306 SUANETIA. 



talking and wrangling were audible, we were free from 

 further annoyance. 



July 19th. — After the turn things had taken on the 

 previous evening, we made up our minds that we could 

 scarcely expect to get away without a dispute, and we held 

 ourselves in readiness for what might occur. We were 

 up early, and found, to our disgust, that it was raining 

 heavily. Presently the horseman appeared, and announced 

 that he could not get a second horse, and that we must 

 hire porters to carry, part of our baggage. Unwilling to 

 place our power of effecting a start at the mercy of Jibiani 

 men, as we must have done had we consented to this pro- 

 position, we determined to carry the extra saddlebags on 

 our own shoulders. It was now suggested that we might 

 get back the tent-pole by a small payment ; the old story 

 of the London dog- stealer was reproduced, and we were 

 asked to believe that it had been found by a native of the 

 next hamlet, Tschubiani, who would be happy to restore 

 it, for a consideration. We consented to place the sum 

 demanded in the hands of the horseman, the only one of 

 the crowd over whom we had any hold, and, after some 

 parley and delay, the missing stick was returned. Mean- 

 while we were assailed on all sides by clamours for money : 

 one man wanted a ridiculous sum for some loaves he had 

 brought us, another asked their weight in Russian paper 

 for his eggs, a third had a large bill for firewood, and the 

 master of the barn required an extortionate price for our 

 lodging. Some of these demands we resisted, others we 

 partly conceded — at the same time finishing as quickly as 

 possible the packing of our saddlebags, and taking care 

 to keep them under our eyes. 



The conduct of our horseman caused us much uneasiness, 

 as he refused to put our luggage on the horse, pretending 

 that the villagers would not allow him to do so until we 



