ng
beauties whom more fortunate travellers have celebrated." What she _did_
observe in those daughters of the mountains was the elegance of their
shape and the natural grace of their movements. A Circassian woman is
never awkward. Dressed in rags or in brocade, she never fails to assume,
spontaneously and without thought of display, the most graceful and
picturesque attitudes. "In this respect," says Madame de Hell, "she is
unquestionably superior to the highest efforts of fascination which
Parisian art can achieve."

A visit to the family of a Circassian prince "at home" is thus narrated
by our travellers:

The dwelling was a wretched mud hut, in front of which, on a mat, lay
the prince in his shirt, and barefooted. He received his visitors very
hospitably, and after the usual courtesies proceeded to make his
toilette. He sent for his finest garments and costliest "leg gear,"
girded on his weapons, and then led the way into his "interior," which
was as bare and unfurnished as any Connemara peasant's cabin, the only
objects visible being a saddle, a few vessels, and a divan covered with
reed matting. His guests having rested for a few minutes, the prince
introduced them to his wife and daughter, who had been apprised of their
arrival, and were anxious to see them.

These ladies occupied a hut of their own, consisting, like the prince's,
of a single room. They rose at the entrance of their visitors, and
saluted them with much grace; then, motioning them to be seated, the
mother sat down in the Turkish fashion on her divan, while her daughter
reclined against the couch on which the strangers had taken their
places. They, when the reception was over, remarked with surprise that
the prince had not crossed the threshold, but had simply put his head in
at the door to answer their questions and converse with his wife. The
explanation afforded was, that a Circassian officer cannot, consistently
with honour, enter his wife's apartment during the day, and it seems
that in all families with the slightest pretension to distinction this
rule is rigorously observed.

A greater appearance of comfort was observable in the princess's
apartment than in her husband's, as might well be the case. It contained
two large divans, the silk cushions of which were gay with gold and
silver embroidery, carpets of painted felt, several trunks, and a very
pretty work-basket. A small Russian mirror and the prince's armorial
trophies formed the de