SOCIETY OF BETCHO. 137 



referred to the prince, who decided between 

 the disputants, and in all cases his decisions 

 seemed to be accepted as final. When angry, 

 or obliged to administer punishment to any of 

 his subjects, one of his court told me that the 

 prince just cuffed the offender as a father 

 would his child, and though a Svan would 

 not stand a blow from the Czar, he would 

 make no resistance to and feel no humiliation 

 at receiving a score of blows in public from 

 his own prince. 



The prince, together with the judge and 

 all the members of Betcho society, dined to- 

 gether at the judge's house, a Government 

 building, which being somewhat better than 

 its neighbours, was raised to the honour of 

 club-house, as well as being the seat of justice. 

 Here Frank and I dined well for the first time 

 since we had left Kutais, and met, moreover, a 

 very pleasant set of people in the members of 

 the Government Expedition sent from Tiflis, 



