178 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



mony to the powers of the Nimrod who dwelt 

 within. But at present, inhabitants Lachamul 

 had none, so that we were fated to waste half 

 a day waiting in this deserted village until 

 those from whom we might obtain guides and 

 horses, to say nothing of food, should return 

 from their labours. 



Like all other villages, Lachamul had its 

 lout, a good-looking ne'er do weel, who 

 presently appeared on the scene, gossiping and 

 loafing in the sun with a couple of idle 

 women. From none of these could we get 

 the least help or information, and being per- 

 fectly idle himself, our useless efforts to be up 

 and doing roused much merriment in the 

 loafer's mind. This he proceeded to display 

 by caricaturing all my gestures, and at last 

 became so intolerably offensive that I fairly 

 lost my temper, and as I could not catch the 

 brute, picked up a good- sized rock and heaved 

 it at him. As it only just uiissed him, he 



