A SVANETIAN PRINCE. 123 



slept in and about the base. As we looked 

 the sittino; came to an end, and the crowd 

 parting gave place to the prince and his court, 

 who slowly made their way from the balcony 

 to the judge's house. 



Platon, our interpreter, had been at school 

 with the judge, so that meeting the group en 

 route we got presented there and then to the 

 prince as English strangers wandering in 

 Svanetia for sport. Nor were we unkindly 

 received, although the hour of our presenta- 

 tion was ill chosen, the prince being just then 

 on his way to dinner. 



In person this gentleman, who alone seems 

 to possess the respect and fear of his people, 

 is tall, beyond the average, almost six feet 

 three or four, I should think, and must, when 

 younger and in good training, have been a 

 very fine man. But, like so many of the 

 richer Caucasians, he cares nothing at all for 

 sport, and as there is little else to live for in 



