EARLY ARMING. 19 



early though we were, we seemed to be the 

 List astir. Out over the bridge going up into 

 the hills were half a dozen herds of goats, 

 each herd tended by small boys, of from six 

 to ten years old. Babies almost though 

 they were, each of these little goatherds 

 carried a long kinjal (Caucasian dagger) at 

 his waist, and when I lauo-hed at their beino; 

 armed beyond then- years, I was told in all 

 seriousness that the weapons were carried for 

 use and not for show, that not a boy that 

 wore the kinjal but was skilled in its use and 

 ready and willing to show his skill. Thanks 

 to the custom of the blood feud, every man 

 who strays beyond the limits of his own 

 village must learn how to keep himself with 

 his own hands from dano-er. 



Along the roads round the base of the 



hill that backs Ushkul, three or four sledo-es 



were being dragged by bullocks to the owner's 



farm. In front strode the owner himself, 



c 2 



