There is a small Christian church at Ypary in the Georgian style of architecture, probably a restoration of the fifteenth century; on the outside wall are represented in relief the heads of cattle and beasts of the forest, but the frescoes that had adorned the interior have almost entirely disappeared. \X.\as\}a.^ ykonostass of the Greek Church, formed of three stone arches, and behind it the altar, about which were some dilapidated images. A basket full of Russian silver drinking-bowls, kdvshyky, of no antiquarian or artistic merit, and two massive and curious chain-pattern belts, also of silver, were among the relics.
The priest, who was a Georgian in the prime of life, complained that he never had a worshipper at his weekly services, the Swanny being Christians only in name. He had to enforce baptism, the solemnisation of matrimony, and prayers at burial, ceremonials that were endured because they were imposed, but few could make the sign of the cross, and none cared to possess images, yet they kept a jealous guard over the church they never cared to enter, and its furniture which otherwise remained unnoticed and unemployed.
The striking feature in the upper valley of the Ingour is the number of square towers, seen to the greatest advantage in the village of Ypary, where many are grouped in a comparatively small space. These towers, fully 60 feet in height, are solidly constructed of stone and divided into five floors of one chamber each, every chamber except the topmost being somewhat higher from floor to ceiling than the one below it; they are from 11 to 13 feet square, the walls being 3 feet 6 inches in thickness, and only dimly lighted by means of small loop-holes; the wooden floors are reached through corner hatches by means of notched l<^s, and the sloping roof, also of timber, projects slightly beyond the walls,
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leaving space for pointing rifles almost at any angle, and for throwing projectiles and employing other oflensive measures. The sole access to a tower is through an entrance 25 feet, more or less, above the ground, having in front a small wooden platform that communicates with the adjoining cottage in which the family lives, by means of a plank extending to an opening in its roof; in some instances a rope ladder reaches from the door to the ground. A habitation in Swannety usually consists of one large, windowless apartment, in which the family lives with its cows, dogs, and poultry; meat is cooked and bread baked over heated slabs, thi: smoke of the lire escaping through an opening in the roof by which the only light is admitted. We observed that many such habitations in various parts of the country were tenantless and deserted.
When a family is under the ban of vengeance from a superior force, the cottage is abandoned, and refuge is sought in the tower with chattels and provisions; the plank and platform are removed, and the refugees become liable to siege until they are willing to treat Or a single member may have cause to flee from his enemies, in which case also communication is cut ofl*, and the fugitive has to depend upon his friends for supplies.
The towers in this part of Swannety assimilate each other in every respect and stand isolated, which is not the case in I^etchgoumm and Mingrelia. They are the receptacles for the huntsman's trophies, the walls on every floor being decorated with the horns and lower jawbones of the deer and wild goat, strung by scores for generations, many now blackened and rotting from decay, but heirlooms ever treasured and not parted with for any consideration.
Horns and jawbones are sometimes seen either in the vestry, or over the entrance to the small churches in Swannety; they are the by Google t, Google t, Google ofTerings of casual believers who have nought else to bring as gifts to the saints, in token of contrition.
On leaving Ypary at 2 P.M., we crossed the river to ascend the Eldagourouly spur over the Ougwyll, a mountain of eglantine, whqre stalwart pink daises towered above the choice enamel of wild Rowers in full bloom. The Eldagourouly separates the valley of the Ii^our from the Moulak-tzkalys, or Moulachy, a stream that irrigates the fair pastures and meadows in the commune which takes its name, for the valley of Moulachy is perfectly enchanting wit^i its plentiful cultivation, and the towers that stretch away in clusters up the hill-sides even towards the woodlands, which rise higher and higher, until they wed with the forests of fir. We stopped at a village called Tchalash, at the house of a man of sub-. stance, where a veiy clean room was prepared for the Chief \ we noticed later that the towers in Moulachy were kept in unexccptionally good order,- the cottages in most instances being somewhat cleaner than elsewhere, and whitewashed outside.