TSHUSKAR, AND A MOUNTAIN VILLAGE. 
159 
its mingled steeps and thickets. Towards sun-set, we attained 
the summit, and reached our halting-place, the post of Tshuskar, 
which stands on the brow of a small conical hill. Here a grand 
view of the river,whose absence we had regretted in the morning, 
broke upon us, as it wound amongst rocks, at the bottom of a 
deep ravine, between two immense piles of perpendicular cliffs. 
About thirty or forty Cossacks inhabited the post; a numerous 
body, in very narrow dimensions ; and, consequently, not finding 
sufficient accommodation for myself, and the many persons I had 
with me, I was obliged to go a mile further into the mountains, 
to a rather considerable village, where lodgings might be pro¬ 
vided me. Though the dusk had pretty far advanced, we were 
rewarded for this prolonged march, as we went along, by the 
sight of one of those happy spots of the Caucasus I have before 
described : beautiful little glens, smiling with the successful 
labours of man; while the brows of the acclivities above showed 
a rich and fragrant herbage. At the village, we found warm and 
ample quarters. The good people set before us a plentiful regale 
of milk, eggs, butter, &c., with exquisite honey. This latter 
luxury I might have anticipated, from the propitious aspect of 
the country, for maintaining whole colonies of the little manufac¬ 
turers ; and, I understand, it is an article of great profit to the 
inhabitants. Indeed, every thing I saw, spoke the fertility of 
the soil, and the hospitality of its possessors. They have nume¬ 
rous herds of cattle, with abundance of wheat, barley, millet, 
&c,; and, what is better than all, their content seems to equal 
their blessings. 
At eight o’clock in the morning, we left our village friends ; 
and retreading our steps towards the post, soon regained the 
brink of the precipice, which forms one side of the high and 
