GLOLA. 239 



of the river, built at the mouth of a tributary stream,'^ 

 which had its source in a glacier of the main chain, a por- 

 tion of which was for a few minutes visible, and with which 

 we were destined in a few days to become better ac- 

 quainted. The bridge above the village, which existed 

 at the time of Herr Radde's visit, had gone the way of 

 all Caucasian bridges ; and we had to make a circuit, 

 which cost an extra ten minutes, to reach its successor, 

 built half a mile lower down the stream, there flowing in 

 a wide stony bed, and then to return up the opposite 

 bank. Glola is more like a Swiss village than any we saw 

 before or afterwards ; the houses are all built of wood, and 

 have overhanging eaves, balconies, and roofs laid with 

 stones, in the fashion of those of the Canton Berne, although 

 without any of their elaborate carving and general air of 

 finish. The place is sheltered behind a projecting clifP, and 

 on a brow above it are the ruins of an old castle, which add 

 considerably to its general effect. We were first led to a 

 cottage, which had such an indescribable air of griminess 

 and dirt about it, that we altogether declined to take up 

 our quarters there. We soon settled on an apparently 

 uninhabited outbuilding, attached to one of the larger 

 houses, where we found a small room with some hay for 

 our beds, and a broad balcony with a table and benches, 

 which served us as a sitting-room. Paul had to do his 

 cooking in the adjoining house, and I believe the presence 

 and interruptions of certain well-meaning old women put 

 him out ; whatever was the cause, we had to wait till long 

 after dark before we got our dinner. Such incidents seem 

 almost too trifling to record, but they serve to remind one 

 of what is often lost sight of afterwards — the difference 

 between travel in a country organised for pleasure-visitors, 

 and one entirely, so to speak, in a state of nature. We got 



* Tlio Sc'liiirulu Sqiiali of Radde. 



