90 TRANSCAUCASIA. 



the heavy skirts of his spouse. The only trace of local 

 costume worn by the ladies, besides the ' baschlik,' is a 

 Greek cap fastened on the back of the head by a lace veil 

 or handkerchief. 



Count Leverschoff has the reputation of being a man of 

 progress, and, with the assistance of his wife, has done 

 much to promote the welfare and gaiety of Kutais, by 

 encouraging balls and theatricals, making all officials 

 wear their uniforms in the streets, and instituting a mili- 

 tary band in the gardens. It was curious enough, among 

 such a company, and after an impromptu burst of wild 

 harmony, or (to speak the truth) discord, from a party of 

 country-folk, to hear the band strike up the familiar 

 Mabel waltzes. 



The hotel at Kutais is fairly comfortable, and English 

 tastes are well understood, owing to the number of en- 

 gineers who have been out here for the last few years, to 

 direct the works of the raih'oad now in course of construc- 

 tion between Poti and Tiflis, which it is proposed to con- 

 tinue, at some future date, as far as Baku, on the Caspian. 

 The mistress is an untidy voluble Fi-enchwoman, and, as we 

 afterwards learnt to our cost, her promises are in no way 

 to be depended upon. 



On Monday morning our traj) arrived at the door, soon 

 after the appointed hour. For the first time in our wan- 

 derings, we assisted in making our own seats, by twisting 

 a piece of rope in and out of holes left for the purpose in 

 the framework of the carriage, and spreading our plaids 

 on the top. Fran9ois and Paul had a wooden bench slung 

 forward, and the driver perched where he could. It was 

 soon evident, despite Francois' determined endeavours, 

 that all our luggage coiild not be carried with us ; and we 

 reluctantly confided our tent, with one of the portmanteaus, 

 to the charge of the mistress of the hotel, who promised 



