252 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



eight o'clock were again moving along the 

 river's bed. 



I don't think that from the time we left 

 Lapiir to the time we made Ushkul there was 

 a hundred yards level walking, except the 

 stretch of fell just outside the latter. Frank 

 and myself had to carry all we could, and 

 though that was only our rifles, rugs, revol- 

 vers, and a few odds and ends, they hampered 

 us more than the heavy loads did our men, who 

 were used to being beasts of burden all day 

 long. The sinewy Simon was the life of the 

 party, jogging along light of foot and bright 

 of eye, singing under a load that I could 

 scarcely carry a hundred yards, over the beds 

 of half-dry torrents, where the only marvel 

 was that men unladen could walk with un- 

 sprained ancles along the everlasting stepping- 

 stones ; through blind forest alleys, where 

 malicious boughs caught your pack or rifle as 

 you passed, and almost wrenched it from your 



