218 THE ARDON VALLEY. 



to confine onr visitors to a select few of tlie elders, whom 

 we entertained by displaying some of our European knick- 

 knacks, such as knives, telescopes, and portable drinking- 

 cups. As soon as we had got all our goods into our own 

 hands, Paul was given the 10 roubles to pay to the porters. 

 This was handed over, and at first quietly accepted, but 

 they soon began to clamour for an extra rouble as 

 backsheesh, or trinkgeld, or whatever is the Ossete synonym 

 for those well-known terms. We having just sought 

 refuge from the jabber and jostling of the outside crowd, 

 were not drawn out again by the every-day sound of angry 

 voices, and it was not till the row became serious that we 

 sallied forth, Moore and Tucker going first. They found 

 the Res men hustling Paul, who was sputtering with rage, 

 while the villagers looked on and laughed. When my 

 friends appeared, one of the scoundrels snatched at Paul's 

 sheepskin cloak, and then they all hastily retired, carrying 

 it with them. This was the state of the matter when I 

 came upon the scene, and saw Paul frantically excited, and 

 our late porters standing in a knot on the path, fifty yards 

 oflP, with our cloak in their possession. Knowing nothing 

 of what had gone before, and remembering the effect any 

 decided course of action generally has with Easterns, I 

 fancied a prompt move would settle the question, and ac- 

 cordingly ran up to the men of Res, and, taking hold of the 

 cloak, motioned to them to drop it. They had no such 

 intention, and began instead to pommel me in their own 

 way, which fortunately was a very harmless one, consisting 

 of roundabout pats on the top of the head. This, no 

 doubt, is an effectual mode of bonneting an adversaary 

 who wears a tall sheepskin, but it is singularly harmless 

 to a man with a hard wideawake. In self-defence I 

 was obliged to let go the cloak, and in a few seconds 

 my friends came to the rescue. Tucker hitting straight 



