soled, but without spurs, though they are
almost always on horseback. Their legs
were protected by long brown woollen
gaiters, the seams of which were decorated
with an edging of silk or silver lace. All
had the beard long, and the hair of the head
cut very close. Some few added to their
costume a thick brown woollen mantle, of
triangular form, which was fastened with a
cord round the throat; but the majority had
left this garment attached to their saddle-
bows.

After a brief delay outside the dilapidated
house which the Pasha had selected for his
head-quarters, the expedition was admitted
into a vestibule full of armed men who
silently formed a lane for its members to
approach, and at the extremity of the apartment
a folding-door was thrown open and
they stood in the presence of the Turkish
commandant. It must be confessed that
there was not much of the pride, pomp, and
circumstance of oriental magnificence in the
scene that awaited them. They saw, quietly
seated on the floor on a little bit of faded
carpet, a small, squat, white-bearded old man,
with a wooden platter before him filled with
a thick mess of milk and vegetables, into
which he kept plunging both hands with very
evident signs of satisfaction. The source of
his supply was a large earthen pot, so placed
that two other old gentlemen, his guests,
seated like himself on the floor, could freely
avail themselves of the contents, and they
did not hesitate to do so. In one corner of
the room was a bedstead of walnut, with a
blue calico coverlid and a pair of comfortable
pillows. Along the walls were wooden benches
for the accommodation of a dozen or so of
friends or servants; and here and there a
few straw-bottomed chairs were scattered
about.

As soon as the expedition entered, Sefer
Pasha rose. The wooden platter and the
earthen pot were carried away by the two
guests, and a negro slave, with naked feet,
and drest in a red cotton jacket and full
white pantaloons, brought a jug and basin of
copper, and held them for the Pasha's
ablutions. His highness then very gravely saluted
the members of the expedition, one after the
other, by placing his right hand upon his
breast, his forehead, and his face, after which
he made them signs to occupy the chairs,
while he himself sat down on the edge of the
bed, and very circumstantially soaped and
washed his beard and hands. During this
process several old Circassians of lofty
stature noiselessly entered the apartment and
took their places on the benches, and four
armed warriors drew themselves up before
the door. Notwithstanding the free and
easy character of this reception, "It was
impossible," says Dr. Jeannel, "not to be
most respectfully impressed by the appearance
of Sefer Pasha. There was nothing
extraordinary in his costume, which consisted
only of a large black stuff paletôt, white
trowsers confined by a crimson silk girdle,
into which was thrust a gold-hilted poniard,
and the usual Turkish fez on his head. But
a patriarchal placidity of countenance, large,
dark, penetrating eyes, and a deeply-wrinkled
face of the colour of newly-cast bronze,
indicated all the old energy and dignity of the
oriental character."

During the conference which followed,
Sefer Pasha gave M. de la Valette ample
information respecting the productions of the
country: cattle, sheep, and hay were, he
said, in abundance; the districts round Anapa
offered plenty of remounts for the French
cavalry, the horses, though small, being
strong. As to grain, however, there was
none to be had anywhere, the Circassians
being a pastoral and not an agricultural
people. But as the main point with the
expedition was the supply of beef and mutton,
M. de la Valette was quite content to know
there was no lack of those necessaries, when
an unforeseen difficulty presented itself. Just
as the conference was drawing to a close, the
Pasha inquired if M. de la Valette had
brought with him a cargo of cotton goods?
An astonished negative was the reply, with
a question as to the necessity. The Pasha
smilingly answered that, in that case, he
feared the expedition would have a good
deal of trouble in persuading the Circassians
to take their money. They were only
acquainted, he observed, with the currency of
Russia, and even that they never willingly
accepted, infinitely preferring European
merchandise in exchange for their produce. The
truck system, moreover, was much more
profitable to the stranger than cash payments,
as the Circassians would freely give a sheep
which they valued at ten francs for a yard of
calico at forty-five centimes the yard: as to
the gold and silver which fell into their
hands they converted it, generally, into
ornaments for wear. Traffic in kind was, in fact,
the principle on which they did business,
and their ideas of value were regulated
accordingly. Dr. Jeannel, for instance, being
desirous, subsequently, of knowing how
much a slave was worth in Circassia, was
answered that it depended, of course, upon
his strength and aptitude for labour; so
he made the question personal, and
inquired how much himself, a man of sufficient
thews and sinews, would fetch in the Circassian
market?

"You," returned the party addressed, eyeing
the doctor in a knowing, jockey-like
manner, "You! A couple of yoke of oxen,
or ten or a dozen sheep are about your mark!"
The doctor was not much flattered by this
estimate, for it established his value at about
one hundred and fifty francs, or six pounds
sterling; which, it must be confessed, is not
a high price to pay for a full-grown, first-
class, French apothecary.

With no very bright trading prospects the