YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY TRAVELS IS CIRCASSIA, KRIM-TARTARY, &c. &c. IN 1836. VOL. n. ^ ^ — / / , / ^c of 7/iy~ ly/yyy^Ziyyyyyy?: -^ ^//yG., lonjon rubiishei ty .ttenrv C orLTuia.l53T. TRAVELS IN CIRCASSIA, KRIM TAHTAEY, ie. INCLUDTNG A STEAM VOYAGE DOWN THE DANUBE, FEOM VIENNA TO CONSTANTINOPLE AND ROUND THE BLACK SEA, IN 1836. By EDMUND SPENCER, Esq. t M Author of " Sketrhe.v of Germany and the Gei-mnns," Src. CIRCASSIAN CHIEFTAIN AND FAMILY. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1837. CONTENTS THE SECOND VOLUME. LETTER I. Return to the Crimea — English Residents — Departure for the Ancient Capital of Krim-Tartary — Ascent of the Ai-Petri — Scenery — Singular Steppe on the Summit of the Mountain — Perilous Descent — Hospitable Reception at the House of a Mourza — Aspect of the Inhabitants — Tartar Villages — General Character of the Country — Tendency of Mahometanism 1 LETTER II. Bagtche-Serai as it is — Palace of the Khans — Singular Arabic Inscriptions — Wanton Barbarity of the Russians — Environs — Gipsy Village — Inhabitants — Ancient Church and Convent — Visit to the Jewish Fortress Tschoufout- Kale — Cemetery — Notice on the Religion of the Karaite Jews 14 LETTER III. Valley of Baidar — Scenery — Hospitality of the Tartars — Passage of the Merdven — Terrific Descent — Singular Construction of the Road —Arrival at Aloupka 30 VI CONTENTS. LETTER IV. PAGE Chateau of Count Worrenzow at Aloupka — Its Archi tecture — Pleasure-grounds — Marsanda — Its Villa — Situ ation and Park — Villas of the Russian Nobility — The Emperor's Park at Orianda — The Crimea unfavourable to the Growth of Forest Trees — Fete Champfetre given by General Count De Witt 36 LETTER V. Absence of British Shipping in the Euxine — Voyage to Sevastopol — Iphigenia Corvette — Captain Poothatin — Errors in the Nautical Magazine — Russian Naval Force — Sevastopol in its present State — Harbour — Fortifica tions — Singular Beauty of the Stone — Arsenal^Dock- yards— Aqueduct— Activity of the Russian Government — Prevalence of Ophthalmia among the Troops at Sevas topol 45 LETTER VI. A few Observations upon the present State of the Rus sian Empire gg LETTER VII. Inefficient State of the Russian Navy — Russian Venal ity and Peculation — Inadequate Salaries of the Public Functionaries— Additions to the Russian Treasury — Multiplication of Towns — Towns without Inhabitants — Comparison between Odessa and its Rivals— Advance of Intelligence among the Russian People —Vanity a Fea ture in the National Character (¦>, LETTER VIII. Ancient Geography and Antiquities of the Minor Pen insula— Ctenus of Strabo— Eupatorium— Chersonesus— CONTENTS, VU PAGE Propensity of the Russians to destroy Antiquities— Sub terranean Town in the Rocky Caverns at Inkerm-an — Danger of the Climate — Supposed Origin of the Town — Bay of Balaclava — Decay of Trade — Excursion to Sim- pheropol 78 LETTER IX. Simpheropol — Contrast between the Russians and Tartars — Sultan Krim-Guerrai — Ascent of the Tschatir- Dagh, or Mons Trapezus — Prospect — Ferocity of the Shepherds' Dogs — A Turkish Fray — Journey across the Steppe — ^Tartar Guides — Steppe Bivouacking — Steppe Roads — Difficulty of Travelling — Badness of the Water — Inclemency of the Winters 88 LETTER X. Steppe Travelling — Character of the Tartars con trasted with that of the Colonists — Aspect of the Coun try — Insects — Mosquitoes — Intermittent Fevers — The Rana Variabilis — Salt-Marshes — Observations on the Unhealthiness of the Climate — Venomous Reptiles — Beauty of the Flowers — -The Jerboa — Suslik — Suroke . . 1 02 LETTER XI. Arrival at Perfecop — Annual Diminution of the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov — Decrease of the Rivers that flow into them — Sterility of the Soil of the Crimea — Its ancient Fertility — Decrease of the Population — Original Inhabitants — Historical Sketch — The Khans of Krim-Tartary — Causes which led to the Dismember ment of their Empire — Political Intrigues of Russia — Final Subjection of the Country to that Power 113 LETTER XII. Distinction between the Tartar of the Crimea, the Nogay Tartar, and the Calm uck — Natural Quickness b Vlll CONTENTS. PACE of the Intellect of the Tartars— Their Flocks and Herds —Utility of the Horse to the Tartars— Their Disposition to a Nomadic Life — Hatred of the Cossack, and Squab bles with the Colonists— Their Customs and Manners- Marriage — Slavish State of the Women in the East 125 LETTER XIII. Customs and Manners of the Tartars continued — Their Children — Diseases — Hospitality — Industry — Love of Dress — Ornaments — Superstition — Doctors — Patience under Affliction — Ceremonies of Interment — Privilege of wearing a Beard — Language — Character — Music — Amusements — Smoking — Improved State of the Inhabitants of Krim-Tartary under the Russian Go vernment — Character of the Governor-General Count Worrenzow 139 LETTER XIV. Journey from Per6cop to Eupatoria — Tartar Carriage — MouUah and his Wife — Arrival at Eupatoria — Its Decrease of Trade and Population — A Tartar Inn — Arrival of a Mysterious Traveller — A novel Mineral Bath — Poverty of the Tartars — Their Dwelling-houses Danger of the Climate to Strangers — Long Drought — Steppe on Fire — Locusts — Voyage to Odessa — Battle between the Inhabitants and the Locusts 154 LETTER XV. Picture of Odessa — Disadvantageous Situation— Scar city of Water and Fuel — Insalubrity of the Climate — Harbour — Decrease of Commerce — Passports Venality of the Russian Authorities ; I57 LETTER XVI. Journey through Bessarabia and Moldavia to Galatz — Steppe — Colonists— Barbaritv of the Russian Go- CONTENTS. IX PAGE vernment towards the Jews — Russian Serfs — Cossacks — Bender — Primitive Caravans — Facility of Posting in Russia — Steppe Roads — Arrival at Galatz 177 LETTER XVII. Steam-boat Voyage to Trebizond — Passengers — Ex cessive Partiality of the Turks for Steam-boat Travelling — Advantages of Steam Navigation — Coast of Asia- Minor — Arrival atTrebizond — Increasing Prosperity of the Town — English Commerce — Harbour — Caravan- Sarai — Hints to Merchants — Antiquity of Trebizond — Climate — Environs — Fertility of the Soil ] 87 LETTER XVIII. Difficulties attending a Visit to the Caucasus — Do mineering Influence of Russia in Turkey — Feeble State of the Ottoman Empire — Sympathy of the Turks for the Circassians — Departure for Circassia in a Turkish Brig- antine — Chased by a Russian Man-of-War — An unex pected Discovery— Superb View of the Caucasian Alps 197 LETTER XIX. Arrival at Pchad — Circassian Boats resembling the Kamara of Strabon — Bay of Pchad — Russian Settle ment — Causes that led to their Expulsion — Circassian Language — Hints to Travellers — Characteristics Of the Inhabitants — Martial Appearance — Costume— Wea pons 208 LETTER XX. Second Excursion into the Interior of Circassia — General Appearance of the Circassian Territory — Ar rival at the Residence of a Pchi-Khan — His Hospitality — Domestic Manners — Mode of Living — Visit of a Circassian Prince 220 CONTENTS. LETTER XXI. PAGE Departure for the Residence of a Circassian Chief — Romantic Character of the Scenery — Colony of Krim- Tartars — Alpine Village — Abundance of Game — Arrival at the Residence of the Chief— His Appearance and Manners— Interior of a Circassian Dwelling House —A Nocturnal Serenade in Circassia — War-cry of the Circassians — Introduction to the Family of the Chief- Beauty of the Women — Their Manners and Costume — Occupations of the Circassians 232 LETTER XXII. Suspicious Feeling of the Circassians towards Fo reigners — Journey to the Valley of Thumusse — Arrival at the Circassian Camp — Situation — Circassian Gue rillas — Their Mode of Fighting — A Reconnaissance — Fortunate Escape — A Russian Spy 248 LETTER XXIII. Plans of Russia for the Subjection of Circassia — Preparations of the Confederated Tribes to oppose the Progress of Russia — Departure for the Circassian Camp on the Ubin — Beautiful Scenery — Arrival at the Camp — Display of the National Banner — Enthusiasm of the People 264 LETTER XXIV. Public Assembly — Oration of an Aged Warrior — Patriotism of the Circassians — Determination to main tain their Independence — Disadvantages they labour under with regard to Weapons of Defence — Visit of a Friendly Stranger to the Caucasus — Popularity of England iu Circassia 272 CONTENTS. XI LETTER XXV. PAGE Developement of Russian Policy in the Caucasus — Attachment of the Circassian Chiefs to the National Cause — Ultimate Views of Russia with regard to the Occupation of the Caucasus — Her Hostility to English Interests — Policy of England with respect to Circassia — Consequences of British Interference 283 LETTER XXVI. Right of Circassia to be considered Independent, as proved by Russia — Russian Ukase — Russian Violation of Treaties — Right of International Interference — Visit of a British Naval Officer to Circassia — Consequences resulting from it 292 LETTER XXVII. New Russian Settlement at Aboun — Excursion to the Kouban — Cossack Guard-houses — Animosity be tween the Circassians and the Tchernemorsky Cossacks — Character of the Tchernemorsky Cossacks — Preda tory Habits of the Borderers — Insalubrity of the Country on the Banks of the Kouban 301 LETTER XXVIII. Caucasian Scenery — Aspect of the Country — In dustry of the Inhabitants — Their Personal Appearance — Villages — Population — Character of the Circassians Liability of Travellers to be seized as Slaves — Arrival at the House of a Demirghoi Prince — His Hospitality — Manner of Living — Abstemious Habits of the Cir cassians 318 LETTER XXIX. Camp of the Demirghoi Chieftain — Warlike Habits of the People — Capture of a Russian Corvette — Expe diency of adopting the National Customs of a Country Xll CONTENTS. PAGE — Circassian Music— Their Musical Instruments — Me lodies — War Songs —Improvvisatores — Bards — Poetry 329 LETTER XXX. Similarity of the Tumuli in the Caucasus to those of Krim-Tartary — Interior of a Tumulus — Few Remnants of Antiquity to be found in the Caucasus — Grecian Medals — Respect for Justice evinced by the Circassian — Misrepresentations of Russian Writers respecting them 345 LETTER XXXI. Skill of the Circassians as Agriculturists — Their Kind ness and Hospitality — Fertility of the Soil — Superb Forests — General View of the Country — Primitive Man ners of the People — Their Mills— Granaries — Cattle — Game — Wild Animals 355 LETTER XXXII. Circassian Manner of Living — Practice of selling their Women — Its tendency to civilize the People — Cir cassian Marriage — Stoicism of the Circassians — Social State of the People — Morals — Method of punishing Criminals — Courts of Justice — Sacred Groves — Cri minal Enactments — Circassian Adroitness in Thieving — Mode of Education 368 LETTER XXXIII. Christian Observances still exhibited in the Manners and Customs of the Circassians — Religion of the Cir cassians — Superstition — Ceremonies — Burial 387 LETTER XXXIV. Caucasian Doctors — Maladies of the People — Mode of Treating the Sick — Cure for the Epilepsy — Cure for Hydrophobia — Singular Case of Somnambulism — Ad- CONTENTS. XUl PAGE vantages of a Farinaceous over a Carniverous Diet — Respect of the Circassians for Old Age — Their Charity — Superstition 400 LETTER XXXV. Origin of the name of the Caucasus — Extent of Terri tory belonging to the Independent Tribes of Circassia — The Caucasian Race — The Circassians — Their sup posed Origin — Names of the Tribes included in the Confederation — Amount of their Mihtary Force — Form of Government 410 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. VOL IL The Sangiac Sheriff of the Confederated Princes of Circassia Frontispiece. Circassian Chieftain and Family Title. Tartar Peasants in the Crimea p by burning a piece of lamb-skin in the fire, and THE NOGAY TARTARS. 145 then touching the part affected, when, such is the faith of the patients in their power, and so great their influence over the imagination, that it is no unfrequent occurrence to see the invalid " take up his bed and walk." The raoullahs also frequently exercise, in conjunction with their spiritual duties, the pro fession of doctor. They comraence their opera tion by repeating a prayer, followed by a solemn pause, which lasts several minutes ; then, with uplifted hands and eyes, they repeatedly touch the knees of the sick person, uttering, at the sarae time, a shrill scream, not unlike the piping of a bird. Dreams are also considered of the highest importance ; and a hundred other omens, such as itching of the feet, eyes, nose, elbows, &c., however insignificant they may appear to us, are, with the Tartars, supposed to portend some extraordinary event. The Tartars raay be called a happy people : this arises raore frora education, and the religion they profess, than any real good in their condi tion. Madness, so prevalent among the nations of Europe, is here nearly unknown. Patient and resigned in cases where many, who are terraed Christians, would commit suicide, they merely exclaim, with a httle more animation than ordinary, " Allah birde ! Allah aide!" (The VOL. 11. L 146 CHARACTERISTICS OF Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away!) "Allah Keiram" — (God is great!) They are all fatalists, beheving that no human foresight can prevent misfortune ; and philosophically con sole themselves, by repeating sorae appropriate proverb ; such as, " He who hath health should hope ; and he who hopes can never be unhappy!" Death, also, is to them bereft of its terrors, being firmly convinced they shall be imraediately translated to Paradise. The woraen, also, are happy in the sarae hope, although their high calling will be nothing better than to add to the pleasures of their lords ; yet it is a pleasing idea,. particularly to the old and the ugly, to be re created ever young and ever beautiful. The Tartars inter their dead, according to the word of the Koran, in ten or twelve hours at raost after death ; and owing, I suppose, to the scarcity of wood in the steppe, a white sheet serves as a substitute for a coffin. Previous to interment the moullah performs a short service in the Metschet in presence of the friends and relatives of the deceased : the corse is then carried to the cemetery, and placed in the grave in an upright position, with the face turned towards the Holy City ; a paper is affixed to the breast expressive of his character, another in the hand containing his passport to heaven, and THE NOGAY TARTARS. 