I entered some huts in the valley and at Nakalakev, and was astounded at the indigence and miserable condition of the inmates, who were living under the shelter of branches and brambles constructed into the shape of a North American wigwam, but after a fashion to let in wind and rain, and this wretchedness in a country where the soil might teem with nature's bounties. There are extensive vineyards, and an abundance of fruit in the plains, such as walnuts, nuts, pomegranates, &c, produced with little enough attention to their culture, and in which a supine race is content to traffic, rather than till the ground or learn a trade. The Mingrclian peasants, the glalty-katsy, are invariably in tatters; they v^AX i^c papanaky or basltlyk, and assimilate the Imcritians in many respects, except that they are even more indolent, and consequently poorer. The Mingrelians are among the handsomest of the people in Transcaucasia, and if the types they present were carefully considered, the opinion as to their extraction hazarded by Herodotus might stand good in our own times.'
' Daboii, L p. 60.
' ScUhyiunye fCapnista. Yidaiiyi Alexandra. SmynfynA, 1849, Vassily Vaasilievitch Kapnisle 1756-1823. The poelicat odes and adtlrcsacs of this talented wn'Cr w offended Iheir Majesties of Russia, that his works were consigned to unmerited obscurity. His best prodaction, Yaitdn, ' Scandal,' was written in 1799,
' llerod. ii.; rec also Apoll. Rhod. Argoanul. iv, 272. /Ea was supposed (o l;avc been built by Sesostnii, who brought over the Egyptians in the vain attempt to coniiuer Colchis, renowned (or its gold.
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126 CRIMEA AND TRANSCAUCASIA.
The day was a great festival, and mounted parties of both sexes, for there are no vehicles of any description in Mingrclia, wended their way to the place where the feast of St. Elias ' was being kept. Numerous as were the holiday-makers, we saw in them the better classes, who, although also poor, possess the secret of showing up well on such occasions.
In the course of the afternoon we went to Sosyry to take part in the festivities on the common, whither crowds were still hurrying to add their number to the several thousands already congregated. Many remained mounted, moving about leisurely and watching the dancers encircled by large groups gathered under the shade of the trees, their step being kept to the melody of voices and the clapping of hands.
I was presented to a princess of the house of the Dadian, who was receiving visitors at her husband's shooting-box, near the coninion. The ladies were seated together at one end of a terrace, and; t the other were the gentlemen, smoking and talking loudly. I was invited to a chair at her side by the princess, a tall and handsome woman, dressed in a white satin kdba, embroidered in gold, the thav-sacravy being ornamented with pearls and beautiful gems; her sister-in-law, a granddaughter of the last Tzar of Georgia was present, and to my relief spoke French, but the rest of the ladies preserved silence.
After a time the princess rose, gave some directions, and bc'ng followed by all the company, led the way to the common where chairs were prepared. On the party being seated, in order of precedence, a number of the princess's retainers set up a howl, and kept clapping their hands until a crowd gathered around, and a couple having stepped to the front, the abhascidy and the ■ ChrUtuuiiiy was inlioduced inlu Co^cliix iu tlic rei^ orjiulinuuL
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A FEAST-DA Y IN MINGRELIA. 1 27
kzghynka, which it resembles, were danced. The movements in the ab/iasouly are the quickest, but less graceful, and were kept up "with much spirit, especially by the females, who never seemed to "^E; pretty creatures they are too in Mingrelia, with their lovely oval faces, soft melting eyes and arched eyebrows, and raven tresses worthy the sacrifice of a Berenice. When a couple retired exhausted, a howl was set up and continued until they were replaced, and as I watched the exciting scene, I noticed that in some instances the man kept his hands closed, as he danced, the thumbs being extended; to signify, I was informed, that he danced with his partner unwillingly, and would have preferred some other who was present
Friends and acquaintances were continually approaching the princess with the day's salutation, when the females would stoop to kiss her hand and left shoulder, in token of their own inferior station; the princess kissed some in return on the cheek.'