200 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



leaving our weapons where tliey were, went 

 out to tliem. They seemed a little inclined to 

 be distrustful at first, but when they found 

 we were honest but unfortunate hunters like 

 themselves, they shook hands and came to our 

 fire. They were the least civilised-lookmg 

 people we had seen yet. Each of them wore a 

 goat's skin dressed with the hair outside and 

 the little stiff tail left on ; the skin was not cut 

 into any shape at all, but rather maintained 

 its natural outline, and in some cases was at- 

 tached to a similar one (but tailless) in front. 



The effect of these rouo'h o-oat-skin 

 garments, amongst the Svans, is very odd, and 

 their caudal appendages, long hair, and the reed 

 pipes on which they played, made me feel as if I 

 had dropped in upon an evening party of satyrs. 



Did I only say our guests were Svans ? 

 If I did, allow me to apologise and present 

 them to the reader as three of the most re- 

 nowned chasseurs of Ushkul, by name Gargi, 