147 a third bound round the head, to prevent Schatan (Satan) frora disturbing his bones ; and the cere mony terminates by the moullah repeating an other short prayer, such as — " Our Lord is Allah ! our religion, Islamism ! our Prophet, Mahomet ! our book, the Koran! blessed be the name of the Lord ! " The body is then covered with earth, and the spot indicated by a stone, usually in the form of a sraall pillar, surraounted by a turban. Like all Asiatic people, the Tartars shave the head : this is raore in compliance with ancient custom than in obedience to any precept found in the Koran. It cannot be to keep the head cool, for they are never without two or three caps, and, even in the midst of summer, wear a hairy one of larab's-skin or fur. A fine head of hair is rauch valued by the woraen, and ad mired by the men ; consequently, every attention is paid to encourage its growth ; and if they do not like the colour, there are no people better acquainted with the art of changing it to their taste. The young men only wear mustachios, not allowing the beard to grow before they attain the age of forty; this, when luxuriant, is considered a great ornament : and as the man who aspires to the honour of wearing a full flowing beard raust be exemplary in his conduct. 148 CHARACTERISTICS OF zealous in his devotions, and feel conscious that he is a man of superior judgment, it is not often adopted. The man with the longest beard being, according to Tartar custom, placed by common consent in the highest position in society, his counsel sought, and his decisions bowed to; should he, therefore, be deficient in wisdom and experience, he entails upon hiraself the ridicule and conterapt of his neighbour. He is also liable to have his beard pulled in the event of a quarrel — the greatest disgrace that can befall a Mussulman. The Russian government have raost laudably established schools in every town and village inhabited by the Tartars ; but being left in the hands of the raoullahs, whose sole object, from selfish motives, is to retain the people in ig norance, fanaticism, and superstition, they have not had the desired effect of improving the people. The language of the Tartars, which is difficult to learn, sounds harsh and unpleasant, and bears a near affinity to the Turkish. When designating the peculiar character of their lan guage, hke all Oriental nations, they say that the serpent in tempting Eve made use of the deceitful Arabic; when our first parents told their soft tales of love they adopted the melli fluous Persian ; and when the angel expelled the THE NOGAY TARTARS. 149 unhappy pair frora Paradise, the raandate was given in Turkish. The character of the Tartars, particularly that of the Nogays, does not stand high with their neighbours for honesty. . Previous to the conquest of their country by Russia, they were stigraa- tised as a people who would not scruple to murder for the accomplishraent of their purpose ; and history records raany fearful instances of their atrocities in Poland, Hungary, Russia, and even in Germany. Murder is now, happily, a rare occurrence ; and a man may travel with as rauch safety through these provinces as in the raost civilised countries in Europe. They are, however, still rauch addicted to cattle-stealing, particularly horses : this is usually practised upon their neighbours, the colonists ; and in these exploits no little cunning is exhibited, rarely failing to effect their object. Although the Tartar has no dislike to rausic, yet he has not the slightest ear for acquiring this delightful accomplishraent, and every at tempt to sing produces the- most inharmonious sound you can conceive. After dwelling for some time upon the lowest note in the gamut, they in stantly ascend to the highest, something in the style of the Swiss Ranz de Vaches. Their 'musical instruments consist of a species of lute 150 CHARACTERISTICS OF with only two strings, called a balalaika, and a Turkish drum. Shepherds make their own pipes ; but they do not excel in musical performances any more than their brethren. Neither sex dance. The men amuse themselves in riding and hunt ing ; the young, in wrestling and running for a wager, and, during the long winter evenings, in playing chess, or relating traditionary stories. The greatest dehght of the women consists in dressing theraselves in all their finery, and paying a visit, for several days, to their neigh bours or relatives who reside at a distance. For these cereraonious excursions the madjar (car riage) is put in requisition, generally drawn by buffaloes. The raatrons sraoke their pipes and discuss scandal, while their daughters amuse theraselves in swinging or embroidery, in which latter accomplishment all the Tartar woraen excel. Smoking appears indispensable to the exist ence of the whole Tartar race — men, woraen, and children. But, according to the idiom of their language, they do not sraoke the fragrant herb, but drink it (Tiitiin-itschmeck) ; nor is this a figurative expression, for, during the greatest heat and fatigue, the Tartar prefers the pipe to cool his thirst to every kind of drink, however agreeable ; and even while suffering from hunger, the raost savoury food is, in his estimation, only THE NOGAY TARTARS. 151 secondary to tobacco -smoke. The moral in fluence it has upon his character is not less reraarkable : the curling vapour not only cools his anger, but causes him to forget his misfor tunes ; and to acquire his friendship it is only necessary to offer him a tchibouque ; hence the loss of this beloved friend is to a Tartar a calamity almost insupportable. The first word he speaks to any of his family, on entering his home, is, " Ot aket sen " (give me fire) ; nor are the woraen rauch less passionately attached to the indulgence of sraoking, particularly those advanced in years, the short pipe being ever in their mouth, in doors and out. As a substitute for coffee, the Tartar of the steppe drinks a species of tea (tschai) found on the banks of the Don ; but, instead of using sugar and milk, seasons it with butter, pepper, and salt : it is considered very wholesome, and holds a prominent place among their materia medica. However the inhabitants of Krim-Tartary may have suffered on the first invasion of their land from the atrocious practices of Poterakin and his rapacious rayrraidons, it is pleasurable to be able to record that at present they have little cause of coraplaint ; for though the Russian authority. and laws are paramount, yet all ques tions, merely local, are left to be settled by their 152 CHARACTER OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL, own elders ; nor are their peculiar national custoras, rehgion, or usages, interfered with in any raaterial degree. By this mode of treatment, the governraent have at once shewn lenity and wisdom, and completely conciliated the affections of the people, who, however much they may venerate the Sultan as the spiritual head of their church, have no desire again to be his subjects in temporal affairs ; for in all ray rambles I never raet with a single Tartar who did not infinitely prefer the sway of Russia to that of his old tyrant the Turk. " I now know," said he, " the precise sum the Eraperor deraands from rae, but the flocks and herds of ray father were never safe frora the rapacity of the Pacha." For this just and merciful rule, and the ame lioration consequent upon it, the Tartar is princi pally indebted to the present Governor General, Count Worrenzow, whose administration is cha racterised by justice, prudence, and benevolence ; consequently, the poor despised son of Ishmael, hitherto preyed upon by rapacious Russians and marauding Cossacks, now rears his head, certain of finding in him a protector and a judge, who will not only listen to, but redress, his wrongs. The greater part of the princely fortune of this excellent man is expended in plans for the improveraent of the vast provinces placed under COUNT WORRENZOW. 153 his control ; and the various beneficial changes wrought entirely by his influence, particularly in the Criraea, where he principally resides, will long be reraerabered by the inhabitants. Is it not gratifying to reraeraber, that this patriotic nobleraan received his education in England ? Indeed, Count Worrenzow has, through life, exhibited a striking exemplification of the bias which character receives from early habits and associations ; for, having resided with his father, who was many years ambassador to our court, he still retains his predilections for our raanners, institutions, and literature. I found his palace furnished in the English style; his library table covered with our books and news papers ; and he manifests a decided partiahty for the society of the learned and talented of our countrymen. Do not, however, suppose, that because he has the good taste to admire what ever raay be excellent in a foreign country, that his attachraent is weakened for his own, — no such thing; he is a sincere patriot, and none raore firmly attached to the interests of Russia, which he has served with a zeal, both in the cabinet and in the field, that has secured to hira the adrairation of his country, and elevated him to the highest honours his sovereign could bestow. VIEW OP EUPATORIA. LETTER XIV. JOURNEY FROM PERECOP TO EUPATORIA — TARTAR CARRIAGE MOULLAH AND HIS WIFE ARRIVAL AT EUPATORIA ITS DECREASE OF TRADE AND POPULATION A TAR TAR INN ARRIVAL OF A MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER A NOVEL MINERAL BATH POVERTY OF THE TARTARS — THEIR DWELLING-HOUSES DANGER OF THE CLIMATE TO STRANGERS LONG DROUGHT STEPPE ON FIRE LOCUSTS VOYAGE TO ODESSA BATTLE BETWEEN THE INHABIT ANTS AND THE LOCUSTS. To traverse the boundless deserts of Krim- Tartary on horseback, when the thermometer stands upwards of 100° of Fahrenheit, without FROM PERECOP TO EUPATORIA. 155 a tree or any other object to afford the shghtest shade, was an exploit which even ray salaraander constitution did not find agreeable. I was there fore induced to exchange my steed for a Tartar madjar, one of these primitive caravans being on the point of leaving Perecop for Eupatoria. The novelty of the conveyance was certainly one temptation, as the vehicle was to be dragged by a pair of stout camels ; add to which, my compagnons de voyage, a moullah and his wife, appeared good-natured and agreeable enough, in not exhibiting any repugnance to come in such close contact with a giaour. To undertake such a long journey was, to a quiet priest, a most serious affair ; consequently, the Tespy rosary of beads was much in request, and raany a pious prayer offered to Allah, to insure his protection, both by hiraself and nu raerous friends asserabled to witness our de parture. The madjar is a long narrow vehicle, covered with dried sheep-skins, and supported by four wooden wheels ; the whole constructed without any iron whatever : the bark of the hnden-tree is used instead of nails, and boxwood where it is subject to friction. Yet, notwithstanding the frailty of the materials, the time these carriages last, and the loads they carry, are astonishing. 156 TARTAR TRAVELLING. The Tartars never grease the wheels ; hence we were serenaded with the most detestable music throughout our journey, which we completed in three days, being a distance of nearly one hundred and eighteen wersts, having only once changed the camels, at Aibar, a post station. We travelled during the night and the cool part of the day, and the turf over which we were drawn forraed a road equal to the very best in England. As to towns and villages there were none; but the kind shepherds, in their httle huts, never failed to supply us with curds, creara, fresh eggs, water -raelons, fruits, and honey : the latter I found sorae of the best I had ever eaten, in consequence of the number of wild flowers we every where meet vrith on the steppe, which afford nourishment for the bees. In short, taken upon the whole, I was highly pleased with my journey, and equally so with my fellow-travellers, whora I found kind in their manners and cleanly in their habits. On arriving at Eupatoria (or Koslof ), the first act of the moullah was to throw hiraself on his face, and offer up his thanksgivings to Heaven, for having safely preserved him through his long and perilous journey. I cannot understand why the Russians called this town Eupatoria : surely they must have known that the ancient Eupa- EUPATORIA. 157 torium stood in the Minor Peninsula of the Chersonesus, so accurately described by Strabo, and which still contains the ruins of that cele brated town. With the exception of Baghtsche-Sarai, Eu patoria is the raost characteristic Tartar town in the Criraea, and, before the Russian conquest, was one of the raost important, numbering twenty thousand inhabitants ; at present they are re duced to about seven thousand : the whole, with the exception of the Russian authorities, and a few Karaite Jews, are Tartars. It has a laza retto, custom-house, several fine mosques, and a Tartar university. The bay is extensive, with sufficient depth of water, and good anchorage ; but, being exposed to every wind, except the north and north-east, it offers no security to vessels as a harbour ; consequently, its cora merce is very inconsiderable. The raosque called Djoumai Djaraai, built by Devlet Guerai Khan in 1552, is the noblest building of the kind in the Criraea, and justly admired for the beauty of the architecture, the elegance of the fa9ade, and the vastness and solidity of the dome. Sorae few years since a violent hurricane destroyed its graceful minarets ; and the poor Tartars being unable to rebuild thera, their absence gives to the edifice an appearance soraewhat durapy. 