A CUKIOUS CROWD. 271 



armed with daggers, and many of the men carried their 

 guns in sheepskin cases across their backs ; their clothes 

 were for the most part soiled and ragged. Though not, on the 

 whole, a fine-looking race, like the Ossetes, they did not 

 bear in their faces any peculiarly vicious expression, beyond 

 an air of lazy stupidity. One or two of the men Avore 

 Russian medals, showing their complete and voluntary 

 acknowledgment of the Government. "VYe found, invaria- 

 bly, that in proportion as the natives are brought into 

 contact with theu' rulers, they improve in manners and 

 civilisation, and that the districts which the Eussians 

 have left to take care of themselves are those in which 

 the old customs of petty warfare, robbery, and murder still 

 jDrevail. 



Our dress, our accoutrements, and our luggage proved 

 inexhaustible sources of amusement to the large circle of 

 which we were constantly the centre. What caused the 

 greatest excitement was the sight of our pocket-handker- 

 chiefs, and our manner of using them. Upon the first 

 occasion of blowing our noses, a roar of admiration burst 

 forth, and afterwards the slightest sign of a repetition of 

 the performance sufficed to raise a murmur of excitement 

 amongst the expectant crowd. 



We had always intended to halt at least a day at 

 Gebi, and if possible to make it our headquarters for 

 some excursions amongst the mountains round the sources 

 of the Rion, where in most maps the name of Pass-Mta 

 (said to be derived from Phasis-Mta?) is printed across 

 the main chain, in a way to indicate the existence of a 

 noteworthy peak. Tucker and I agreed that a day's dolce 

 far niente would be very pleasant, but Moore, whose 

 energy was still unspent, hankered after a mountain, and 

 settled, if the night was fine, to start at 2 a.m. with 

 rran9ois, and climb the Schoda (11,128 feet), the bold 



