The constructions at the monastery are on a very small scale, and include the little church, a belfry, hermitage, and tower of defence, all adjoining, and on a position that could be made perfectly impr^nable; though firmly and strongly built, they are in a state approaching to ruin, and have been repaired at various* times until every feature of architecture has disappeared, the walls being now simply piles of stones, roughly fitted and cemented; an inscription inside the church records that 'the church of Kvyrykt was destroyed by an earthquake.'
We passed Lalhory, where we had spent our first night in the valleyof the Ingour, and proceeded to make the tedious ascent of the Latpary, reaching the cairn at one o'clock. This was our first really sunshiny and bright day (thermometer 'Jj'^, and we were enabled to enjoy the view of the glorious chain of mountains, conspicuous among them being Oushba, Kotchtan-taou, Tetnould, and ' Thi<i MS. was in Ihe possession of the lale Count PJnin.
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Pass'm'ta. The descent on the south side I preferred making on 6,650 foot; we stopped at 3,30 to refresh the horses on a meadow seven miles to the north-west of Lashketty in the lovely valley of the Tzhenys-tzkalys; and as we approached that river by a new path, the woods became taller and thicker, until at the bottom of the valley we rode through a dense forest of magnificent trees, the patriarchs of this part of Swannety: alta foresta,
Foltissima di piante antiche, orrende, Che spargon d'ogn' intomo ombra fiinesta.
4,350 At 8 P.M. we entered Shkedy, the principal village of Lashketty in Swannety Dadian, and residence of the Priestav, who had come out to meet the Chief, and conduct him to his night's quarters at the new mairic^
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CHAPTER XXXVII.
SIXTY-THIRD AND SIXTV-FOURTII DAY.
A Qoble lime-tree —Bashful women and a — Upper Valley of th< Tihenys-tzkalys -Lovely scenery — Wild children— Ki vers at Lenlehy — Moonlight— Retain to Lyaylyash.
It was too dark when we arrived at the court-house the preceding evening, to notice that within a few yards of us there was a splendid lime-tree in full blossom, having a girth at 5 feet above the ground of 28 feet 8 inches, the trunk rising 18 feet to where the branches spread over a diameter of 33 yards; beneath them, sheltered from the heat of the sun, the voters were assembled for the elections, which passed off in an orderly manner.
As some twenty to thirty of the fair sex with their faces partly covered, were looking on at a distance, I happened to observe to the Prieslav, an obese Geoi^ian, that the females about Swannety, but especially those before us, reminded me of Mahomedan women, from the careful manner in which they screened their faces. His heavy blood-shot eyes glistened for a moment as he led me by the hand towards the group, shouting that he had somewhat to say, and when near enough he cried aloud: ' Do you hear what this Englishman says? That you are more like Mahomedans than Christians! Why do you cover your faces? What are you ashamed of? If you are Christian women, and have nothing to be ashamed of, let your faces be seen!' Upon by Google
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this the younger ones let down the comers of their kerchiers, walking away, however, as they did so, while the remonstrance was unheeded by the rest. ' Are the women here always so shy and reserved? ' I asked. ' Oh! yes,' replied the Priestav, with a grin, 'our old ones always are shy. Since I first came here I have tried to persuade them of the folly of hiding their faces when they see strangers; but they are very obstinate, perhaps because they are so ugly; anyhow, my countrywomen know better.'
The upper valley of the Tzhenys-tzkalys in which Lashketty lies, is certainly the most attractive, by reason of the farm cottages, turrets, and fields of maize, com, oats, barley and hemp that set off the slopes and give life to the landscape; but I leave it to the idylls of Theocritus to picture to my readers the beauties of the rustic scenery, rich with enchanting woods, green groves, and well-watered meadows, through which our path lay after quitting the village.