156 SAVAGE SVANETIA, 



respect. Having duly admired these wonders 

 of civilisation we proceeded to make use of 

 them, while about every five minutes a fresh 

 arrival brought us some trifling ofl'ering for 

 our feast. 



Simon, the ragged and unkempt, returned 

 after about half an hour's absence, clean 

 shaved, in a bright red shirt and nearly new 

 tcherkesska, with a big brass chain hanging 

 across his manly bosom and a look of 

 conscious pride and self-respect on his face 

 that would have become a churchwarden. 

 Better than all, he was the bearer of three 

 immense cheese cakes and a jug of milk from 

 his wife, which, together with a host of other 

 supplies, were provided gratuitously for our 

 entertainment. 



Poor Simon and Vassili had to content 

 themselves with a mess of beans and bread, 

 but our interpreter Platon, disregarding the 

 mandates of his religion, treated the fast with 



