24 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



myself he soon took to walking in preference 

 to riding. No wonder ! 



Once, going up a bank, under some thick 

 overhanging trees, he saw that his long rifle 

 slung across his shoulders was bound to catch, 

 but it was too late to save himself, as his mount 

 had no mouth, and the harder he pulled at 

 it the more obstinately it forced him into the 

 trees. So he was ' Absalomed ' by his rifle. 



Not long after this his horse stuck hope- 

 lessly in a bog, whereupon its rider had to be 

 helped out first, and then we all four lent a 

 hand in extricating the beast. But when, 

 after this, my mare, who was in front, put 

 her hind leg over the edge of the mountain 

 path, and it seemed for several miserable 

 seconds that she could not possibly recover 

 herself, Frank wisely followed my example, 

 and gave up all idea of riding. 



From that time forward such paths as the 

 two horses were driven along had, I verily 



