A FRESH STAKT. 211 



the Ardoii are divided by a low ridge, which connects the 

 Kazbek group with the watershed. If thus much of the 

 geography of the Western Caucasus has been made clear, 

 my readers will be as well able to see, as we were when 

 Ave left Kobi, the obvious line of march for a party who 

 wished to follow as closely as possible the foot of the 

 main chain, where the finest scenery might be expected to 

 be found. Our plan was to ascend the Terek to its source, 

 cross to the Ardon, descend the eastern, and mount the 

 western branch of that river, traverse the main chain by 

 the Mamisson Pass, and then work across the upper basins 

 of the Rion and the Ingur, between which several ridges 

 separating the soui'ces of the Zenes-Squali barred the way, 

 and enclosed glens seemingly without inhabitants. 



I have here attempted to give some idea of the physical 

 configuration of that part only of the Caucasus which we 

 visited, and have not entered into details of the com- 

 plicated system of mountains and river-basins of Daghe- 

 stan, famous as the last refuge of Schamyl and the scene 

 of his final capture. 



We started from Kazbek station, on July ord, in grand 

 style. Our turn-out consisted of the best pair of telegas 

 we met with in Russia, with good horses, which had 

 drawn the Grand Dukes two days previously, and had, in 

 consequence, their harness still intertwined with gay rib- 

 bons. The day was gloomy, and before long the rain, of 

 which durino- the month we were destined to have more 

 than our share, began to fall in torrents, so that, despite 

 mackintoshes, we airived at Kobi wet through. The 

 postmaster was in his usual state of intoxication, but we 

 succeeded in getting a fire lighted, and then sent for the 

 head of the Cossacks stationed there, who had been 

 ordered by the Commandant of Duschet to have horses 

 ready to carry our baggage. We found that two animals 



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