it 

 as we could, and made at least a show of under- 

 standing what we were about. The fireplace was 

 covered over with a bourka, the lamp extinguished, 

 and the wondering guests seated in a circle, with 

 strict injunctions not to shout above a whisper or 

 stir save at their peril. Then a candle was pre- 

 vailed upon to remain on an inverted dish within 

 the threefold walls of a yellow baize screen, whence 

 it shed a ghastly light upon all the inmates of the 



