A WELL-EAKNT BREAKFAST. 113 



unfortunate friend would have been gailty of 

 petty larceny at least. But necessity is the 

 mother of invention ; and after several abortive 

 attempts, we, by our united efforts, produced 

 an exceedingly striking picture of a cockrel 

 in chalk on a neighbouring wall, after which 

 Frank crowed violently, flapped his coat-tails, 

 went through the pantomime of cutting his 

 own throat, and even of laying an egg ; after 

 which he went chuckling about the place like 

 a veritable old hen, until he was purple m the 

 face with his exertions. But our endeavours 

 bore fruit, and before Ions; we had a hatful of 

 es'o-s, and even a brace and a half of chickens 

 (three for a rouble), and what was even better, 

 learnt the Georgian for these articles of diet 

 for another occasion. 



Breakfast over, we got a glimpse at the 

 official life of Gebi. The starchina, accom- 

 panied by his secretary, came to visit us, 

 carrying an official document in their hands. 



VOL. I. 1 



