The curiosity of the people at Mestye was beyond all bounds, for they persisted in forcing themselves into our little room and remaining in it, until they were ejected by the united efforts of the mamasaklysy and the Cossacks.
lo P.M. thcr. 63°.
UPPER VALLBV OF T
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CHAPTER XXXIV.
FIFTY-FOURTH TO FIFTY-SIXTH DAY.
Blood-money unpaid — Charch at Mestye— Relics — Burial and saperstitions — Nents'ghoul— Another feud — Hostility of tlie natives — Lednia and Matz'h'varysh — A hypocrite — -Mutual misttuBt of villagers — Cause of breach — Despatches to Koulnis— Chalybeate springs— The RuSMan garrison — A complaint of abduction — Mount Oushba —A night at Betcho — Vanity of Swanny vmmeif — Bar^y- Reception by Tenghyi — A stopper party.
A QUARRELSOME people they must be at Mestye, judging by the numerous cases of murder and wounding reported in the morning. There was much agitation among the people, and when the Chief appeared before them at six o'clock, a simultaneous nish was made at him by the many complainants in their anxiety for a first hearing, but Tenghyz interposed his colossal figure, and pushed all away but one little old man whom he drew to the front. Soiuid! Soudl! he roared, and the little old man went on to state bow his son had been lately killed, and pointed to a hole in the shirt he himself was wearing, made by the bullet that had slain him; the blood-money had not been entirely paid, for a piece of land included in the settlement was withheld, and he now asked that the agreement should be completed. Another was reported for seeking an opportunity to shoot the man who had killed his son, because the blood-money was not forthcoming, and he avowed to the Chief his full determination to avenge his son's death. A third showed a long and deep cicatrice near the shoulder-blade, his by Google
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brother exhibiting a fearful gash across the head, both being wounds received in a struggle with assailants who were present, and who coolly promised to put an end to the brothers so soon as the occasion should pre»^nt itself. Such was the nature of the complaints laid before the Chief, and there were many.
The church at Mestye, the largest in Swannety, is said to possess the most relics of antiquity and of intrinsic value; we were conducted to it by the priest, the 'elder' and his 'aids,' who are collectively held responsible by the people for the safety of its treasures. On entering the building, a man climbed up the stonework of the ykonosiass and by chinks in the wall, to a small opening some 30 feet above us, into which he crawled after having struck a light, to reappear soon after with a large canvas bag which He lowered to the floor; the treasures it contained included many kdvshyky, two chalices, and a curious old silver flagon in repoussi, about 15 inches long and in the form of a fish, having on either side at the gills a female head, and near the tail the full face of a lion; there were censers and fn^ments of images also of silver, and an antique arrow-head of iron, carefully wrapped in an old rag. Among the images in the church, all sadly worn, was an early Byzantine triptych of exquisite design and colouring, and a curious object was a long staff having pendent at its head the figure of a wild beast, intended perhaps for a tiger or lion, which would become inflated by the wind as it was borne along. I could learn nothing of its history or use, but this emblem reminds us of the standard that was carried by the Goths in front of ineir chief, which, when inflated, represented a dragon.
On leaving the church, cries as of loud wailing reached our care. Going in the direction of the sounds, we came upon three women seated over a grave mourning the death of a relative, but the
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lamentations ceased the instant we were observed. This wailing for the dead becomes the weekly duty of the nearest female relatives during the first year after their loss, when they repair to the burying-ground with bread, ^gs, and a bottle of drak, 'spirits,' and they daily place aside for the deceased a meal, whichremains untouched; the men never join in these demonstrations.
The PriestaVy a Geot^ian noble, who had served seven years in Independent Swannety, thus described a funeral, as it is conducted at the present day.