withered leaf stirred, and amid that dead sleep of nature
it was cheering to hear the snorting of the three tired post-horses and
the irregular tinkling of the Russian bell. [4]

"We will have glorious weather to-morrow," I said.

The staff-captain answered not a word, but pointed with his finger to a
lofty mountain which rose directly opposite us.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Mount Gut."

"Well, what then?"

"Don't you see how it is smoking?"

True enough, smoke was rising from Mount Gut. Over its sides gentle
cloud-currents were creeping, and on the summit rested one cloud of such
dense blackness that it appeared like a blot upon the dark sky.

By this time we were able to make out the Post Station and the roofs of
the huts surrounding it; the welcoming lights were twinkling before us,
when suddenly a damp and chilly wind arose, the gorge rumbled, and a
drizzling rain fell. I had scarcely time to throw my felt cloak round
me when down came the snow. I looked at the staff-captain with profound
respect.

"We shall have to pass the night here," he said, vexation in his tone.
"There's no crossing the mountains in such a blizzard.--I say, have
there been any avalanches on Mount Krestov?" he inquired of the driver.

"No, sir," the Ossete answered; "but there are a great many threatening
to fall--a great many."

Owing to the lack of a travellers' room in the Station, we were assigned
a night's lodging in a smoky hut. I invited my fellow-traveller to drink
a tumbler of tea with me, as I had brought my cast-iron teapot--my only
solace during my travels in the Caucasus.

One side of the hut was stuck against the cliff, and three wet and
slippery steps led up to the door. I groped my way in and stumbled up
against a cow (with these people the cow-house supplies the place of a
servant's room). I did not know which way to turn--sheep were bleating
on the one hand and a dog growling on the other. Fortunately, however,
I perceived on one side a faint glimmer of light, and by its aid I was
able to find another opening by way of a door. And here a by no means
uninteresting picture was revealed. The wide hut, the roof of which
rested on two smoke-grimed pillars, was full of people. In the centre of
the floor a small fire was crackling, and the smoke, driven back by the
wind from an opening in the roof, was spreading around in so thick a
shroud that for a long time I was unable to see about me. Seated by the
fire were two o