158 TARTAR INN. Eupatoria, with its narrow streets, houses en closed within high walls, and range of windmills extending along the coast hke a regiment of soldiers, is one of the most triste towns that ever inoculated a traveller with ennui. In wandering through its deserted streets, the only signs we see of activity or animation, is now and then the arrival of a caravan drawn by camels or buffaloes, and a few men and woraen, in their tattered habihments, sauntering about, and eat ing water-melons -7- by the by, some of the best I ever tasted. My amusements, as you raay suppose, were not very varied : the heat of the weather was excessive, and the barren steppe that surrounded the town, without a tree or shrub, did not offer the slightest temptation for the indulgence of a promenade ; and here I was obliged to remain some days, for the steara-boat to convey me to Odessa. I took up ray quarters at the head inn of the Tartars, a khan raore reraarkable for vastness than good accoraraodation ; and, having appro priated to rayself one of its divans, which by day was ray sofa, and by night my bed, I endea voured to beguile the time by taking a sketch of the town, writing, and watching the departure and arrival of the guests ; occupations which A MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER. 159 certainly did not have the effect of giving wings to the minutes. It was on the last day of ray teraporary con fineraent, that a traveller made his appearance, in the costume of an Arraenian raerchant, at tended by a Tartar, bearing his well-filled saddle bags. He was a raan that could not fail to attract attention : his noble, coramanding figure was at least six feet high ; his features, handsome and expressive, were not a little improved by raoustachios, and a beard, nearly reaching to his girdle, as black as jet; his full dark eye sparkled, if not with high intellect, at least with vivacity ; while around his nether lip played that haughty expression which never fails to establish itself in a raan long-accustoraed to command : neverthe less, the strongly-marked lines in his countenance shewed that he had drank the cup of sorrow to its dregs. He seated hiraself at the lower end of the divan I occupied, which afforded me an oppor tunity of observing hira raore attentively ; and I was soon confirraed in ray first impression, that his character of Armenian was assuraed. He did not obtrude his raerchandise upon rae, with the hope of terapting the traveller to purchase, which is the universal custom of these people ; and, as a further proof, when the voice of the I man from 160 SINGULAR MUD-BATHS. the minaret went forth, and warned the faithful it was the hour of prayer, he made an involun tary motion, which was as quickly checked, of throwing himself on his face. Solitude makes friends; for, being the only travellers in the khan, we smoked our tchibouque according to eastern custom, and even came to be upon terms of intimacy. He was also a tra veller ; but the object of his visit to the Crimea was not curiosity, but to pay an act of filial duty to the tombs of his ancestors at Baghtsche-Sarai, being the only true descendant of the heroic khan, Krim-Guerai, who was poisoned at Bender in 1764. He was engaged in all the late wars between Russia and the Ottoman Porte, in which he was repeatedly severely wounded; and no thing but the danger of subjecting this highly- distinguished individual to the persecution of Russia, whose influence is now all-powerful in Turkey, prevents me from giving his name, and narrating several interesting passages of a stormy life. I shall raerely say, that he stands in high favour with the Sultan, had recently arrived from Asia Minor, and was now returning to Trebizond, to which place I instantly raade up my raind to accorapany hira. Before leaving Eupatoria, I visited the famous sahne lake, with its mud-baths, called the "Boues NEAR EUPATORIA. 161 de Sak," distant about seventeen wersts. These baths enjoy a very high reputation, attracting nurabers of invalids frora every part of the Rus sian empire, and the cures they are said to per form are nearly incredible : but as there are no people in Europe that exaggerate every thing connected with their country more than the Russians, I should not like to recoraraend thera on such testiraony. However efficacious they raay be in reraoving rheumatism and cuta neous diseases, they are admirably calculated for giving, in return, the interraittent fever, which really was the case with one of the patients I raet here, a Gerraan officer in the Russian ser vice, who had come several hundred wersts : he recovered, it is true, the use of his limbs, but carried away with hira a fever very likely to destroy a frame already shattered. Of every other species of bath, they are cer tainly the most novel. Fancy a stagnant lake, of some extent, the greatest part composed of mud, where you see a raultitude of heads (the whole of the bathers are buried to the chin), sraoking, eating, drinking, laughing, singing, and moaning ; altogether forming a scene the most comic imaginable. They remain in their muddy prison for about an hour, when another scene takes place, which baffles description. We then VOL. II. M 162 INSALUBRITY see the lake give forth its teraporary inhabitants, coraposed of persons of all ages, sorae running, sorae hobbling on crutches, on their way to wash theraselves in a clearer part of the lake, each carrying on a long pole his wearing apparel. But it is their darkened bodies, covered with mud, and cadaverous countenances, that realize every idea you might forra of the resurrection of the dead. The Tartars, whose occupation is principally pastoral, are exceedingly poor in this part of the Criraea steppe; and, when we regard their houses, it is irapossible not to think that they have stu died the art of architecture under badgers and rabbits ; for, like thera, their dwellings are bur rowed into the earth. In this, however, a sin gular instinct of self-preservation is visible, de rived, probably, from observation and experience; for, while they are seldom or never attacked by interraittent fevers, the colonists who live above the earth, in fine houses, are frequently its vic tims ; the miasraa being supposed, like every other, only active a few feet frora the surface of the earth. While wandering in the vicinity of the Putrid Sea and the Sea of Azov, the most insalubrious part of the Crimea, I had an opportunity of as certaining that this opinion was correct, as I OF THE CRIMEA. 163 invariably observed, before the rising and setting of the sun, a heavy mist hanging over the soil ; whereas, it was only necessary to ascend a tu mulus about seven feet in height, or descend into one of the Tartar huts, to be corapletely be yond its influence. This poisonous exhalation is raost pernicious during autumn, when it be comes so offensive to the senses, and unpleasant to the feelings, that none can raistake it ; for the darap cold penetrates the whole frame. How ever, by using the necessary remedies, and acting with prudence in avoiding the morning and even ing mists (the only time when danger is to be apprehended), the disease raay soon be subdued : not so with dysentery, a very comraon disease in Krim-Tartary, and too frequently fatal. In truth, every traveller visiting these coun tries should, at least, be shghtly acquainted with medicine, and provided with a small supply of comraon drugs, in the event of his falhng a vic tim to sorae one or other of these diseases. That part of the Criraea steppe in the neigh bourhood of Eupatoria and the baths, is the most barren of any I had hitherto seen ; and, as no rain had fallen since April, and it was now August, there was not the shghtest appearance of verdure, the alkaline sal sola being almost the only plant that survived the long drought. 164 STEPPE ON FIRE. A Russian family we met here, just arrived frora Ak-Metchet, inforraed us, that during their journey they observed the steppe on fire. It appears that this evil is one of frequent occur rence ; a spark frora a pipe being sufficient to set the whole country in a blaze ; and as there is neither river, ditch, nor raountain, higher than a turaulus, to check the progress of the flame, it rushes along the ground, consuming the grass and herbage with astonishing rapidity. Sad in deed is the consequence when it reaches the agri cultural fields of the colonist ; then the produce of a whole year is destroyed in a few hours. Here I also had an opportunity of witnessing the truth of some of the surprising accounts the natives relate of the locusts, which so often ra vage these countries : the whole face of nature seeraed covered with thera, at one tirae swarm ing on the earth, and in the houses ; then rising to an iramense height, absolutely obscuring the light of the sun. (I escaped, however, more fortunately than poor Pallas, who was once caught in a swarm, and half smothered). When first rising from the earth, or turning upon the wing, I cannot corapare their noise to any thing raore appropriate than the roaring of the sea when agitated by a storra. The present swarra were of the Gryllus mi- LOCUSTS. 165 gratorius species, or, as the Tartars call them, Tschigerka, distinguished for the red colour of their legs and vrings ; consequently, whenever the rays of the sun shot obliquely over them, they appeared like a vast fiery cloud. They did not, however, finally settle on the steppe ; for, on clearing the bay of Eupatoria, we observed thera, after two or three atterapts to alight, not liking, I suppose, the prospect of starvation on the parched deserts of the Criraea, continue their flight towards Odessa : and so did I ; but it is scarcely necessary to say that the wings of the locust are a swifter conveyance than steara. We had a short but pleasant passage, and, on our arrival, found a fearful battle raging between the inhabitants and the ruthless enemies of ve getation. Every noisy weapon, from a pistol to a raortar, from a kettle-drum to a tin casserole, were rattling like thunder in the hands of the horrified citizens, for the purpose of defending their little domains, while the locusts fought quite as bravely to obtain possession of the lux uriant raeal proraised by the gardens and neat little shrubberies. A raore coraic scene it would be difficult to imagine ; and a stranger, unacquainted with their intentions, would suppose the whole popu lation crazy. The uproar, however, had the 166 LOCUSTS. desired effect ; for the insect multitude, terrified at the clamour, bent their course towards some other territory less vigorously defended. In the raidst of all this noise and confusion, I entered the house of M , whose garden is celebrated for being the prettiest in Odessa, when I found him and his whole family labour ing hard to scare away the dreaded intruders. My host, a sedate-looking man, somewhat cor pulent, strearaing with perspiration, was ham mering with all his might upon an old tin kettle, and greeted my arrival with the salutation, " Oh, those locusts ! those locusts !" at the same time rattling his clanging instrument ten times louder than before : every other consideration being absorbed in the prospect of his gay flower beds becoming the prey of the hungry swarm that hovered around. ODESSA. 167 LETTER XV. PICTURE OF ODESSA DISADVANTAGEOUS SITUATION SCAR CITY OF WATER AND FUEL INSALUBRITY OF THE CLIMATE HARBOUR DECREASE OF COMMERCE — PASSPORTS VENALITY OF THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES. Odessa is one of the raost reraarkable towns in Europe, when we reraeraber that, in 1792, it was an insignificant village, inhabited by a few Tartars : it then bore the narae of Adgebey ; whereas it now contains nearly sixty thousand inhabitants, and possesses all the usual establish ments of a maritirae city. Many of the public edifices, and the houses of the principal raer chants, are built with considerable architectural taste ; but I cannot say much as to their solid ity, being for the most part constructed of a soft stone found in the environs, of the same description as that in the neighbourhood of In kerman ; but, being still in a serai-indurated state, it is not much harder than cheese ; and as it does not improve, like the other, by exposure 168 ODESSA. to the. atraosphere, an edifice coraposed of it is only calculated to endure, at raost, forty years. The want of good building and paving-stone is much felt at Odessa, which obhges the inha bitants to import it from Malta, Greece, and other parts of the Mediterranean, as ballast. We cannot, therefore, feel surprised that the whole of the streets, except the principal, re main unpaved; and these being, in accordance with Russian custom, of iraraense breadth and length, the dust in dry weather is hardly endur able, nor in wet weather is the mud less dis agreeable, obhging those who cannot afford to keep a pair of horses to use stilts. Notwithstanding all this, Odessa is a very pretty town, and continues daily improving; and being a free port, the bazaars contain the choicest productions of Europe and the East; and, in wandering through its streets, the number of Asiatics, in their Oriental costume, present a lively, animated picture. It cannot, however, be termed a Russian town, the inhabitants being principally Jews, Italians, Greeks, Gerraans, and a few French and English. Two of the most indispensable necessaries of life, Odessa, unfortunately, is ill supplied with : the water in the wells is brackish ; and the sur rounding country, an elevated plain, of immea- ODESSA. 