CATTLE-LIFTING. 343 



the route, liowever, does not lead over it, but makes for a 

 gap between two rocky eminences in tlie chain on its east. 

 The afternoon sun beat full against the face of the rock 

 under which our tent was pitched, and the heat inside the 

 canvas was great. I rashly sought coolness in a shady 

 nook in the rocks, and thereby caught a chill, which, on the 

 top of a previous slight indisposition, made me for a time 

 very unwell. Wrapping myself up as warmly as possible 

 in my plaid, I took at intervals small doses of chlorodyne, 

 a medicine which throughout our journey we found of the 

 greatest service. 



Towards evening we observed four men, armed with 

 guns and swords, and driving eleven cows, descending from 

 the direction of the pass at a hurried pace. Paul enquired 

 of our men where they came from, and was told that they 

 were natives of Lashrash, who, according to custom, had 

 been on a cattle-lifting expedition over the pass, and were 

 now returning with their unlawfully-gotten booty, stolen 

 from one of the herds belonging to the Tartars of the 

 Upper Baksan. Our porters naturally felt uneasy as to 

 the reception they, as the countrymen of the thieves, 

 would meet with on the north side, and we had great 

 difficulty in persuading them to proceed any fm-ther. We 

 succeeded, however, in convincing all but one hoary-headed 

 old rascal that the fact of their being with us would be a 

 conclusive proof of their innocence. The man in question 

 knew, apparently, that his character would not bear exa- 

 mination, and, conscious probably of some recent mis- 

 demeanour, begged to be allowed to return — adding that 

 his two sons, who were also with us, would share his load 

 between them. To this family arrangement we of course 

 made no objection. The sunset hues were gorgeous, but 

 too vivid to promise a continuance of the fine weather of 

 the last two days. 



