242 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



the fruit forest. Here, amongst the raspberry 

 canes, the bears had established regular 

 thoroughfares ; and, though I knew well 

 how much ' sign ' one bear is capable of leav- 

 ing behind him, I am quite sure that this 

 corner among the hills must have been the 

 regular habitat of at least a couple of dozen of 

 these animals. Had Frank cared to stay I 

 should have acquiesced in a three or four 

 days' camp here ; but as he did not, and bears 

 were not the first object of my travels, we 

 moved on, and I content myself with pointing 

 the spot out to anyone who follows in my 

 steps. 



Once or twice during the day we saw 

 chamois, and wasted an hour or two stalking 

 them, gaining nothing thereby but a con- 

 firmation of a former impression, that once 

 chamois have sighted you, however favourable 

 the ground, time spent in stalking is time 

 thrown away. 



