124 SAVAGE SVANETIA, 



the Caucasus, I should fancy his tmie must 

 hang heavy on his hands. He was dressed 

 in the long toga of the country, a kind of 

 skull cap on his head, and soft leather 

 slippers pointed and upturned on his feet. 

 His court consisted of the judge, a clever, 

 good-natured little Caucasian from Radcha, 

 more Russian than Caucasian, in the oldest 

 frock coat in the world, a battered billycock 

 hat, and an old towel tied round his neck, 

 and some half-dozen other minor officials, paid 

 but poorly, I fear, to drag out their existence 

 in exile at Betcho. 



The prince, after a few minutes spent in 

 catechising Platon, called one of his numerous 

 henchmen, a wild, handsome ragamuffin, all 

 red shirt and brass medals, with a moustache 

 which he might easily have tied round his 

 neck had he been so inclined, and bade him 

 take us in charge and find quarters for us. 

 Then we made our adieux and left the great 



