BATOUM. 77 



formed by a long spit of sand, wliicli runs out in a northerly 

 direction, and the bay faces the north-west. The town stands 

 on low ground, and is poorly built ; it is only some twelve 

 miles distant from the frontier fort of St. Nicholas, 

 and it seems curious that, in some of their accessions of 

 territory on this side, the Russians have not managed to 

 obtain possession of the harbour, which would be of great 

 value to them. Poti, at present the port of Trans-Caucasia, 

 is a most miserable place, and the bar of the Rion is so 

 shallow that no vessel of any size can cross it. All the 

 Black Sea steamers, consequently, either stop at Batoum 

 or Soukhoum-Kale, and transfer theii* cargoes into smal- 

 ler boats. The steamer which ought to have met us 

 had not arrived, and we were compelled to spend the 

 whole day at Batoum. At a brook in the outskii-ts of the 

 town we found several men engaged in capturing frogs : 

 no sooner were the victims secured, than they were be- 

 headed and skinned ; a revolting spectacle from which 

 we quickly fled. Crossing, by a ruinous wooden causeway, 

 the swamp which intervenes between Batoum and the 

 hills, we cHmbed up a projecting knoll covered with 

 rhododendrons in blossom, and crowned with beech-trees. 

 The vistas of sea and coast through the trees were exqui- 

 site. A hamlet built on the hillside reminded me of the 

 pictures of South Sea island habitations; it consisted 

 of huts built of rough interlaced wood plastered with mud, 

 surrounded by quaint little square boxes raised upon poles, 

 and looking like young chalets starting for a stilt-race. I 

 believe they are used for storing corn. We made pro- 

 visional arrangements with the Russian consul at Batoum 

 to remedy our MingreKan servant's want of a passport, 

 and were much amused by his name, which proved to be 

 Bakoua Pipia. Pipia was the family title — Bakoua a term of 

 endearment which he had acquired as. a boy. We preferred 



