Liquor is given to Gonoko.
Gonoko looks around him,
Gijnoko curses the host Solo. How art thou, sir? Chorus. How are you, sirs?
Oh! thou art my ruin, my ruin.
Pray go and call from Myikmerr
Thy young comrades who like arak.
Dost thou not pity thy well-wishers?
This time thou hast ruined us.
The favourite soi^ of the Swanny, and which they never tire
Dig izsd by Google of repeating, is the Soi^ of Thamar; one of the verses is thus rendered:
Vorydela, I am Thamar, Thamar, Vorydela!
Vorydela, I am at home, Thamar, Vorydela!
Vorydela, I am the head of the family, Thamar, Vorydela I
Vorydela, the tower of Moury, Thamar, Vorydela!
Vorydela, around the tower, Thamar, Vorydela!
Vorydela, thy dress is cosdy, Thamar, Vorydela I
Vorydela, thine eyes are beautiful gems, Thamar, Vorydela t
Vorydela, thy teeth are like pearis, Thamar, Vorydela!
Vorydela, thy hair is golden, Thamar, Vorydela!
Voiydela, 1 am at home, Thamar, Vorydela!
Vorydela, the ravens have eaten thy cow, Thamar, Vorydela!
This was sung in chorus by the women as well as the men who joined hands alternately, and formed a figure in the shape of a crescent, swaying their bodies to and fro, the lookers-on keeping time by clapping their hands. As each couple stepped out in its turn, to trip the abkazouly, a dance of their neighbours the Abhases, the females displayed considerable agili^ and endurance, and we noticed with how much determination they kept movii^, compelling their partners to be the first to give in. Like the Bavarian mountaineers, the Swanny prefer keeping step to the sound of their voices, although they have the tchang, ' harp,' fandv^, a ' guitar,* like the Russian balaldyca, and the Uh'votmyr, a kind of fiddle.
The day being a festival, some women were decked in their best jackets ornamented with rows of long silver clasps on the breasts, that looked at a distance like the braid on a trooper's jacket; the artificer who made these ornaments told us that it had taken him five years to collect sufficient silver to complete three sets, so scarce is the precious metal
We purchased some rolls of white and black cloth that avcby Google ruged 20 yards in length and 14 inches in width, for which we paid \od. per yard in Russian notes, that were greedily clutched at by the women who were with difficulty prevailed upon to bring to us these samples of their weaving. At all other villages they positively refused to do so, even when asked by the Chief.
A collation of broiled mutton cut up into great lumps, creamcheese and sour milk, had been prepared for us by the priest It was a fast-day and our host abstained from meat, but he passed the time away in devouring with much relish a quantity, a veiy large quantity I should say, of shalots, the supply being kept up by his little boy, who would hasten away and return with a fre^ plateful, each time the last of the herbs disappeared from before his father.
Upon our return to Barshy, we were not a little surprised at seeing the white peak of Mount Oushba ' overlooking the now cloudless hills that encircle the valley of Etzeiy to the northeast ro P.M. ther. 51°.
We spent another day at Barshy, as the guests of Prince Tenghyz, who mustered the villagers after supper to dance and sing for our amusement.
Another version of the ' Song of Thamar ' was in these words;
God helped the queen Thamara,
So did God's mother from heaven.
Thamara heard the sound of bells, as she ascended Elbroui,
And the mountains bowed before her.
Thamara came to Swannely, wearing the kingly crown on her head.
' Oushba, name given by the natives of ihe valley of ihe Ingour, to signily in (11 probability ' laiu mountain,' Oush being the Swanny for rain. The Georgian woid is t, Google
AT BARSHY.
Gold earrings were in Thamara's ears. Precious stones were about Thamara's neck, Thamara's teeth were pearls, Thamara wore bracelets on her arms, Thamara's eyes were gems. Outside her silken shirt, Thamara wore a coat Thamara wore a golden girdle, Thamara wore a royal weapon at her side, lo P.M. then 54°.
[fragment illegible in the scan of the first edition]
CHAPTER XXXVI.
SIXTIETH TO SIXTV-SECOND DAY.
An intelligent Svranny — A mother's lament — DUtribulion of gifts — The olil story al May and December— Horns of the tour — Tzhely-tikaJys— Inhospitalilj of lilt Vparians— Monastery of Kvyryki— Mistrust of the Swanny — Return oyer tbc
Intelligence was brought to the Chief this morning, that the hostile parties at Nents'ghoul were firing upon each other from their towers, but no casualty was reported.