354 THE RAINS. 



managed to light a fire, although, except for the 

 few feet drained for the fire-place, there was still 

 no dry spot for the sole of a man's foot. But 

 the crushing blow was to come. The rain had 

 done worse than wet us it had washed down the 

 meat from our larder. The watchful wolves had 

 been rewarded for their patience, and we were left 

 breakfastless ! 



Very miserable wretches must we have appeared 

 when rescue came in the form of our returning 

 Cossack, late that afternoon, with some strong 

 horses to carry us safely through the rapidly-sub- 

 siding torrents ; and a bare-legged ride on bare- 

 backed Cossack horses, through streams which 

 wetted, and nipping north-easters that froze, our 

 half-starved bodies, was no pleasant finale to our 

 adventure. It was hardly to be wondered at that 

 when we did get to shelter my men told me they 

 had had enough sport for some time to come, and 

 meant to return to Duapsc as soon as possible. I 

 myself was no longer as keen as I had been, and 

 it was agreed that we should gradually make our 

 way to Duapse, stopping for one last hunt, if only 

 to supply us with food, at the ruins of Heiman's 

 Datch. 



On February 1 9 we bade adieu to Golovinsky for 

 the last time, and since then its bay of wooded hills, 

 with the three tall blasted trees marking the spot 

 where my first bear fell, has been only a memory 



