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KASBEK AND THE OSSETE DISTRICT 10.1
who, stimulated by the climate, the contact with other races, and
the town life possible on the shores of the iEgean Sea, developed
Greek Mythology. Of architecture or of art, beyond jewellery and
metal- work, there is indeed little in Ossetia. But what there is
bears out this suggestion. In several places in the district groups
of tombs are met with. They are quadrangular edirices, with
sloping roofs, and furnished with external ledges, on which are
laid votive offei'ings, generally weapons or antlers.
The Ossetes appear to be quicker in temj^er than the neigh-
bouring tribesmen. Twice I have nearly come to open quarrel
with them. On the first occasion, in 1868, a skirmish arose over
an exorbitant demand for payment, and was to some extent,
perhaps, our own fault. We were young, and our interpreter, who
had been accustomed, in the service of the late Mr. Gifford Palgrave,
to see his master treated with the resjiect due to a British Consul
in the East, was brusque in his ways.
Such passing unpleasantnesses are not, in my experience,
frequent, and I have never heai'd of one that resulted in any
harm to a traveller. M. Levier, however, tells a story of a Russian
ofiicer who, being attacked by a sheep-dog, shot his assailant. He
was thereupon attacked also by the Ossete shepherd with such
violence that he only owed his safety to his revolver, which he
was compelled to use a second time. It may be inferred that it is
judicious to avoid petty wrangles with Ossetes, and to tranquillise
their sheep-dogs with ice-axes rather than to dismiss them with
fire-arms. I have on many occasions followed the former course
with complete success.