8(3 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



the Caucasus, except to such a limited extent 

 as it is seen from the Vladikavkaz road ; at 

 least, if they have done so, I have never been 

 lucky enougli to come across any of their 

 sketches. 



Villages were, luckily for us, of frequent 

 occurrence by the roadside ; and in each of 

 these we got a few minutes' rest and a glass 

 of rouo'h wine or water. The heat was at 

 midday almost insufferable, being as much 

 as 160° in the open ; and had it not been for 

 these frequent pauses, and the constant recur- 

 rence of a kind of plum-tree (^Cornus mas- 

 cida), bearing a small round fruit of a bril- 

 liant yellow, with the most exquisite flavour 

 imaginable, I don't think we should have 

 reached Oni that day. As it was, Frank 

 was knocked up for a day or two afterwards 

 by his exertions m the sun, and I was almost 

 as bad. 



In some of the stony passes on the banks 



