of the Old World. 367 



sole object of the expedition to fail, I obtained leave 

 to throw up my appointment and return to the 

 Crimea, where I hoped again to partake of more 

 stirring deeds. But it was not to be "the de'il 

 confound the ministry ; " they began to make peace 

 at the time we had just warmed to our work, and when 

 we were best able to carry on the war the armistice was 

 signed, peace concluded, and " Othello's occupation 

 gone." Finding it was uncertain when a steamer was 

 likely to touch at Tchamshira, the nearest point of 

 embarkation to Sugdidi, where the head-quarters of 

 the army were established, I resolved to go to Suchum 

 Kaleh by land, amusing myself with shooting amongst 

 the lower spurs of the Caucasus en route. 



Besides a guide, I had five well-tried followers, 

 whom I had picked up from amongst the Bashi- 

 Bazouks during the campaign of the Danube : a 

 fearless set of men, ever true to their salt, who cared 

 neither for laws nor Pachas, and who, being used to 

 campaigning and foraging, were just the fellows to 

 have about one in a country where " might is right," 

 and "he may take who has the power, and he may 

 keep who can ; " for, although the Russians had 

 vacated those districts some time previously, pre- 

 datory bands of Abassians, Mingrelians, and Cir- 

 cassians were continually prowling about, not par- 

 ticularly nice as to whom they plundered. We were 

 all well armed and mounted on Arabs, or sturdy 



