120 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



mineral waters possessed all manner of curative 

 properties, was a well, full of water, whose 

 stencil was bad enough to support its claims to 

 any degree of medicinal excellence ; but though 

 the water was there and a bucket for the sick 

 man to help himself out of, the bucket was 

 rusted with disuse, and over the surface of the 

 healing pool had grown a scum so thick that 

 we did not care to break throu2:h it. 



Betcho itself lies on the banks of an affluent 

 of the Ingour, or more properly speaking, 

 perhaps, on the banks of one of the sources of 

 that river. The part of the town in which we 

 first entered was of a temporaiy nature in a 

 measure, being set apart for the residence of 

 the Russian judge, who resides here in the 

 summer, and for the visits of the prince of the 

 country. In the winter both these magnates 

 betake themselves to warmer and more 

 hospitable climes. 



But up a glen to our right front as we 



