DECEASE OF A SVAN. 95 



drinks, and tobacco is hard to get, so that 

 except for their hunting they can only fill up 

 their time by sleeping, indiscriminate love- 

 making, and the blood fends consequent 

 thereon. A man who has had no share in a 

 blood feud is as little thought of as an un- 

 scarred student at Heidelberg, and they are 

 perfectly careless of the wrath of Russia, con- 

 sequent on any fatal results from their favourite 

 pastime, well knowing that it would not be 

 worth the while of the Government to pursue 

 a single Svan in his native mountains, and 

 perfectly useless even if attempted. 



When at last death overtakes a Svan, the 

 women of his village make moan for him, 

 weepmg and wailing like the mourners at an 

 Irish funeral 5 but amongst the men tears 

 are held dishonourable, so that the men of his 

 kindred or acquaintance only show their sorrow 

 by accompanying the corpse from the door 

 of the dead man's house to the church or 



