RETURN TO TIFLIS. 329 



should be as voluble, as loud-tongued, and as pro- 

 fane as the proverbial Billingsgate fisherwoman or 

 a certain English M. F. H. I wot of. The only 

 kind of language a Russian servant, most of all a 

 Russian car-boy, can understand, is loud swearing. 

 From his childhood he has been accustomed to it. 

 His mother's term of endearment to him as she 

 dandled him on her knees was probably ' ach te 

 sukin sin' (ah, you son of a she-dog), about equiva- 

 lent in English to 'you little monkey.' His mas- 

 ter's name for him when good-tempered was ' rosbol- 

 nik' or ' inashanik ' (thief or scoundrel), and he him- 

 self, in addressing his horses, of which he is often 

 extremely fond, and to which he seldom applies the 

 lash, heaps on them epithets of the fondest endear- 

 ment and foulest abuse at one and the same time. 



Our experiences of post-travel on our return to 

 Tiflis were of the very worst. At Aksu in mid- 

 day \ve were refused horses on the old plea that 

 there were none an excuse utterly untrue, as a 

 glance at the interior of the stables assured us. 

 Reiterated demands were met by sulky refusals, and 

 on following the station-master to his own private 

 room 1 was reminded that the guests' chamber was 

 my place, whither lie would come if sent for. < hi 

 sending my man he found the door barred, and all 

 further interview denied. This little trick was more 

 than I could stand, so crossiii"' the yard to the 



O J 



fellow's room I demanded the horses or the com- 



