We kept on the left bank, halting at noon for an hour, where the Tzhenys-tzkalys becomes a confused torrent that bursts through a deep and narrow goi^e, in which huge fragments of rock have from time to time become detached, to fall into the river's bed and divide its course, causing the waters to boil and sui^e upwards, assuming myriads of fantastic shapes, only to fall back powerlessly and mingle anew with the angry foam, each mighty effort succeeding apace, until the swollen masses, overcoming every obstruction, rush on to meet with fresh resistance calling for renewed strength. One lofty rock, crowned with tall firs, and seemingly isolated, commands the pass; it had been the iair of a noted brigand, the terror of wayfarers, for he shot at travelieis as they went by, would glide down to rob them if they fell, and completed his work by ca.sting their bodies into the stream. Four by Google
^ PICTURESQUE SITUATION. 107
years ago the villain was captured by troops, tried by military law, and shot.
We passed a few head of cattle occasionally, tended by children of both sexes, who would.scramble up a tree with wonderful agility as we approached, and make strange noises which we were told was crying, abuse of the strangers.
[fragment illegible in the scan of the first edition]
We were quartered for the night in the old mairie of Lentehy, on an eminence between the Heledoura that flows east-south-east and the Lashkadoura south-west, the Tzhenys-tzkalys being a short distance from us to the south-east. No situation could command a more picturesque view of mountain, valley, and river than does that of the mairie at Lentehy; and when the moon rose and illuminated the waters of the three streams, and the grey by Google walls of the old castle of Larash-tzykh^ threw their dark shadows across the Heledoura, we feasted on a scene that was perfectly fascinating.
9 P.M. ther. 72°. The heat of the day was excessive as we sped on our way to Letchgoumm. We dined at Mouiy, and by nine in the evening 3,030 were again in the comfortable home at Lyaylyash, where for the second time I became a welcome guest.
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CHAPTER XXXVIir.
SIXTY-FIFTH DAY.
An JDlerral of rest— Appellations of Swannety — Upper Valley of the Ingour— lis approaches— Early history of Sminnety— By whom visited— Division of the District — Submission of the Swanny— A clergy appointed- Their own mi nistera— Religious costoms— Introduction of Christianity — Superstition — The Lord's Prayer in the Dialect — Types— Physical choricleristics — Proper names— Crime General olKervations.
I DEVOTED a day to needed rest and to putting my notes in some kind of order, and completed my arrangements for proceeding to KoutaTs the following morning, as I was anxious to reach Poti in time for the next return steamer to the Crimea.
The country over which we travelled for fourteen days, is more generally known by the names of Souancth, Svannetia, Souanetia, &c., but I have preferred spelling the word as it is pronounced by the natives themselves — viz., Swannety — and who call themselves Swanny.' In the earliest Armenian MSS. they are styled Sones, andSouanes.
From that part of the great range in front of Elbrouz,* the highest 18,5 26 ' peak in Europe, there projects towards the south a spur which is called the Gourkoushell, and at a distance of 50 miles to the eastward projects south another spur, the Karyldash; these two spurs are
' Klaproth states that the Swanny called themselves Cinaau. Tab. Hist. p. 87; and DaboU(iJi. p. 10) quotes Guldenstadt {Btshreibung, &c. p. no) who wrote that the name they gave themselves was Chmau. Some call themselves Tchay.
' From Russian surveys.
' Catted also Shatl gari, according to LermontolT, and 'Minghi Tau.' See Grove, Fmty Camtaiui.
t, Google n nearly united by the Latpary Alps, almost parallel to the main chain, and thus is formed a hollow or valley which does not exceed teo miles at its widest part. This valley, subdivided by several offshoots from the great range and from the Alps, that reach to the windings of the river Ingour into which sixteen torrents flow, is known as the Upper Valley of the Ingour. It is the home of two divisions of the Swanny who are the subject of this chapter,
Swannety, in the Upper Valley of the Ingour, is approached from Mingrelia, Abhase, Osscty and Kabardah, as well as over the Latpary pass from Swannety Dadian, in the months of June, July, and August, all communication at other seasons being cut off on account of the snow.
From Mingrelia — A road is in course of construction from Sougdydy, along the lower valley of the Ingour.