116 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



with men who have no notion of stickino; to 

 their contracts, and searching for some glim- 

 merings of truth amongst an ocean of lies to 

 guide me in my search for game. At least 

 half a dozen times I had, after waiting 

 patiently for the advent of promised horses, 

 to go in search of their owners, only to find 

 them round the corner, not dreaming about 

 getting the animals, but eagerly debating with 

 their friends how much more they should 

 demand from me on the next interview. Half 

 a dozen times during the day, with my head 

 aching and tongue dry with talking, I had to 

 plunge my fists up to my elbows into my 

 pockets to keep them from dangerous prox- 

 imity with the rascals' noses ; and then when I 

 had almost choked myself with suppressed 

 vexation, my idiotic interpreter would lose 

 his temper on his own account, upset all my 

 negotiations, and give me all the work to do 

 over again. 



