At half-past one we stopped at Ledma, perched on a mamelon in the commune of Lataly; within pistol-shot on another mamelon, is Matz'h'varysh, When the Chief sent word to the voters at Matz'h'varysh that they were to assemble at Ledma, the answer returned was that they had no intention of leaving their village, whereupon the ' elder,' affecting anxiety to disclaim all responsibility in the matter, protested loudly against such disobedience in words to this effect: ' For my part, I quite disapprove of this rebellious conduct, for 1 am faithful to our great Tzar who rules the world and all the people in it, Mahomedans and Christians. What is the use, I ask you all, of defying the mighty Tzar who has known how to vanquish Dadian (the sovereign of Mingrelia), the powerful Tchavtchavadze (the sovereign of Abhase), and even Schamyl himself! ' The ' elder,' whom we were informed was himself a great rascal, then went on to explain to the Chief, that by Google the people of the two villages had not stepped outside their respective limits, night or day, during twelve months, for fear of a deadly encounter, the cause of their mutual animosity being unwillingness on the one part to pay blood-money that was owing, and a thirstii^ for revenge in consequence, on the other.
A man of Matz'h'varysh had betrothed his son in his infancy to a little maiden of Ledma, but on reaching a nubile age the youth objected to the engagement, and refused to many the wife of his father's choice; the friends of the fair one thereupon forced their way into the place in which he lived, with the design of ui^ing him to the marriage, and in resisting the attack made upon him, he killed one of his assailants. The price for the blood shed was never paid, and the deed remained unavenged, and inasmuch as they of Matz'h'varysh persisted in refusing to come to Ledma, and the groups of villagers on the two heights incessantly shouted defiance to each other and brandished their weapons, it became still more evident that there was no prospect of a reconciliation.
After the elections that were held separately at Ledma and Matz'h'varysh were over, we mounted the Bdlly, a small spur of Mount Arety, whence a trying descent for the horses brought us to 5,250 the valley of Betcho, where excellent quarters were prepared at the residence of the Priesiav. Betcho was selected in 1871 for a military station, and barracks were erected which have since been occupied by a force of 100 men, the only garrison in the district; the accommodation for the troops is good and spacious, and includes the luxury of a bath-house.
In due course the Chief had an interview with the officer in command, to whom he applied for assistance, that the malefactors who had retreated to their tower and braved all authority m^ht be arrested. The captain of infantry (with some local brevet
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rank) refused to place any of his men at the disposal of the Chief, without instructions from the Governor of the province at Koutals; the interview was therefore followed up by a further application in \vriting, to which a reply was promised in the morning. 10 P.M. ther. 54°.,
In his letter, the officer in command of the troops represented that the force under his orders ' u'as not of a strength to suppress rebellion in three communes,' a state of affairs that existed in his imagination only, and he declined to aid in any demonstration or attack, without superior instructions 1 the Chief accordingly, having selected Sidonia, despatched him to Koutals with letters for the Governor.
The valley of Betcho lies south-west and north-east, is about four miles in its entire length, and narrows to 600 or 700 yards. Near the Oushbanar torrent which rushes through it, are two chalybeate springs; one that exhibits the greatest incrustation and by no means disagreeable to the taste, is given to cattle, and is attacked by the soldiers who prefer it to consulting their medical officer; the temperature of this water at noon was 58°, the air being 79". The other spring, at 61°, besides flavouring of iron, is excessively bitter, and never employed.
The troops at this little settlement have no stint of land, which they keep well cultivated, but they have to contend with the ravages caused by small insects of the size of a flea, and endowed with similar motive power; cabbie plants were completely eaten up by them.
An objectionable characteristic of the Russian soldier, destruction, is instantly noticed on looking around in the valley of Betcho, for timber is felled in the most wanton manner, without regard to its condition or situation; the axe is laid at the foot of the hill