100 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



tion of Frank and his belono;in2:s on the 

 balcony ; and when I came back one of them, 

 a gentleman in a blue shirt, had mounted the 

 table and was delivering a spirited lecture on 

 England and the English, taking my unsus- 

 pecting friend for his text. But though none 

 were afield to-day, there was some little work 

 for the women, in the mornino; and at sun- 

 down, to spread out their stores of grain on 

 the threshinsT floor, casting; it like e'olden 

 motes in the sunbeams, and at night sweeping 

 it up again into its sacks. This done and the 

 cattle tended, the women, like the men, gave 

 themselves to idleness. There was a church 

 m the village, but I saw no one near it, though 

 some grand game heads hung up as votive 

 ofFermgs drew me thither. The whole village 

 indeed, save for our balcony, seemed deserted, 

 and it was not until an hour had slipped 

 away and I went to search for my truant mes - 

 senger, that I found the reason of this. 



I 



