200 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



In spite of the good day's work we had 

 done Simon and I, for the larder's sake, made 

 a short investigation of the nearer hillsides, 

 hoping to add a chamois steak to the humble 

 meal of maize bread and water with which we 

 must otherwise end the day. Meanwhile, 

 Frank pitched the tent, so that when we came 

 in empty-handed at dusk we had at least 

 somewhere to lay our heads. 



When limbs are fairly tired, and the 

 digestion not tasked beyond its powers, the 

 nights seem shorter by half than they are at 

 home in England, and it seemed to me that 

 I had only just dozed off with my pipe 

 between my teeth when Simon shook me up 

 to say a chamois was in sight. ' Hang the 

 chamois ! ' was certainly my first remark, or 

 somethmg at least as strong ; and when in a 

 generous mood I offered the shot to Frank, 

 rousmg him to do so, his remarks were made 

 in such extremely graphic Berkshire that I 



