of the Old World. 405 



first alarm, where farther pursuit was useless, and a 

 sixth, who was acting as scout a short distance in the 

 rear, fell into the hands of our other party. 



Having disarmed and pinioned our prisoners, one 

 of whom had his arm broken in the scuffle, and 

 secured the horses (ten in number, including our own 

 recaptured), we rejoined the rest of the party, and 

 after a hasty meal set out on our return. 



Our captives, who were a sullen, "ill-favoured, 

 hang-dog looking " set of fellows, proved to belong to 

 a mountain tribe from the other side of Pitzounda, 

 who were returning from an unsuccessful foray in 

 Mingrelia, when they caught sight of our cattle and 

 attempted a raz&e. 



We arrived in camp late in the afternoon, and 

 great was the old Bey's joy at the recovery of his 

 animals, which he had made up his mind he would 

 never see again. The prisoners were all recognised 

 as being old offenders ; and, according to the law of 

 the tribes, as the mildest punishment, would have 

 been sold as slaves in the interior ; but this I would 

 not allow, as I intended, by making an example, to 

 deter another attempt being made on my cattle : so the 

 gang, after branding each of them indelibly with a heated 

 horse-shoe, on the right shoulder, turned them adrift, 

 minus their arms, horses, and kalpacs (high caps of 

 black sheepskin), warning them that they might expect 

 no mercy if found again anywhere near our camp. 



