56 
CONVOY TO TIFLIS. 
regions of waste, and flood, and precipice : and, after a fatiguing, 
but far from uninteresting day’s march, about four o’clock in 
the evening, we reached our quarters for the night; namely, 
Algovy Kabaki, otherwise, the fort of Constantine. 
This post is one of the many Russian positions which maintain 
the passes of the mountains, and is situated on a rising ground, 
at the foot of a high hill, over which our next day’s route 
would lie. These positions are mere field-forts, surrounded by 
a ditch. The inner face of the breast-work of the fort we were 
then in, was additionally strengthened by a thick lining of 
wicker-work. Of its commanding-officer, I can say little. My 
friend, the captain of the convoy, passed the greater part of the 
evening with me ; still augmenting, by the intelligence of his 
conversation, the regret with which I bade him adieu. His 
duty, as our protector, terminated there. He and his suite 
departed ; and, next morning, the 2d of October (O. S.), we were 
to set forth again. Little danger being to be apprehended, it 
was supposed for the first part of the day, we were furnished 
with a very slender escort, — only twenty chasseurs, and ten 
Cossacks; but we were told, that after attaining the summit 
of the immense hill we had to mount, we should be joined there 
by an additional force. 
About five o’clock in the morning, the whole convoy began 
to move; and the action was sufficiently demonstrative of its 
ponderous load. The hills were excessively steep, and the paths 
wet, slippery, and full of obstacles, from the thickness of the 
woods with which all these heights are covered. These incon¬ 
veniences were become additionally annoying, from the tedious¬ 
ness and slow progress of the oxen in dragging their cumbrous 
burthens up such rugged roads. Having achieved seven wersts 
