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 superstitious, debauched and debased, also idle and devoid of good faith.

The country of Mingrelia, the ancient Colchis, was in a great part covered with wood, which spread so fast as to threaten to engross the whole face of the land. Rain fell almost constantly, and in summer the hot sun acting on the moist earth, produced fevers and other diseases, which reduced the number of the population and cut short the duration of the life of man. In order to counteract, in some degree, the evil influence of such a climate, the Mingrelians spent a great portion of their time in taking open air exercise; the nobles occupied themselves chiefly in hunting. There were no towns, nor anything similar, in the country, with the exception of two villages on the