169 surable extent, without tree or shrub, cannot, of course, furnish fuel. The rich burn Newcastle coal, and the poor are obhged to resort to the Tartar fuel I before described ; and this, in a climate exposed to cold north-easterly winds, with a winter of at least six raonths in duration. It is really pitiable to see raen, woraen, and children, wandering over the steppe, collecting the manure of the cattle, which not unfrequently leads to petty wrangling between them ; and raany a black eye, bleeding nose, and torn hair, is given and received while disputing possession of the valuable treasure. The town is equally ill provided with fruit and vegetables, which entirely owe their produc tion to an expensive systera of irrigation ; for, the soil not being adapted to the growth of trees, it is only after a long preparation that they take root ; and even then, with every care, they perish in five or six years. The acacia is indeed the only tree that raay be said to flourish ; consequently, we find it adorning not only the boulevards, but every garden in the town : even this, when the roots descend to a certain distance in the earth, also dies. The cliraate of Odessa is by no raeans salu brious ; the winter is extreraely cold, and the thermometer in suraraer frequently attains the 170 ODESSA. great height of 30° of Reauraur. This heat being frequently succeeded, during the same day, by cold north-east winds, the inhabitants suffer from every description of catarrhal com plaint ; and, to add to their misfortunes, the dysentery prevails, particularly among children, to an extent I believe unparalleled in any other country, proving fatal to at least one-third under four years of age. The bay of Odessa being generally frozen frBra Deceraber to February, is a serious hin- derance to coraraerce ; and, in consequence of its contiguity to Constantinople, every vessel that arrives is obliged to submit to a quarantine of fourteen days, which occasions a great ex pense and loss of time to the mariner. This regulation is, however, necessary, for the plague in 1812 proved fatal to nearly haffthe population. The port, or bay, as I said before, is not a good one, particularly when the north-east wind blows violently, which it does in the autumn and spring, destroying numerous vessels. This danger, to gether with raany other inconveniences, such as the expensive formality of the Russian govern ment respecting passports, quarantine laws, port regulations, and so forth, prove injurious to the trader ; consequently, comraerce has visibly declined of late years, particularly with Great ODESSA. 171 Britain : notwithstanding this, our merchants are still the principal, indeed, I may add, alraost the only, purchasers of the raw raaterials of this part of the empire. The balance of trade is, however, wholly in favour of Russia ; for though our imports are immense, yet the heavy duties imposed by our adversary amount almost to a prohibition of our raanufactures. This unwise policy has been the raeans of turning the tide of coramerce from the Russian ports to those of Turkey ; hence, Constantinople, Trebizond, &c., are rapidly increasing in prosperity, the ports are filled with English ships, and the bazaars with English raerchandise. Russian coraraerce raay also apprehend an other danger; for, as the navigation of the Danube is now open, the long neglected and alraost unknown countries of Bulgaria, Servia, Mol davia, and Wallachia, abounding with those very articles Russia now furnishes, but entirely destitute of manufactures, our merchants will certainly find it their interests to supply them selves at markets where they can sell as well as buy. We may also add, that Hungary — the fertile Hungary — heartily weary of the isolating system pursued by Austria, which prevents her from finding any advantageous outlet for the productions of the country, is resolved upon 172 ODESSA. making a strenuous effort to induce the govern ment to put an end to a policy so ruinous to her interests : a boon which that power must event ually concede; and which, when granted, will certainly have the effect of opening commer cial relations between England and Hungary equally advantageous to both countries. Nothing is more easy for a traveller whose passport may be in due order, to gain admittance into the Russian Empire ; but when he attempts to leave that country, he will have sufficient cause to remember it as long as he lives. Not to mention the host of inconveniences and un necessary vexations thrown in his way, he is placed in the hands of bands of extortionate employes ever ready to interpose some obstacle, unless he paves the road to their favour with roubles. To give you some idea of what a serious undertaking it is to leave Russia, I had first to present my effects at the custom-house, then to undergo a long examination at the office of the town police, next to proceed to the govern ment house, and, last of all, to the captain of the the port ; and it is not until the signatures of all these authorities are obtained, that the autocrat of the passport-office will condescend to affix his raost iraportant sign raanual ; and, as all these various offices are situated in different quarters ODESSA. 173 of the most straggling town through which I ever rambled (except Washington in the U. S.), it occupied two days to procure the necessary vises, to say nothing of the expense which, for govern ment stamps, and bribing clerks for doing their duty, amounted to one hundred roubles ! But, lo ! and behold, when I thought all my troubles were at an end, and just as the auto crat of the police was about annexing his final signature, he demanded, with a grave face, if I had advertised in the public papers ? Having answered in the negative, I was inforraed, that I could not depart unless sorae friend of unex ceptionable character would becorae ray surety that I had not incurred a debt to any Russian subject, nor committed any sin against the laws or the government ; a formality frora which, he assured rae, no foreigner, be his rank or character what it raay, was exempted. The interference even of the governor-general, and my other Russian friends, would have availed me nothing ; the laws of the Russian police being, like those of the Medes and Persians, irarautable : not, however, that it was in my power to request their kind offices, for the best possible reason, that I had left them at their country-seats in the mountains of the Crimea. I was, therefore, left to the agreeable alter- 174 ODESSA. native, if no person would become my security, of advertising three successive weeks in the town gazette, informing the public I was about leaving the country ! From the last annoyance I was happily relieved by Mr. Yearaes, our consul general, who took upon himself the responsibility of answering for my good conduct. In this respect, I was raore fortunate than two of my corapatriots, raen of the highest respectability, who, being ignorant that such a demand would be made, and, consequently, unprepared to meet it, were obliged, malgre their inclinations, to amuse themselves during three weeks of the most delightful season of the year in picking up cockle-shells on the sea-shore, or counting the number of trees that are not dying of a con sumption on the public proraenade ! But to return to ray own grievances : notwith standing the sura I had disbursed and the activ ity I displayed in endeavouring to procure my release, I was too late by half an hour for the Nicholas steam-boat, which would have taken me to Varna, where I was certain of raeeting with the Enghsh stearaer, the Crescent, bound for Trebi zond. In this dileraraa, sufficiently provoking to ruffle the teraper of any traveller however philo sophical, and which betrayed ray corapanion in misfortune, the phlegraatic Turk, into a few ODESSA. 175 extra Mashallahs, I had no other remedy than to submit with patience. Being thus foiled in ray atterapt to leave Odessa by sea, I was obliged to search for a conveyance in sorae of the Turkish ports on the Danube ; and as ray route lay through Bessarabia, I was corapelled to undergo another tedious process, in procuring a Padrozna to secure post- horses. In enuraerating ray grievances at Odessa, it is but justice to the Muscovites to say, that the conteraptible peculation which I have described as characterising the civil and railitary officers of the government, and for which the natives are held responsible, is not altogether to be charged upon them, but raore upon the foreign adventur ers. These raen, — possessed of a little talent, and for the most part without property, and too often without character, — expelled from their own country, have, by their adroitness and capacity, monopohsed alraost every departraent, civil and railitary, throughout this vast erapire. With them War is regarded in no other point of view than as a source of gain ; and the luckless tra veller is regarded not only as a fair subject for pillage, but as an object on which to exercise every act of petty despotisra : these are the spies both at home and abroad, these are the 176 ODESSA. men who execute those acts of the governraent which require agents not very scrupulous as to honesty. By the true Muscovite, who is infi nitely their superior in good nature, honesty, and hospitality, they are held in quite as much contempt and abhorrence as by the traveller. To give you an idea of the reckless want of principle exhibited by some of these foreign adventurers, I reraeraber, a short tirae since, being at a large asserably, principally coraposed of Russians, when the struggle in Circassia forraed the subject of discussion. A knight- errant of this description, who for his pohtical opinions had been exiled frora his own country, proposed, as a plan for the terraination of the war, the utter exterraination of the unhappy raountaineers. To the honour of the Musco vites let it be recorded, his inhuraan expedient drew forth one burst of execration from all present. JOURNEY THROUGH BESSARABIA. 177 LETTER XVI. JOURNEY THROUGH BESSARABIA AND MOLDAVIA TO GALATZ STEPPE COLONISTS BARBARITY OF THE RUSSIAN GO VERNMENT TOWARDS THE JEWS RUSSIAN SERFS COS SACKS BENDER PRIMITIVE CARAVANS FACILITY OF POSTING IN RUSSIA STEPPE ROADS ARRIVAL AT GALATZ. On leaving Odessa I entered a country, the perfect fac-siraile of the steppe I had been ex ploring in Krira-Tartary, and of which it may be said to form a portion ; indeed, the whole of New Russia, — which coraprises the governraent of the Taurida, Ekaterinoslav, and Cherson, east ward, Bessarabia, and part of Moldavia, west ward, with the distri-ct of the Kouban, Taraan, and Ekaterinodar, in Asia, — presents, with the exception of the raountainous part of the Criraea, the sarae raonotonous aspect. This vast steppe, raore than twice as large as Great Britain, previous to its conquest frora the khans of Krim-Tartary, was one interminable extent of pasture-land, over which the various hordes of Calmucks, Nogay and Kara Tartars, wandered with their flocks and herds; and, VOL. II. N 178 JOURNEY THROUGH certainly, when passing through the numerous towns and villages, and witnessing the security and convenience of travelling, we must feel astonished at the activity of the Russian govern ment, and thankful for this wide extension of civilisation. The vigour and ability which must have been displayed to procure these results will be the raore apparent, when we remember the wild hordes that here lived in tentS only forty-five years ago. Those countries which, at present, entail such an expense upon the govern ment, being traversed by sorae of the noblest rivers in Europe, the Dniester, Dnieper, Bug, and Danube, together with the Don and the Kou ban, the whole of which are navigable, and possessing a soil of a dark putrid loara, which never requires manure, must continue to improve as they become raore densely populated, even in defiance of a climate exposed to the severest extremes of heat and cold. We traversed the greatest part of Bessarabia on our route to Galatz ; the whole of which was inhabited by colonists of different nations, still retaining their peculiar costume, habits, and manners, whose varied features, in sorae measure, compensated for the monotony of the landscape. The German district, . with its villages, Man- heim and Strasburg, was the first that riveted my BESSARABIA AND MOLDAVIA. 179 attention. These indefatigable people, by inces sant and well-directed irrigation, have, in sorae measure, overcome the long droughts that pre vail ; but, notwithstanding the number of years they have been settled, the encouragement af forded by the governraent, being exerapt frora taxation, railitary services, &c., yet they are poor, and I found them invariably dissatisfied with the unthankful soil they inhabit. They spoke of fatherland with all the warmth of a lover for his mistress, and wished theraselves again in its beautiful fields and raountains : sorae few, however, are in tolerably good circura stances, who, in addition to being farraers and graziers, have been enabled, frora possessing a little capital, to speculate in wool and grain, which has proved a lucrative business of late years in this country, on account of its vicinity to Odessa. We also passed through several villages in habited by tribes of Bulgarians, whose character stands the highest araong all the colonists, for so briety, honesty, and moral conduct. The Ar menians and Jews — the shopkeepers and traders — here, as in every other part of the world, inhabit the towns and villages. The sons of Israel are very numerous in every part of Old and New Russia; and, like the Armenians, still retain their eastern costume. In conversing with these 180 JOURNEY THROUGH people, they confirmed to rae an anecdote I had previously heard related at Odessa. It appears, a few years since, the Russian govern raent being, in consequence of its long and depo pulating wars, pressed for soldiers, was determined to have them at any price ; and, as the Jews, some of the best grown raen in the erapire, and not deficient in talents and bravery, offered one source frora which to recruit her dirainished arraies, a ukase was issued frora St. Petersburg to the following effect : — The authorities were coraraanded to seize, in all the Jewish tOwns and villages, a certain nuraber of the most healthy and well-grown children under ten years of age, and transport them to schools, in distant pro vinces of the empire, prepared to receive them, in which they were to be educated in the Greek form of religion, and prepared for the army. This barbarity was actually carried into exe cution, and caused, as might be supposed, the deepest mourning, the loudest lamentations the earth has witnessed among those people since the days of Herod : the unhappy mother was every where to be seen, like Rachel, weeping for her children, and would not be comforted. I ara happy to be able to add, that this kid napping systera has not been repeated : it has, however, left in the bosoms of the Israelites a BESSARABIA AND MOLDAVIA. 