[Footnote71:Bougainville,Memoiresdel'AcademiedesInscriptions,tom。xxvi。p。33,ontheAfricanvoyageofHannoandthecommerceofantiquity。]
ButtherichesofColchosshineonlythroughthedarknessofconjectureortradition;anditsgenuinehistorypresentsauniformsceneofrudenessandpoverty。IfonehundredandthirtylanguageswerespokeninthemarketofDioscurias,^72theyweretheimperfectidiomsofsomanysavagetribesorfamilies,sequesteredfromeachotherinthevalleysofMountCaucasus;andtheirseparation,whichdiminishedtheimportance,musthavemultipliedthenumber,oftheirrusticcapitals。InthepresentstateofMingrelia,avillageisanassemblageofhutswithinawoodenfence;thefortressesareseatedinthedepthsofforests;