336 Journal of a Tour through Georgia, [Jul?, 



each rod to secure it in its position. From the upper ends of these, rods 

 of a similar kind are bent, so as to slope to the centre, and being thus 

 tied with ropes, form the frame work of the roof ; over which is thrown 

 a covering of black felt, leaving an aperture in the centre to give vent to 

 the smoke. Similar coverings are wrapt round the sides, and to keep all 

 tight, another frame is bound externally, formed of cane tied together 

 with strong cord, which firmly unites the whole. The aperture at the 

 top is closed, as occasion requires, by a piece of felt, which is drawn off 

 or on by a strong cord. Our next day's journey spread a whole region 

 of snow before us ; hill and dale one dreary waste, with a sky threaten- 

 ing a still more deepening fall. Winter had here laid his " cold and 

 shrouded hand" on every object : our halting place for the night was 

 to be Koubat, about six leagues distant in a south-westerly direction. 

 The road was better, which enabled us to reach our quarters early in 

 the evening. It appeared a wretched place ; nevertheless, I must do the 

 natives of these wild hamlets the justice to say, that, notwithstanding 

 the unpromising exteriors of their habitations, they evince a frank hos- 

 pitality within, to be remembered with gratitude by every way-worn 

 traveller. The description of their sepulchral-like abodes I have already 

 given, but it may be as well to picture the interior likewise. On de- 

 scending a few steps, we enter a room which fills the whole space of the 

 house, being about eighteen feet square, an ill-proportioned size to the 

 lowness of the dwelling. At one side we find the hearth with its chimney, 

 and directly opposite a small aperture in the roof, to admit light and air. 

 The earthen floor is beaten down very flat and hard; but carpets are 

 spread when the inmates sit or sleep. No furniture of any description is 

 to be seen. The walls are of dried mud, with recesses left in them to 

 hold the utensils of the family. A small portion of the habitation is 

 generally assigned to the horses, cows, or sheep, but they frequently mix 

 indiscriminately with their masters. 



We left Koubat with the cold at eight degrees of Reaumur, and quit- 

 ted the now expanded channel of the Parianzour under a clear and 

 beautiful sky. Our road led to the south-east, and a few hours' travel 

 brought us to the banks of the river above mentioned, whose impetuous 

 motion was staid in some places, and frozen to the depth of several 

 inches. As we proceeded, the character of the plain gradually disap- 

 peared amongst hills, and we soon found ourselves in a narrow valley, 

 which by degrees contracted to a rocky gorge of very steep acclivities. 

 At the bottom ran a stream, whose waters in spring swell to an impas- 

 sable height ; but at the present moment they were hardly more than a 

 rill, and flowed amongst the rocks, while we journeyed by its side, con- 

 templating the beauty of the overhanging cliffs. We rode between 