181 feeling of deep, inextinguishable animosity against the Russians and their government, which may, at some future time, burst forth with the fury of a volcano ; for they constitute a numerous and very wealthy portion of the population. Even at present, the contests between the Jews and the Russians (one of which I myself witnessed) are both frequent and sanguinary; and so well-arranged are the preparations of the forraer for attack, when it becoraes necessary to defend theraselves, that, at any time a quarrel takes place, they rush into the streets, crying, with all their might, " Gewalt ! Gewalt ! " when, instantly, every raeraber of the Hebrew popula tion — raen, women, and children, — arm them selves with every species of weapon, from a pitch fork to a reaping-hook, and rush to the scene of battle. The costume of the peasants of Old Russia, here colonised, is as peculiar as their expression, which is slavish and servile. The dress, though not picturesque, is well adapted to the climate, and would enable them to bid defiance to the severity of the winter, were it not for their own imprudence ; exhibited principally in their un governable passion for vodka drinking. This is a spirit distilled from corn, and very fiery, not unlike whisky, which produces, by its sale, an immense revenue to the government. 182 JOURNEY THROUGH and death to thousands of the population an nually, who, stupified by its influence, and be numbed by the cold, fall asleep in exposed situa tions, and are thus frozen, imperceptibly, to death. It is impossible to convey an idea of the misery and dirt in which the Russian serfs congregate together : their b?ds are, at best, heaps of straw, with a sheep-skin shube for a covering ; and, as they never divest themselves of any garment except the upper, they absolutely swarm with vermin. They are also thorough slaves by nature and education, and so wanting in free and noble feeling, that they will not receive the boon of liberty when offered. An instance of this was related to me by a Russian nobleraan, well-known for his patriotism and intelhgence, who, anxious to confer happi ness, by setting the exaraple of eradicating slavery from his country, emancipated the whole of the slaves upon one of his estates, and esta blished them on the principle of our tenantry. To his utter astonishment, after some few months had clasped, they solicited, in a body, to be restored to their former position as serfs ; " for then," said they, " we wanted nothing : now, we want every thing." Thus, you see, however singular it may appear to the free-born sons of our country, emancipation from slavery does not always confer happiness. BESSARABIA AND MOLDAVIA. 183 No foreigner can purchase an estate or a slave in Russia without the sanction of the highest authority ; and a native, who is not a noble, or an officer in the army, or at least holds civil rank equal to that of a lieutenant, is also de barred the privilege. As this rank, however, is easily attained in a country with such an over whelming army of civil and military employes, the gratification of having a slave for a servant is not difficult of attainraent; consequently, we find every Russian, even of raediocre fortune, attended by one. They are extreraely sub missive, and not unfaithful ; and, I have been told that, like the spaniel-dog, the more you beat one the more he will love you. Black bread and vodka, with buck-wheat porridge, is his favourite food : he will never use a bed for fear of dirtying it, his usual couch being a corner of the antechamber, where he rolls himself up in his bourka, as contented as if he reposed on a bed of down. I found, during my sejour in Russia, that a raost arbitrary ukase was issued by the govern ment, which caused great annoyance to the higher classes ; for, as an Irishman would say, it effectually terminated raany a tour before it had comraenced. The hated ordinance, then, was to this effect: — every subject of the erapire. 184 JOURNEY THROUGH whether Russian or naturalised, who might be desirous of passing its boundaries, either on busi ness or pleasure, would henceforth be obliged to find sureties to a large amount, and such as should prove satisfactory to the authorities, that he would return, within a tirae specified, to the erapire. Even burdened with this condition, the leave of absence is very difficult to obtain. But, to return to the details of my journey. On arriving at the frontiers of the principality of Moldavia, we found a colony of Cossacks, who hold their lands, like the whole of the armed peasantry under that narae, from the crown, in lieu of railitary service : they are the guardians of the frontiers, and, if we may believe their neigh bours, the colonists, those established in this part of the empire exercise the double profession of soldier and levier of forced contributions ; while, in the art of stealing horses, they are ab solutely unrivalled for adroitness. With respect to towns, there were none worth mentioning, save Bender, on the Dniester, cele brated for the attack and defeat of the Swedes : their intrenchraents are still visible, together with the raounds forraed by the dead bodies of that heroic people, mowed down by Russian cannon. This little town, now so solitary and insignificant, will ever reraain raeraorable in the BESSARABIA AND MOLDAVIA. 185 annals of Russia. Here the fate of the ferapire hung on a hair ; for, had the Swedes triuraphed, the power of Russia raust have fallen, and, instead of a Scythian Colossus, the world would, probably, have witnessed that of the Scandina vian. Indeed, every inch of the surrounding country is interesting, as being the theatre of so many iraportant battles for supremacy between the Turks, Swedes, Russians, and Poles ; of which, we are reminded by the redoubts and intrenchraents thrown up in every direction. On crossing the Dniester, the aspect of the country considerably improved ; it was no longer a steppe, but charming and fertile, every where broken into undulating hills, occasionally co vered with wood and agricultural fields. The roads, or rather the turf, was more aniraated : in one place were to be seen nuraerous caravans, drawn by teams of oxen, filled with the grain of Podholia and Volhynia, hastening to Odessa : in another, cattle linked in pairs, wandering in search of pasture ; for, in these countries, land is nearly of as little value as in the back settle ments of North America. The drivers were as wild as the country, both in their appearance and occupation; and, while squatted round blazing fires, in the dim twihght, cooking their kukurutz, the bright glare displaying their sun- 186 STEAM-BOAT VOYAGE burnt countenances, and long dark hair, hanging over their naked shoulders, they raight betakenfor a party of wizards, perforraing their incantations. Notwithstanding the terms of animadversion with which truth has obliged rae to speak of sorae of the Russian governraent departments ; yet, on the other hand, I never omit an opportu nity of praising those that merit coraraendation ; and, assuredly, none deserves it more than the posting establishment, being at once well-ar ranged and cheap. The horses are excellent, and always ready ; the well-disciplined postilion is invariably civil ; and, as we had no rain to break up the steppe roads, the travelling was dehghtful, for we rolled over a plain of turf, level as the finest lawn, with a degree of speed and facility unknown in any other country, ar riving at Galatz, on the Danube, in the short space of four days. Here we were so fortunate as to find the Ferdinand steam-boat on the point of departure for Constantinople, in which we took places for Varna, and from thence, in the English stearaer, the Crescent, for Trebizond. In consequence of this fortunate coincidence, together with having enjoyed the pleasure of seeing new countries, and different races of people, I had not, after all, much cause to regret my disappointment at Odessa. FROM GALATZ TO TREBIZOND. 187 LETTER XVH. STEAM-BOAT VOYAGE TO TREBIZOND PASSENGERS EX CESSIVE PARTIALITY OF THE TURKS FOR STEAM-BOAT TRAVELLING ADVANTAGES OF STEAM NAVIGATION COAST OF ASIA-MINOR ARRIVAL AT TREBIZOND IN CREASING PROSPERITY OF THE TOWN ENGLISH COM MERCE HARBOUR CARAVAN-SARAI HINTS TO MER CHANTS ANTIQUITY OF TREBIZOND — CLIMATE EN VIRONS FERTILITY OF THE SOIL. The Crescent was literally filled with pas sengers : the greater number Turks. The passion of these people for travelhng in a steara-boat, who at first would not enter one, is now so great, that it raay almost be termed a mania; but this is in consonance with the general tenor of their character ; when once ex cited by any new change, or popular reforra, their enthusiasra knows no bounds. I have seen the steam-packet bureaus in Constantinople besieged by multitudes in search of tickets, having no more iraportant business'' than the enjoyraent of an agreeable trip; -and never was a Mar gate stearaer, in the height of the season, raore densely crowded than those which leave 188 STEAM-BOAT VOYAGE Constantinople. You may, therefore, easily imagine what a lucrative speculation the navi gation of these seas by steam has been for the proprietors. To a European it was not a little amusing to observe their raoveraents on deck: each Turk, armed with his little carpet, provender-bag, and tchibouque, appeared the very picture of con tentment. Besides the Islamites, there were Armenians, Greeks, Jew Karaites and Jew Tal- muds, and several Franks, in full flight from the plague that had just broken out at Constanti nople with more than usual virulence. There were also a few women, principally Jewesses and Gre cians ; and as I cast my eyes over the squatting multitude, and beheld the varied costumes, the number of turbaned heads, of every colour and shade, interraingled with here a red cap, there one of dark fur, and in another the light, gaudy, tinselled head-dresses of the woraen, you cannot iraagine a prettier picture, nor one that offered greater variety to the pencil of the painter. Then the Babel of tongues, the physiognomies of the different castes, the proud, serious, sedate Turk, the piercing glance of the aniraated Greek, the shrewd, calculating Jew, the calm, intelligent countenance of the quiet Frank, and the lordly tone and step of the English captain, were all so FROM GALATZ TO TREBIZOND. 189 distinctly marked, that you could hardly fail to recognise each in his separate character, even if divested of his national costume. Surely the world has never witnessed an in vention better adapted than steam to connect the inhabitants of the earth by the same ties of religion, habits, customs, and raanners ; in one word, to effect a coraplete raoral revolution. Its influence has been already felt by the benighted inhabitants of those beautiful countries on the banks of the Danube ; and, if to this we add rail roads, with their steara-carriages, which, from their convenience and celerity, must, in process of time, become universal, what may we not expect in a few years ? Do we not already see the whole of the nations of the East, wherever the arms of Eu rope or her coraraerce have penetrated, begin ning to evince a taste for European habits ? They are partial to our clothes, fiirniture, and even fashions. In the Ottoraan erapire we flnd not only the Sultan, but his Grandees, who only, a few raonths since, ate with their fingers, and sat upon the ground, now making use of tables, chairs, knives, forks, and spoons, and furnishing their apartments with costly looking-glasses, chiffoniers, secretaires, chests of drawers, &c. : and I assure you, in a few years we shall find 190 ADVANTAGES OF STEAM NAVIGATION. that they will entirely conform to the customs and raanners of Europe. At present I do not know a speculation more likely to prove profit able, than to send cargoes of furniture to Con stantinople, and other large towns in Turkey and the East ; and any of ray mercantile readers who may act upon this hint, will remember with gratitude the writer of these letters. In short, a volume would scarcely suffice to tell the advantages of steara, and the conse quences it is likely to produce. Even now, a raan leaving London is carried into the heart of Gerraany by steara ; he has then only to take post and traverse Bavaria and part of Austria to Vienna, where steam-boats are waiting to carry him to Constantinople. This immense distance, the most agreeable tour that can be performed, raay be completed at a trifling expense, and in the short space of, at most, twenty days, without the slightest fatigue, not even the loss of a single night's rest. What other mode of travelling than steam could unite the various nations by which I am now surrounded, — circuracised and uncircumcised mingling together in the happy bonds of fellow ship ? Before the appearance of steam-boats in these seas, Franks were regarded by the blinded fanatic followers of Mahoraet as barbarians, ARRIVAL AT TREBIZOND. 191 now they are lauded to the skies : here, I have been travelling for days in the company of a Turk, we ate out of the sarae provender-bag, drank out of the sarae cup, and felt for each other the same kindly feelings of the sincerest friendship. Our vessel coasted along the beautiful pro vinces of Asia Minor, Anadoha, and Armenia ; and cast anchor for a few hours at the populous town of Sinope. These charming countries, with out being entitled to the epithet of highly pictu resque, are extremely pleasing, broken every where into undulating fields, adapted from situ ation and climate to every species of culture ; but, as far as I was able to judge from the hasty glance I obtained, they appeared nearly in a state of nature ; or, perhaps, rather resembled a a country which had been depopulated by sorae dreadful scourge. The towns and villages were either ruined or deserted, and the few inhabit ants wore the aspect of poverty and a sort of apathetic indifference as to their future destiny ; the inevitable consequence, when a people have only to endure the alternative, either of being pillaged by their foes, or robbed by their friends. Trebizond, the largest and raost iraportant town on the Black Sea, is corapletely oriental in its aspect, abounding in narrow streets. 