54 
THE CONVOY ALARMED. 
the road. A line of troops, with other horsemen in different 
groups, were seen in the several openings of this mountain track, 
costumed in a hundred fashions; armed with daggers, sabres, 
carbines, pistols, in short the weapons of almost every country ; 
while they had added a variety of odd contrivances hung about 
themselves and their horses, for carrying ammunition, and pro¬ 
viding for any other want in their march. Our little army and 
its charge had advanced at a most funereal pace, nearly half its 
day’s journey, when, suddenly, about thirty horsemen appeared 
on the hills, at no very great distance, making towards us. The 
sight made us halt. For, although our force far out-numbered 
that we saw, yet we could not be certain that hundreds were not 
in their rear, to follow under cover of the ground and make sure 
work of us. Accordingly, our experienced and alert captain lost 
not a moment in putting all in a posture of defence. The part 
of our convoy which consisted of travellers, numbered four or 
five Russian gentlemen, going to Tiflis to fill stations in the civil 
government; several Georgian and Armenian merchants, and 
about eight or ten women, belonging to one of the gentlemen. 
There were some servants also, who might be counted in our 
array. Every individual, civil and military, while the hostile 
group were drawing towards us, loaded his gun or pistol, or drew 
forth his sword or dagger ; all, from necessity, seeming eager to 
begin the defence. Yet, notwithstanding this universal alacrity 
of preparation, as I rode along their line to join my new ac¬ 
quaintance in command, I could not but discern the most evident 
absence of blood in the pale faces of several of our men-at-arms. 
We were at that time passing through the Lesser Kabarda; and 
the nature of the country, rough and intricate, and on all sides 
leading to trackless hills, made it the more favourable for the at- 
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