224 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



arms, coverino; and wastins; for UOTicultural 

 purposes over a verst and a half of land from 

 bank to bank. 



For five or six versts the view was un- 

 broken, but save for four small houses and a 

 few ragged-looking maize fields, there was no 

 visible sign of Djuaria. Still our friend the 

 Svan kept assuring us that we were within a 

 verst of the centre of the great town, and a 

 wayfarer who met us at this point confirmed 

 the statement. This wayfarer, bare-footed 

 and bare-headed, in rags for clothes, was the 

 last of the swindled Svans who, in the vain 

 hope of recovermg something from the wreck 

 of his year's work and hopes, had stayed be- 

 hind his comrades to seek the help of the law ; 

 and now, poor wretch, bankrupt of wealth, 

 hope, and faith was following his comrades 

 back to Lachamul. As I watched his figure 

 disappear, plodding dejectedly oif into the 

 land of forest and mountain, rain, and semi- 



