362 THE RAINS. 



characterises their fall as well as their rise, the moun- 

 tain torrents, which had been our gaolers the night 

 before, had now sunk to such a degree that arm in 

 arm we just managed to struggle through. 



Once free from our prison, with the prospect of 

 breakfast and horses at the next plantation, even 

 Ivan pulled himself together, and before midday we 

 were all lying rolled up in borrowed rugs, while our 

 clothes were dried, and our appetites appeased by a 

 meal of black bread. This was all we could get, 

 for, like ourselves, Koylor's Datch had been in a 

 state of siege, and if the rain continued was likely 

 to remain so. 



These Russian plantations in the Caucasus are 

 terribly unremunerative I am told, in spite of the 

 richness of the soil. I think the reason is chiefly 

 that they are very much neglected by their owners, 

 no capital being expended on them ; in addition to 

 which there is no market for their produce within 

 reach, and no reasonable roads anywhere. More- 

 over, fever demoralises the workmen, and the wild 

 swine devastate the crops. 



Whilst refreshing ourselves at Koylor's Datch, 

 we sent for horses, intending to make all speed for 

 Duapse ; arid to our great joy the weather cleared a 

 little in the afternoon, so that when the horses and 

 the Cossack guide arrived we were able to swing 

 ourselves into dry saddles and proceed forthwith. 



Between our starting point that afternoon and 



