Koutals is certainly the most convenient point of departure for Swannety. It is not prudent for a traveller to push into that district alone; a party should therefore be made up of at least four persons, well armed, and supplied with a tent, cooking utensils, and a good stock of provisions, to include salt and biscuits, of which latter a sufficiency must be taken, for the bread in the mountains is execrable. The hire of horses involves the attendance of the owners or their agents, who will raise every obstacle on the journey to arrest progress and cause delay, that they may have the palms of their hands occasionally crossed as an inducement to push on. Horses should therefore be purchased at Koutals, where they may be had at about 70 roubles each, and resold ifhen done with. There wilt not be much difficulty in securing guides for Swannety at Lyaylyash, 42 miles from Koutals, if they cannot be obtained in the latter town,' and in any case the chief of police at Koutals, or the mamasaklysy * of Lyaylyash, should be consulted before any men are engaged.
Whilst preparing for my journey into Swannety, the Chief of that district' whowasatKoutais, chancing to hear that I was about to visit the territory under his command, did me the favour to call, and invited me to accompany him on a tour of inspection he was immediately about to make in the upper valley of the Ingour. It is impossible to estimate at its full value such unexpected
' A valuable guide, who speaks French, is a Minerelian named Paul Bakoua Pipia, to be heaid of on application being made to M. Grollersal Toti. Pipia accompanied the ipcinbera of the Alpine Club on their expeditions (o the mountains, in 1869 and 1874,
' This Gcoigian tenn, signifyinE 'father, lord, or head of the houK,'» applied W the starshynA, ' elder,' of the village.
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by Google courtesy at the hands of a perfect stranger, for the invitation secured to me the prospect of travelling in an almost unknown region with complete security, and with all the advantages and every comfort that the travelling companion of a Russian official of rank could expect to enjoy, while amongst the most barbarous and inhospitable of the populations of the Caucasus. I was at once relieved of all trouble and anxiety, for my plans became considerably modified in view of the peculiarly favourable circumstances under which my projected journey was about to be accomplished, and the Colonel having kindly insisted in undertaking all arrangements in the matter of horses, bi^gage, and supplies, our departure was fixed for the morning.
E CATMOUCOS.
by Google
CHAPTER XXXI.
FORTV-SIXTII TO FORTV-EIGHTH DAV.
Departure for the mountains — The Rion — A native prince — Grand scenery — Gorge of I.adjanouia — Jews of Letchgoumm— Departure for Swannety — Property of the Dadian — The 'Horse river' — Moury — The Princess Dadian.
It had been raining with little intermission for some weeks, and fears were entertained lest the roads might be found unfit for town vehicles; ' we made the attempt, however, and drove out of KoutaTs at 8.30 A.M., a family party in three carriages. The road the greater part of the way was indeed in a fearful state, the horses occasionally sinking in the mud almost to their bellies, and it is a subject for wonderment how the carrif^cs were draped from time to time out of the soft clayey soil.
On leaving the city we kept the right bank of the Rion, a river that narrows to a mere torrent in the valley of D'jonetty, beyond which it winds in a marvellous manner, reminding one of the description given by an American correspondent, of the Rio Grande in Matamoros, a river so crooked ' that there were but few snakes in it because it is not straight enough to swim in, and where fish get into the whirlpools in the bends because they cannot find their way out! '
> Post-roadi are being constructed from Koulai» to Lyaylyuh, and from Kontaa to Ony.
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J NATIVE PRINCE ON HIS yOURi\Ey. ji
From D'jonetty to Namazwaii, the Rioti widens again to a broader, very rapid but shallow stream. At the last-named place 1 saw a curious method of mill-stone making, which I do not recollect to have observed elsewhere, for the circle of the required size is traced on the vertical rock, the stone worked off by patient manual labour, and afterwards finished.