192 INCREASING COMMERCE OF THE TOWN. mosques with their pretty minarets, and open bazaars for the display of merchandise : these, together with its raotley population, composed of almost every European and Asiatic nation in their varied costume, offer a variety of very interesting scenes to the traveller ; while the number of elegant shops, many of recent con struction, kept by the Franks, the activity in its port, and the pretty village of the European raerchants in its environs, afford sufficient evi dences of its increasing prosperity. And, how gratifying to an Englishraan, whether he ¦visits the nuraerous bazaars or shops, he finds the greater part of the raerchandise created by the industry of his own countryraen ; and, should he extend his proraenade to the bay, his eye is greeted by the pleasing prospect of his beloved flag waving over nearly every ship in the harbour. A country of so rauch importance to the manufacturing and commercial interests of Great Britain as Turkey, ought to be conciliated by those who rule the destinies of our land, and no raeans left untried to consolidate a friendly alliance, and to extend, should events render it necessary, that powerful protection we are so capable of affording. That our advances would be received by the Turks in the spirit of amity there cannot be a doubt ; for, in all ray rambles. TREBIZOND. 193 in all my intercourse with the Turkish people, I ever found a friendly feeling to exist towards us, mixed, however, with some suspicion of our sincerity as a political ally ; a suspicion at which we cannot feel surprised, when we remember the deplorable events of the last few years. Trebizond, as a harbour, is open to much improvement ; but being at present used more as a grand depot for merchandise than as a great maritirae city, these inconveniences are not so much felt. The town, however, being a fa vourite with the Sultan, the plans for improving the harbour, by the erection of docks, raoles, &C; which were shewn me, will, if carried into exe cution, render it perfectly safe and commodious, and elevate it to a still higher station of com mercial importance ; for we find, notwithstanding all the disadvantages of the port, the comraerce is daily increasing, and it raay be pronounced one of the raost prosperous towns in the Ottoraan empire. Trebizond may be said to have three bays : the largest and most coraraodious is near the village of Platana, where vessels can he in coraparative safety, being only in a slight degree exposed to a north-east wind. The second bay, called Tchum- likchi, situated at the eastern extreraity of the town, is only used as an anchorage during the VOL. II. o 194 TREBIZOND. fine season of the year. It is protected at the west by a sraall hill, surmounted with the ruins of a vast palace. About two railes distant there is a third bay, called Korata, sheltered towards the east, but soraewhat open to the west. Here vessels arriving to take in a cargo of nuts, which grow raost abundantly in the neighbourhood, anchor during the month of September; and the mole constructed by the Eraperor Adrian is still visible at the little peninsula which contains the ruins known by the name of Esky-Serai. The caravan-serails, about eleven in number, besides being receptacles for merchandise, con tain apartments in which the raerchants are corafortably lodged; and as they are all built of stone, there is little danger to be apprehended frora fire. Trebizond is altogether an interesting town; for, in addition to being a seaport, it is the grand depot for raerchandise in this part of Asia, which adds at once to its animation and importance ; as we are daily witnessing caravans, loaded with every description of European ma nufactures, passing and repassing through the town, on their way to Persia, and through the interior of Asia-Minor. Here I would wish to give a hint to our cloth- manufacturers, to fabricate red cloth caps after TREBIZOND; 195 the usual pattern worn by the Turks, which would be certain of finding an iraraediate sale, as they are not only adopted by the whole of the railitary as a head-dress, biit becoraing gra dually so by the entire population. The Aus- trians raay be said at present to have the cora plete raonopoly of this raanufacture, which is carried on, if I have been rightly inforraed, at Lintz, in Upper Austria. Trebizond is a very old town, dating its found ation frora the second year of the Olyrapiad, seven hundred and seven years before the birth of Christ. Previous to the reign of Mithridates, king of Pontus, it was a free town, and then only acknowledged that raonarch as a protector ; in process of tirae it became the capital of the imperial family, Comraenes, whose last sovereign, David, styled himself Emperor of Trebizond, when it was extremely rich and comraercial, and contained a population of two hundred and fifty thousand. The Turks, who are not partial to changes, still assign it the sarae number of inhabitants ; but, from all I could learn, I should not be inclined to estimate them above a hun dred thousand. The surrounding country is rich and fertile : the vine, ohve, and every description of fruit- tree found in the most favoured climes, here 196 TREBIZOND. produce abundance, although, in great part, left to the husbandry of nature. The grapes are excellent, but the wine is not of that quality it ought to be, owing to the ignorance of the na tives in raaking it. I, however, tasted some at the table of a merchant, made expressly for his own use, which I thought excellent, rauch re serabling, in quality and strength, the red wines of Florence. The walnuts, chestnuts, and Spanish nuts, are so good, as to form considerable articles of commerce; that in flax and hemp is increas ing ; and if the land was only tolerably well cul tivated, the produce, owing to the great fertility of the soil, would be prodigious. The forests abound with game of every description, including the wild boar, hares, pheasants, partridges, wood cocks, snipes, and francolins. The chase against the winged tribe is still carried on, for the most part, by the falcon. In autumn, the quails, while on their passage, appear in such numbers as to be alraost incredible, when they are even caught by the hand. VOYAGE TO CIRCASSIA. 197 LETTER XVIII. DIFFICULTIES ATTENDING A VISIT TO THE CAUCASUS — DO MINEERING INFLUENCE OF RUSSIA IN TURKEY FEEBLE STATEOF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE SYMPATHY OFTHETURKS FOR THE CIRCASSIANS DEPARTURE FOR CIRCASSIA IN A TURKISH BRIGANTINE CHASED BY A RUSSIAN MAN-OF- WAR AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY SUPERB VIEW OF THE CAUCASIAN ALPS. I NOW prepared to visit the interior of Circas sia, a visit which my friends at Trebizond digni fied with the epithet of a dangerous enterprise, as I should be exposed not only to the hostility of the Russian cruisers during ray voyage, but to the cupidity of the freeboting raountaineers on my arrival, and probably detained, or sold as a slave. It was, in truth, every thing considered, a serious undertaking. Trebizond is inundated with Russian agents. Not a single vship, of any nation, can leave the harbour for a port in the Euxine, over which Russia claims superiority, without permission from her consul. The whole of the Circassian coast is strictly block- 198 VOYAGE FROM TREBIZOND aded, and every means of bribery and intimi dation resorted to, for the purpose of securing the prize ; and as to Turkey herself, he who doubts her hurailiating subserviency to Russian views, has only to reside here a few days, to be convinced that she is now, virtually, a province of Russia. She cannot coraraand, in her own ports, her merchantmen ; dare not trade with the tribes of the Caucasus, under peril of being sunk or captured : in short, Russia is now play ing with Turkey the game which won her Krim- Tartary and Poland. Internal divisions have been already fomented, — a revolution will speedily follow, rending the empire in twain, — Turks will massacre Turks, like the Tartars of the Crimea, — and their Sultan, following the steps of the descendant of Ghengis- Khan, will fly for succour to his protector. Let but that moment arrive, Russia will drop the mask, tear the diadem frora the brow of her feeble protege, and thus win an erapire in the midst of peace, when Europe will witness with consternation the proud bird of the East stran gled by the caresses of the eagle. The present unequal contest carried on against the pastoral tribes of the Caucasus, not so much for the value of the territory, as a pied de guerre to prepare for future conquests, is a part of the TO CIRCASSIA. 199 sarae policy. Can we, therefore, wonder at the suppressed raurraur of universal hatred which is heard throughout the East at the very narae of Russia, — every advantage gained by the Circas sians over their oppressors is hailed by the Oriental, whether Turk, Christian, or Jew, with the most enthusiastic delight. Of the sacrifices and generosity of the Turks in behalf of the poor mountaineers, I could relate raany in stances, alike honourable to thera as individuals and as a nation ; but, in so doing, I should only expose these noble-rainded raen to the attacks of Russian malignity. Under such circumstances, it was necesSary I should adopt the strictest incognito, as the slightest suspicion of my intentions would have been sufficient effectually to frustrate my design, by. an order to quit the Turkish empire in a few hours. Again, as my object was solely the gra tification of my curiosity, I waived, for the first time in my hfe, the proud privilege of my birth right as an Enghshman. In doing this, I was actuated by two raotives : I did not wish to appear araong the Caucasians in my true cha racter ; for my visit raight then be construed into one of a political tendency, both by the natives and Russian agents — (where are they not to be found ?) — whereas, by assuraing that 200 VOYAGE FROM TREBIZOND of a Frank Stambouli hakkim (doctor) — a Ge noese, I not only avoided this danger, but opened the prospect of a friendly reception. The assuraption of this character was in ac cordance vrith the advice of a Turkish ofiicer, at Constantinople, who had resided for some time among the Circassians, when he heard them always speak of the Genoese in their traditions in terras of the warraest adrairation ; and indeed to hira I was principally indebted for the facilities that enabled me to penetrate into the interior of Circassia. It appears, that the Genoese, previous to the destruction of their comraercial establishraents in the Euxine by the Turks, carried on for centuries a lucrative comraerce with the independent tribes of the Caucasus. In spite of the Russian rayrraidons who ex ercise such a watchful care over the actions of the Osraanlis, I soon found a Turkish brigantine bound for Circassia, to whose captain I was particularly recomraended. The wind being favourable, we hoisted every sail, and coraraenced our voyage about raidnight. Our vessel was not that nondescript thing we usually see navi gated by the Turks, but as neat and tidy a ship as ever left the port of London : there was not a screw nor a rope out of its place ; and, taken TO CIRCASSIA. 201 altogether, it shewed that the builder, an Arae- rican established in Constantinople, was a raan of no comraon genius in his profession, while the crew well deserved the narae of sailors. The captain, a perfect Hercules in propor tions, was habited in the Turkish costurae ; his bronze, weather-beaten countenance shewed that he had seen rauch service ; and a treraendous cut across the face gave his features an expres sion of great ferocity. The nuraber of his sailors was also nearly double the coraplement necessary for the raanageraent of his little vessel ; while four long swivel brass guns, at first stowed frora observation, now shewed their threatening rauz- zles, and a quantity of weapons, neatly arranged in true naval order, gave me some raisgivings as to the character of the vessel. . I also learned, that the cargo was araraunition and salt destined for the independent tribes of Circassia, to carry which was a sin of the black est dye against the laws of the Russian block ade : for rayself I had no reason to coraplain ; a good table was kept, the captain was unremitting in his attentions, and the strictest subordination maintained among his crew. We might have been at sea about fifty hours ; the highest peak of the Caucasus, the gigantic Elberous, was already slightly defined on the 202 VOYAGE FROM TREBIZOND distant horizon, when we found ourselves ob served by a Russian brig, which instantly, with crowded sail, gave us chase : my position at this moraent was certainly not very agreeable; I stood a fair chance, from the inflammable nature of the cargo, of being blown to the raoon; or, if taken prisoner, what would ray Russian friends say ? for, although ray visit was one entirely of curiosity, yet it might be miscon strued, and, at least, occasion me rauch incon venience. But our captain was a raan of raettle, he was prepared for the worst, and spoke of Russian searaen with contempt ; notwithstanding, in the present instance, he appeared to consider pru dence the better part of valour, for we scudded gallantly before the wind, and soon distanced our sleepy foe. Thus, our adventure happily terminated without coming to blows; still, it had one disadvantage ; for, besides loss of time, we found ourselves far from our destination, and close to the shores of Mingrelia, every inch of which is in possession of the Russians. Night, however, coming on, and with it a smart breeze, we again bore up in the direction of our enemy, the captain assuring rae that such a stiff breeze as then fanned our sails would send every ship in the Russian navy to anchor. He TO CIRCASSIA. 