14 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



heaven devoutly that I didn't know a word 

 of their language, and so in diligent silence 

 managed to put away two bowls of cream 

 cheese to their one. The whole thing seemed 

 to me a good arrangement ; for when the edge 

 of my ap]3etite was somewhat blunted, and 

 Platon and Georgi had talked themselves 

 nearly hoarse, I was able over a pipe to glean 

 a little of the pith of the conversation from my 

 interpreter. Like all conversations in Russia 

 and the Caucasus, it had commenced with, 

 ' Are you married ? ' ' How many children 

 have you ? ' ' What are you worth ? ' &c., 

 questions all of a practical nature and going 

 straight to the point at once. 



As Georgi was the richest man in Ushkul, 

 his answers may be worth recording. Bap- 

 tized and brought up in a village of Radcha, 

 he had come back like a true Svan to his 

 mountains, with their jDoverty and hardships, 

 as soon as he could. He had married when 



