336 SUANETIA. 



lings) aj)iece. A man was sent up to the pasturages to 

 buy us a sheep, for the price of which our provider the 

 Cossack apologised, alleging as its cause the rapacity of 

 the villagers, which made living at Pari exceedingly dear. 

 There was no shop in the Suanetian capital, where wine, 

 sugar, and butter are unknown luxuries, but we laid in a 

 store of what provisions we could set hands on. Our 

 hopes of honey, a dainty for which the district is cele- 

 brated, and which it exports to the neighbouring pro- 

 vinces, though long deferred, were finally fulfilled. During 

 the day we devoted much thought to the subject of dinner. 

 Moore's hungry eye having observed an old pig with a 

 large young family, he prevailed on Paul to procure the 

 slaughter of two of the innocents, and we looked forward 

 to them as a welcome relief to a long course of tough 

 mutton and tougher fowls. Notwithstanding the unusual 

 apjDliances at Paul's disposal, the dish was not a success. 



My friends varied their amusements by taking a Eussian 

 steam-bath, in a little building, specially constructed for 

 the purpose, oj^posite our house. What tortures they 

 underwent 1 never clearly learnt, but they came out 

 looking half-boiled and as red as lobsters. A considerable 

 fire is necessary to heat the building, and as large logs 

 are scarce and dear at Pari, owing to the imperfect means 

 of transjDort, although the forests are barely three hours 

 distant, all the Cossacks got a steam afterwards, and were 

 glad thus to enjoy their sole luxury at our expense. 