203 was right; for we did not even perceive the ghost of one, till we arrived at Pchad. I understood frora the captain, that, previous to the strict blockade established by the Russian governraent, a very active coraraercial inter course was carried on by the inhabitants of Tre bizond, and the other Turkish ports in the Euxine, with the Circassians ; but now, owing to the in- fringeraent of the right of nations, by which Russia assuraes to herself the navigation of these seas, nurabers of industrious mariners have been reduced to extrerae poverty. Sorae few daring spirits, encouraged by the iraraense profits de rived from a Circassian cargo, continue to visit the country in defiance of the Russian cruisers : their nurabers, however, have much diminished of late. Many of their vessels have been cap tured at sea, and others burned in the little ports of Djook and Pchad. I saw several of these little barks at Trebi zond and the other Turkish ports ; and, from the simplicity of their construction, and bad arrangements, they were by no means calcu lated to escape the pursuit of the enemy, or weather a storm, being merely propelled by a large angular sail, and half-a-dozen rowers. The captain, who was generally the proprie tor of the boat and cargo, maintained his 204 VOYAGE FROM TREBIZOND crew during the voyage ; and, instead of wages, gave thera, on the conclusion of their trip, when it proved successful, one -third of the profits. The captain and crew of our brigantine were as daring a set of fellows as ever manned a ship, warlike even to fierceness ; to which their tur bans, mustachios, and the red shawl girdle, filled with pistols and poniards, gave additional effect. The men were, for the most part, Frank rene gades, and, I suspect, had been pirates. The captain himself, who claimed for his parentage a Spanish mother and Moorish father, spoke the Itahan and Spanish languages fluently ; and would have been a fine-looking fellow, were it not for the scar that so cruelly disfigured his countenance. He amused me, during the voy age, by relating the scenes of his early life, che quered by many vicissitudes — now at the pinnacle of prosperity, then, again, reduced to seek for subsistence on the high seas. He had been present at many a sanguinary battle, witnessed many a dreadful scene, lost every thing at the conquest of Algiers by the French, and received the dreadful wound, whose traces so disfigured his face, at the siege of Varna. His sword was drawn alike by sea and land, in defence of the grand signior, to whom he appeared much TO CIRCASSIA. 205 attached, and was, altogether, a great adrairer of the Turkish character. In conjunction with a Turkish raerchant at Constantinople, he sunk the whole of his pro perty in the purchase of his present vessel, and has been carrying on, for sorae tirae, a most lucrative coraraerce with the independent tribes of Circassia, whora he furnishes with araraunition, salt, light cloths, calicoes, muslins, &c. ; and re ceives, in return, occasionally a cargo of beauti ful girls, to replenish the harems of Constanti nople, together with the produce of the country, which yield the most profitable returns. I shall now, for prudential reasons, conclude ray sketch of this extraordinary raan, whose life, and roraantic adventures, would araply furnish the groundwork of the most interesting romance of raodern days. Such is his daring spirit, that, even at the present raoraent, he rehes for safety solely upon the speed of his httle vessel, his own skill as a searaan, and the bravery of himself and crew ; and I feel confident that, even if attacked by a very superior force, the struggle would be most deadly, and by no means unlikely, from what I have seen of the Russian sailors, to leave him victorious. The next morning presented a scene so wildly beautiful, so magnificently sublime, that he who 206 VOYAGE FROM TREBIZOND has once seen it will ever bear it in reraembrance : the sea around us was running raountains high ; and, as we stood out far from the coast, we enjoyed the raost splendid prospect of the great chain of the Caucasian Alps, forraing a superb seraicircle along the vast horizon, terrainating, on one side, with the lesser chain of Abasia, and, on the other, with the extensive plain of Min grelia. At one tirae the whole chain was veiled from view by a filray mist : then, for a moraent, exhi bited a raagnificent array of snowy peaks and ridges, over which the sun was pouring a fiood of rosy light. There was the colossal Elberous, five hundred toises higher than the Swiss giant, Mont Blanc, standing forth in solitary grandeur. The surarait appeared equally divided in two parallel peaks, which has probably given rise to the tradition, so current araong the Orientals, that Noah's ark passed between thera, in order to arrive at Mount Ararat. To the great chain of the Alps were added the rainor ridges bounding the shores of upper and lower Abasia in Circassia; and which, while coasting with Count Worrenzow, I had so much admired for their great height and boldness ; whereas they now appeared diminutive hills, when compared with the stupendous chain that towered TO CIRCASSIA. 207 far, far above thera. On grasping the iraraense prospect at one glance, you find the whole thrown into the most fanciful and roraantic forms, which endlessly change as you ghde rapidly along. The romantic character of the country in creased tenfold my desire of beholding its interior and inhabitants ; of becoming familiar with that band of brave mountaineers, who, intrenched behind the lofty Alp, the irapassable raountain, have not only, in past ages, triumphed over the efforts of the invaders, but, in later days, main tained their proud independence, in defiance of the fiery Turk and wily Russian, combating, alike, their crafty advances and countless legions. These were the people to whom I was now about to confide ray safety : they had been represented to rae as perfidious and cruel ; but I had ever found the brave man, whether civi lized or barbarian, to be capable of noble feeling ; I therefore banished every distrustful thought, and, with a firm rehance on their good faith, landed at Pchad. BAY OP PCHAD. LETTER XIX. ARRIVAL AT PCHAD CIRCASSIAN BOATS RESEMBLING THE KAMARA OF STRABON BAY OF PCHAD RUSSIAN SET TLEMENT CAUSES THAT LED TO THEIR EXPULSION CIRCASSIAN LANGUAGE HINTS TO TRAVELLERS CHA RACTERISTICS OF THE INHABITANTS MARTIAL APPEAR ANCE — COSTUME WEAPONS. On our captain hoisting a signal, well known to the Circassians, we heard several musket- shots fired in various directions through the woods, when, instantly, thousands of armed men lined the beach and sides of the mountains, appearing as if they had sprung up out of the CIRCASSIA. 209 earth ; for, only a raoraent before, there was not a huraan being visible. Presently, several long boats, borne on the shoulders of the raen to the beach, were launched, and we were boarded by dozens of stout fellows, singing in chorus their " ka, ri, ra," who commenced unloading the cargo ; and, in an incredibly short time, the whole, including our vessel, was ashore : the latter, snugly concealed from view, in a small river, shaded by majestic trees. This precaution was used in consequence of the destruction of several of their little barks, some days previous, by the Russians, who paid thera an unwelcorae visit ; but, so far as we could understand frora the natives, the eneray had suffered considerably in return, which obliged them to make a precipitate retreat to their ships. The boats of the Circassians were flat-bot tomed, lightly built, and narrow, each rowed by from eighteen to twenty-four raen ; and they must have been most expert at this exercise, for their boats were propelled with great velocity. Near the helm was a species of deck, on which three or four raen were seated ; and the prow of each was adorned with a figure, rudely carved, representing, it raight be, the head of a deer, a goat, or a rara : most probably the latter. For, VOL. II. p 210 CIRCASSIA. did not the ancient Greeks carry such a figure at the prow of their vessels ? Soraetiraes these boats are built large enough to contain from fifty to eighty raen, when they are propelled, in addition to rowing, by an angular sail ; and were formerly, owing to their quick sailing, much feared by the mariner, who, incautiously, or through stress of weather, approached the Cir cassian shore, the Caucasian tribes being, at one tirae, most formidable pirates. The bay of Pchad is protected by two capes, offers good anchorage, and might be easily defended against any attack by sea. Owing to the heavy sea, and a ridge of rocks, which descends frora Cape Tsuoughu, and extends a considerable distance into the sea, at the entrance of the harbour, it is considered imprudent to enter without a pilot ; vessels, therefore, usually wait till the boats, with the natives, come alongside, which was the plan pursued by our captain : still, I understand there is no danger to be apprehended in fine weather. The neighbouring country is extremely beau tiful and fertile; and the chmate — tempered by the bracing winds frora the hills — salubrious, while the valley is just open enough to admit of a free circulation of air, without being weak ened in its strength as a defile. Owing to the CIRCASSIA. 211 facility of defence the vale of Pchad affords against the advance of an enemy, I am inclined to think the Russians will experience great diffi culty in obtaining permanent possession, parti cularly as I understand they have been already repeatedly expelled. Indeed, Pchad is memorable in the annals of Circassia, from the circumstance of its being the first place where the Russians obtained a settle ment on the coast of the Black Sea. It appears, in the year 1817, the Due de Richelieu, then governor-general of South Russia, after several ineffectual attempts to found a settleraent on the Circassian coast by force, conceived the project of forraing, with the raountaineers, cora raercial relations, which the Emperor Alexander not only approved, but considered the plan of such importance, that he caused the public functionary, M. Scassi, secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, to be despatched to Circassia, for the purpose of carrying it into execution. Accordingly, permission having been obtained frora the prince of Pchad, Mahraood Indargou (son of Indar), magazines and storehouses were built, and commissioners appointed to watch the progress of the infant establishment. The prince was presented with a magnificent poniard, studded with brilliants, and becarae the pen- 212 CIRCASSIA. sioner of Russia; therefore, every probability existed that the prosperity of the establishment would be perraanent : but, alas ! one of the com raissioners having becorae captivated with the charras of a beautiful girl, who was denied him in raarriage, he took the liberty of carrying her off by force. This being considered one of the greatest out rages that can be coraraitted against a Circassian family, the whole tribe flew to arms ; and, hke the Helen of Greece, that set Troy in a blaze, the Helen of Circassia set the magazines of Pchad in flames, and even endangered the life of Prince Mahraood, who was now considered a traitor to his country. However, owing to a plentiful distribution of presents, and the punish ment and exile of the offender, the storehouses were allowed to be rebuilt, for salt and manu factures were not more necessary to the natives than a debouche for their produce ; and thus affairs continued, until some other unlucky acci dent occurred in 1824, when the raagazines were finally destroyed, and the Russians expelled frora the country ; the blackened ruins being the only monuraent existing of the Due de Richeheu, and his commercial treaty with the hardy moun taineers of Pchad. I was now about comraencing a tour under CIRCASSIA. 213 disadvantages such as I had never before experienced, having always raade it a rule to acquaint rayself with the history, custoras, raan ners, and, above all, the language, of whatever country I might be about to visit : but here was a country and a people of whom the civilized world know little ; and a language, according to the opinion of linguists, without the slightest affinity to any other on the face of the earth — a language, not only without literature, but any rule or corapass to guide the student, rendering it nearly irapossible to convey any correct idea of its sounds by European characters. Not, however, that this is the only difficulty, for every one of its tribes speak a different dialect of the Circassian ; and, although I had raade myself raaster of several phrases, through the assistance of ray Circassian friends at Constantinople, yet I found them nearly useless, when attempting to convey ray wishes and desires to the people by whom I was now surrounded. An anecdote is related of one of the Sultans of Turkey, famous for his love of letters, who sent a learned Turk to the Caucasus to learn the language of the inhabitants, and reduce it to established rules. After some tirae he returned to his raaster hopeless of success in his enter prise, carrying with hira a bag of pebbles, which 214 CIRCASSIA. he shook, saying, that he could give no better imitation of the sounds of the language spoken by that people. Generally speaking, I have found, that by conforraing as far as I could with propriety to the manners of the inhabitants of the country through which I happened to be travelhng, I, in every respect, facilitated ray tour; and, by adopting their costume, not only flattered their vanity, but found it convenient and agree able. This will be evident when we remember, that the natives of every clime are taught by experience the dress best calculated to protect them against its influence ; and, certainly, the Circassian costurae, besides being elegant, is, in every respect, well suited to the country: the larab's-wool turban preserved ray head frora the vertical sun ; and by enveloping myself in the ample folds of the chlamyde, and covering my head with the capuchin on the approach of evening, I was protected frora the nightly dews so pregnant with ills to the frarae of raan ; for the dysentery, ophthalraia, and intermittent fever, all have their origin in obstructed perspira tion and sudden chiUs. This reraarkMs more particularly applicable to eastern countries, where, if travellers would but exercise a httle common prudence, these and similar diseases so generally CIRCASSIA. 