THE BATHS OF KONSTANTINOGORSK. 
47 
hours I was under his roof, he entertained me with several inter¬ 
esting particulars relative to the wild inhabitants of those 
elevated regions. His history of their predatory descents, in 
small bodies or large, on any luckless or rash traveller who 
attempts the mountain passes by night, was picturesque, but it 
was terrible; and I had no inclination, by setting out that even¬ 
ing, to incur similar increase of dangers. In the day, these 
indefatigable sons of plunder are seen hanging from the pre¬ 
cipices, looking out for prey ; and, frequently, they start out 
on the unwary, from behind the savage rocks by which he is 
surrounded; but then light is in his favour, to observe the 
approaching contest and prepare for his defence: at night they 
can lie, even in his path, shrouded by tumuli, or the darkness 
alone; and, rushing from their ambuscade, overwhelm him 
before he has time to apprehend aught but that he has received 
his death-blow. From these considerations, I did not leave my 
present secure quarters till early the following morning. 
About forty wersts from Georgewesk are the baths of Kon¬ 
stantin ogorsk, which are much frequented by the Russians, even 
from distant parts of the empire, on account of their mineral 
virtues. They rise in the Beschau mountains, and their tem¬ 
perature at the source varies from thirty to forty degrees of 
Reaumur. The country around these baths is beautiful as well 
as salubrious ; and, from the efficacy of the waters, both in 
external and internal application, besides the protection and 
conveniences afforded visitants by the munificence of the 
Emperor, even strangers come from afar to experience their 
virtues. A Scotch colony of missionaries have established them¬ 
selves in the neighbourhood of Konstantinogorsk ; but it may be 
regarded as an agricultural society, rather than a theological 
