ARRIVAL AT URUSPIEH. 349 



brow, Uruspieh. is seen for the first time, still separated 

 from the traveller by a long stretch of level ground. The 

 road, now passable for narrow carts, crosses the Baksan 

 at the base of the mound, and traverses a succession of 

 meadows on the right bank, recrossing only just before it 

 enters the village of Uruspieh. The character of the houses 

 is entirely different from the Suanetian fortresses, and far 

 less picturesque; built on a gentle slope, the low flat- 

 roofed buildings are scarcely distinguishable at a distance, 

 and offer no external attractions on nearer approach. A 

 strong torrent, flowing out of a ravine in the northern 

 hillside, cuts the village in half; to the south another 

 lateral valley opens towards the main chain, and some 

 snowy summits are visible at its head. 



The view of the Baksan valley is closed by the icy mass 

 of Tungzorun, which from here rather resembles in form 

 the Zermatt Breithorn. These distant vistas rescue 

 Uruspieh from the charge of positive ugliness, which will 

 certainly be brought against it by those visitors from 

 whom clouds veil everything but the brown barren slopes 

 immediately surrounding the village. A large building, 

 just beyond the bridge, was the abode of the princes of 

 the Uruspieh family, who have given their name to the 

 place. A group was gathered round the door ; the men 

 were dressed in the tall sheepskin hats and long coats of 

 the country, and our porters' equipments seemed shabby 

 when brought into contrast with their silver-mounted 

 daggers and handsome cartridge-pouches. 



We were naturally most anxious as to what the charac- 

 ter of the people would turn out, as upon it depended 

 whether we should be able to attack Elbruz at once, or 

 whether we must descend to Patigorsk, and make the 

 mountain the object of a separate expedition from thence. 

 Happily our hopes, founded on the favourable report 



