222 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



and no doubt Bruin finished his night more 

 pleasantly than he began it. 



Though we lay down to rest late that 

 night we were up betimes in the morning, 

 for through the drenching rain fancy vouch- 

 safed us a rosy vision of comfort and plenty, 

 clean clothes, and toil ended at Djuaria ere 

 niofhtfall. So incessant had the rain been for 

 the last week that our clothes were absolutely 

 rotten from damp, and our whole bodies had 

 the soft sodden look of washerwomen's hands. 

 It was no use to try any longer to keep any- 

 thing dry, for even my bourka had succumbed, 

 and was no longer waterproof 



But as we neared the end of our journey 

 the settlers' houses grew more numerous, maize 

 gave place in some measure to other crops, 

 and several times during the day we passed 

 regular bee farms, where the whole of the 

 enclosures round the houses were full of big 

 black thatched hives. 



