94 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



may vie with any in the Caucasus for pic- 

 turesqueness, as the natives say it does for 

 wealth. 



In all villages in Radcha and Svanetia 

 there is a house set apart for the use of 

 travellers, which goes by the high-sounding 

 title of ' cancellaria.' Hio-h-soundino; as the 

 title is, the quarters are generally poor 

 enough — a couple of bare rooms, empty of 

 everything save the live stock left starving on 

 the premises by the last sojourner within 

 their walls, the windows glassless portals to 

 let in the cold night air, and, worse than 

 all, no possibility of privacy. Such is the 

 ordinary cancellaria. That at Griola was no 

 exception to the rule, and in five minutes our 

 kit was deposited on the floor, and our horses 

 tied to the supports of the balcony, whither 

 we had also betaken ourselves, because the 

 room indoors was too dark to be in without a 

 candle, and being little after midday we felt 



