834 SUANETIA. 



those an energetic military discipline would produce. 

 The upper valley of the Ing-ur is incapable of maintaining 

 a great military force, and the natural difficulties which 

 here oppose the transport of food and ammunition would 

 render its maintenance exceedingly costly. For what 

 good end would a military force keep in subjection the 

 neglected but conquered Suanetians ? Murder would not 

 be prevented, agriculture or cattle-breeding encouraged. 

 The perseverance and tenacity with which the Government 

 adheres to its principles must in time tame these wild 

 Suanetians. They will by degrees adopt the Georgian 

 faith and language, and accustom themselves to a more 

 peaceable existence.' 



How much of the mildness of their rulers the people 

 owe to the military difficulties mentioned above, and how 

 much to the real belief of Russian officials in a conciliatory 

 policy, it would perhaps be unkind to enquire. Paul told 

 us that at one time the Government had collected a small 

 house-tax from the Suanetians, but for the last year or 

 two they have been relieved from even this slight mark of 

 subjection. Arrived at the Cossacks' quarters, we rejected 

 the officiousness of our Davkar horseman, who now strove 

 to render himself important, and sent Paul to represent 

 who we were and what we wanted. The chief of the out- 

 post was away, but his place was filled by a very civil 

 fellow, who at once found us lodging in the now confis- 

 cated dwelling-house of one of the native princes. 



Our rooms were on the first-floor, which was approached 

 by an outside staircase. The skill in wood-carving common 

 to so many mountain populations was conspicuous here, in 

 the elaborate ornamentation of the roof of the principal 

 apartment, and of the spacious balcony which was our 

 favourite lounge. Our lodgings were quite bare, but a fire- 

 place gave our men the necessary facilities for cooking. 



