228 SAVAGE SVANETIA. 



Mingrelia being really an important building, 

 there is not a decent chop-house or eating den 

 of any kind in the place. The officials who do 

 the Government work are apparently always 

 out of town or asleep, and may not be roused ; 

 so that it takes almost as long to get 

 podaroznas and other necessaries for leaving 

 Sugdidi as it takes to get there. 



When we did effect our exit from this 

 torpid town, where fever has turned at least 

 every other man to a yellow, shrivelled, and 

 shivering mummy, it was already dark, but 

 spite of darkness and rain, to be endured in 

 an open cart, we turned a deaf ear to the 

 protestations of our driver, and hurried on to 

 Novo Senachi, where we had determined to 

 catch the nine o'clock train up to Kutais 

 next day 



At midnight a broken bridge stopped our 

 way, but at four next morning we found 

 means of continuing our journey, and at nine 



