THE LESGHIAN MOUNTAINS. 277 



time is made after my return from Daghestan. On 

 December 23, Ivan, Allai, two other Lesghians, 

 and myself started for the higher peaks, in which 

 the tur, or mountain sheep, are said to dwell. 

 After a day of hard climbing we reached a ruined 

 bothy used by mountain shepherds in the height 

 of summer, which marks the highest point to which 

 any of the neighbouring flocks attain even then. 

 When we reached it, the roof had been partly 

 blown oft', and the walls broken in; snow surrounded 

 us as far as the eye could see ; snow had formed 

 a drift inside the hut on the side opposite the 

 breach in the wall ; snow in a broken wooden 

 trencher was being melted with difficulty over a 

 wood fire in the middle of the hut by one of our 

 men for tea ; while, without, the hard profiles of 

 the snow peaks surrounded us on all sides. 



We had started that morning at five, and when 

 we reached the bothy the starlight was glimmering 

 on the snow. Once during the day I had had a 

 glimpse of a Hock of wild goats, in colour black, 

 with fine horns and tremendous beards. They 

 were within 150 yards, and I might easily have 

 secured one, but unluckily was persuaded by mv 

 man to let them come a little closer, so as to make 

 assurance doubly sure. For a moment they disap- 

 peared round a large boulder, and 1 waited for the 

 leading goat to appear on my side of the mass, 

 determined to tire as soon as he did so. But my 



