THE CAUCASIAN MATTERHORN. 



329 



up the hillside was hot and severe, past another hamlet of 

 the Latal group, clinging to a slope so steep that it looked 

 as if the houses must soon slip down and join their neigh- 

 bours on the flat ground below. Above it the path winds 

 along the slopes, through young woods of beech, oak, hazel, 

 and aspen, until the summit of the spur separating Latal 

 from Betscho is attained. Just before reaching it we sat 



^ 



TTscliba from above Latal. 



down to admire the outline of Tan Totonal and the 

 southern face of the mountains above Jibiani, which had 

 come into sight over the lower ranges. Nearer, and 

 scarcely less beautiful, the range of the Leila formed a 

 second picture, which elsewhere would have riveted the 

 attention. A shout from Moore, however, hurried me 

 on to where he was sitting with Fran9ois, 100 yards 



