410 THE TCHEREK VALLEY. 



southern neiglibours, such as we had witnessed in crossing 

 the Nakra Pass. How the MingreUans manage to find a 

 waj practicable for cattle across the chain it is diiSicult to 

 imagine, as the easiest pass must lead over fields of snow 

 and ice, far larger than those traversed in crossing the St. 

 Theodule. We convinced ourselves that the ridge between 

 this branch of the Tcherek and Suanetia is practically 

 impassable ; the robbers therefore must come either from 

 the Rion or Zenes-Squali, which both rise on the southern 

 side of this portion of the chain. We did not cross 

 over to the meadow, but, after a seven hours' ride, 

 halted under an overhanging cliff just below the junction 

 of the streams — a spot evidently frequented by the 

 shepherds, as low walls had been built against the rock 

 to make the shelter more complete. Here we employed 

 ourselves in pitching our tent, while one of the horsemen 

 rode off to find the herdsmen, and obtain firewood and 

 milk. The weather again looked unpromising, and we 

 began to fear we had penetrated into the heart of the 

 mountains to no purpose. 



August 17th. — We had given orders that we should be 

 called early, and the first sound that greeted our ears was 

 that well-known and disheartening phrase of Swiss guides, 

 'Mais il y a du brouillard.' The curtain of mist, that 

 hung only a few hundred feet over our heads, did not 

 appear dense, so we determined to go up the nearest hill, 

 and trust to Providence to show us something when we 

 got to the top. The pass to the Uruch, which we followed 

 the next day, crosses the two streams above their junction, 

 and it is at the bridge over the first that the guardians of 

 the flocks reside dui'ing the summer months, in a tiny 

 stone hut. Our first intention was to ascend the gorge of 

 the Dychsu, as the western branch is called on the 

 map J but we were overcome by the pantomimic demonstra- 