215 fatal to foreigners, might in great part be avoided, or at least rendered more harmless in their con sequences. Thus, perfectly equipped as a Circassian warrior, frora the rifle slung across ray shoulder to the poniard that hung frora ray girdle, and mounted upon a splendid horse which cost rae the trifling sum of about four pounds (which in England would be worth a hundred), I com menced my journey, accompanied by the cap tain, to the house of Mahraood Indar Oglou, the chief of the district, sorae few miles distant. As may be supposed, we were objects of great curiosity to the natives ; consequently, our train soon swelled into hundreds ; and by the tirae we reached the residence of the prince, we could not have been surrounded by less than a thousand arraed men, the greater number on horseback, rending the air with their warlike songs. To a native of well- governed Europe the aspect of such a multitude of fierce-looking arraed men, uncontrolled by police, soldiers, or any other system of civilized nations, was indeed a novel spectacle, and a stranger might reasonably entertain fears for his persona] safety, imagining he had fallen into the hands of banditti. 216 CIRCASSIA. However much the unconstrained liberty ex hibited in their general bearing, so totally different frora that of every other people among whom I had ever mixed, might warrant such a supposition, still their demeanour was by no means characteristic of a free-booting people, for they evinced the most courteous re spect, I might even say, kind urbanity of man ners, towards us on every occasion. The real fact is, the inhabitants of this part of the. Caucasus, after the establishment of the Otto man power on the Black Sea, having been, in consequence of Turkish jealousy and their con stant wars, excluded for ages from holding any coraraunication with the more civilised natives of Europe, particularly their old friends, the Genoese, now present the singular anomaly of a people retaining a great deal of the chivalrous customs and raanners that distinguished the warriors of the middle ages, in conjunction with those of the Orient, and their own natural sim plicity as raountaineers. In vain I sought among the crowd the eye of sorae chief, sorae superior, whose presence held in check the fierce warriors around me; but none such could I discover : they all seemed of the same faraily, the sarae rank ; and yet, with the exception of their boisterous rairth, the loud CIRCASSIA. 217 screaraing of the war-cry, and singing of warlike songs, they could not be exceeded for orderly behaviour by any other body of raen, even in the best disciplined country of the raost despotic power in Europe. I was first struck with their fine raartial ap pearance, athletic forras, regular features, and the proud consciousness of freedora displayed in every glance and raoveraent. The most accora plished cavalier in Europe could not sit his horse with greater ease and grace than did these wild raountaineers ; and the symraetry of the noble animals that carried them I have never seen equalled, except in our own country. All this ill accorded with the poverty of their habihments and accoutrements ; but, whether they were habited in hemp, linen, the coarsest baize, or even sheep's-skin, I was compelled to admire the sensible shape of their vestments, and their admirable adaptation either to display the symraetry of the forra, a defence against the weather, or an appropriate military costurae : and yet this has been the attire of this singular people frora time iraraeraorial, — a people whora we have been accustoraed to regard as barba rians, but whose dress and systera of warfare is now adopted, to iraprove those of the Russian army. 218 CIRCASSIA. The usual dress of a Circassian warrior of all classes is a tunic resembling a military Polonaise, without a collar, closely fitted to the body, and descending to the knee, secured around the middle by a leather girdle, ornamented, accord ing to the wealth or fancy of the wearer, with gold or silver, in which are stuck a pair of pistols and a poniard : the latter is a most formidable weapon in close corabat ; during an attack they hold it in the left hand, and frora its breadth and length, reaching to the elbow, it serves every purpose of a shield. In addition to this, the Circassian is arraed with a light gun, slung across the shoulder, and a sabre suspended by a silk cord in the Turkish fashion ; attached to the belt is a powder- flask, and a sraall metal box containing flints, steel, gun-screws, oil, and, not unfrequently, a small hatchet. Hence, a Circassian, whether on foot, or on horseback, is at all times corapletely arraed. Soraetiraes he carries a javelin, which he uses with singular dexterity and effect, hurl ing it to a considerable distance with an aim that never errs. The latter weapon is also used as a rest for the rifle, having a groove at the top expressly for that purpose. Bows and arrows are now very rarely used, except in cases where it is necessary to arra the whole population. CIRCASSIA. 219 On either side of the breast of the coat are the patron pockets, raade of raorocco leather, usually containing twenty-four rounds of ball cartridge : these not only add to the railitary appearance of the soldier, but in sorae raeasure protect the breast, and are extremely conve nient : a round fur cap, with a crown the same colour as the ammunition pocket, is the covering for the head ; and cloth trousers, in the eastern fashion, complete the costurae. Princes and nobles are alone entitled to the privilege of wearing red ; and the Circassian, like the natives of most other eastern countries, shave the head, and are never seen barefoot. When marching, or on a journey, they always add a cloak raade from camel or goat's-hair, with a hood which corapletely envelopes the whole person — this is called a tchaouka — and no Mackintosh was ever raore irapenetrable to the rain ; rolled up in its thick folds, it forras the only bed during their encarapments, and serves, besides, to protect thera against the scorching rays of the sun. 220 CIRCASSIA. LETTER XX. SECOND EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR OF CIRCASSIA — '¦ GENERAL APPEARANCE OF THE CIRCASSIAN TERRITORY ARRIVAL AT THE RESIDENCE OF A PCHI-KHAN HIS HOSPITALITY DOMESTIC MANNERS MODE OF LIVING VISIT OF A CIRCASSIAN PRINCE. Having, in my last, given you an account of ray first irapressions of the Circassian people, I shall now proceed to describe my route ; and how delightful was every object to a traveller so long wearied with the monotonous steppes of Krim-Tartary ! The bracing winds of the hills felt refreshing, and imparted additional vigour to the frarae. The beautiful mountain scenery, in its endless forras, presented all that could charm the eye and cheer the spirits. Even the fre quent shower, the rolling cloud, and the hoarse thunder, were welcomed with pleasure. We were conducted through the lovely valley of Pchad, watered by a fertihzing river, of the same name. But, to describe the beauty of the circassia. 221 scenery, and the fertility of the country, would be only to repeat what I have already said, while relating the details of ray former visit to Cir cassia. However, having now penetrated a greater distance into the interior, ray picture will be found more correct. In truth, I was not more pleased than astonished, to see the high state of cultivation exhibited in so remote a country, a country inhabited by a people that we were led to believe had not yet eraerged frora barbarism ; while their little cottages, as they hung on the brow of a hill, or lay clustered by the side of a river, were not much inferior in neatness to those of the Tyrolean and the Swiss raountaineers. Nuraerous herds of cattle, enclosed by pali- sadoes, were seen, in one place, enjoying the richest pastures ; in another, raen, women, and children, were engaged in their various labours of husbandry ; giving to the landscape that beautiful rural aspect so characteristic of a pastoral people ; and I was not a little araused to see the raen and boys, at work in the fields, on perceiving our party, desert their labours, fly to their cottages, arra theraselves, and raount their horses, in order to swell our ranks. About a couple of leagues distant from the 222 CIRCASSIA. shore, the valley considerably widened, and we caught a fine view of the lesser chain of the Caucasian Alps. Here we raet a band of Cir cassians, who inforraed us that the chief of the Chipakoua tribe, to whom we were journeying, was absent, with his sons, at a general meeting of the confederate princes ; but that his cousin, who resided some few leagues further, would be most happy to receive us. We now took a bridle path through a dense forest, following the ascent of a rapid rivulet, which conducted us over a hill, to another valley, called Dtchianogloti, watered by an in significant stream. This valley was much more diversified and romantic than that through which we had passed, occasionally forming into a tiny plain, and then into a contracted gorge. It was, also, for the raost part, diligently cultivated, and, I was told by the captain, thickly inhabited; not, however, that there was a single human habitation visible, the Circassians having the custom of concealing their dwellings by dense foliage, in order to elude the observation of the enemy. After travelhng through this valley some short distance, we passed into a third, called, as near as I can write it, Neapkheupkhi. Indeed, the whole country seemed to be broken into a sue- CIRCASSIA. 223 cession of mountains, glens, gorges, and valleys. This led us to the residence of a Pchi-Khan, or chief of the second class, who received us raost hospitably, and conducted us, with rauch courtesy, into his little dwelling. Here ray host of corapanions left rae, apparently much pleased, for their loud shouts of vo-ri, ra, ka, rebounded from hill to hill, frora rock to rock. Thus, I had every reason to feel grateful for ray reception, and satisfied with the friendly disposition evinced by the inhabitants towards rae. We were ushered into the apartraent reserved for the reception of strangers, where the squire of my host divested me of all ray arras, except the poniard, and hung thera up on the walls of the rooms, already adorned with a vast number, consisting of guns, pistols, sabres, poniards, bows and arrows, and one or two coats of mail, all kept in the highest order, and several richly or namented with gold, silver, and precious stones. The room differed little in its appointments from those of the Turks. The floor was covered with a brilliant-coloured carpet ; a divan of red leather, stuffed with hair, surrounded the chamber ; and several small tablets, inscribed with verses of the Koran, in the Arabic lan guage, were affixed to the walls. From this circumstance, I inferred that my host professed 224 CIRCASSIA. the Mahoraetan religion, which induced rae to present hira ray firman, when, like a true be liever, he kissed it most reverently, evidently regarding me with high respect, as the possessor of a document so sacred as to have affixed to it the seal of the spiritual chief of all the Osmanhs. However, his acquaintance with the Turkish language was raerely confined to a few phrases, and his knowledge of Islamisra vague and im perfect. Our refreshraent was served in the Turk ish style, consisting of a variety of dishes, separately brought in, upon sraall round tables, about half a foot high. There could not have been less than from twelve to fifteen. Many would have been rauch better, had they been less seasoned. They were principally made from poultry, mutton, railk, honey, and fruits, with pastry. But all ray entreaties were unavaihng to induce our host to share the repast with us ; who, according to the custora of this people, reraained in the roora the whole of the tirae, in the raost courteous raanner, anticipating every wish. During the repast, we were waited upon, in addition to our host, by several feraale slaves. The drink was a species of mead, and the boza of the Tartars, raade frora millet, in taste not CIRCASSIA. 225 unlike small beer. The bread was a compo sition of wheat and maize, of excellent flavour ; and, in the pilaff, which was not to be despised, buck-wheat formed a very good substitute for rice. Of course, we had a pewter tray for a tablecloth, wooden bowls for glasses, poniards for carving knives, fingers for forks, and the palms of our hands for spoons : but all these in conveniences, common to the East, were to me but as a feather in the balance, compared with being obliged to sit for an hour on a carpet, cross-legged ; and, I assure you, I felt not a httle pleasure, when the ceremony was over, to take a ramble through the grounds. The clustered dwellings of my host, which might be said to resemble a little hamlet, were pleasantly situated, on a rising erainence, sloping down to the banks of a rivulet ; and, being sur rounded by grounds, divided, with no little judg ment, into gardens, orchards, paddocks, meadows, and corn-fields, aniraated, here and there, with flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, altogether formed a very pretty picture. I could not but adraire the judicious arrangeraent of the granary, supported on short stone pillars, each having attached, a few feet frora the ground, a broad circular stone, hollowed in the centre, by raeans of which it effectually preserves the grain, not VOL. II. Q 226 CIRCASSIA. only from dampness, but frora the attack of any vermin whatsoever. In this pastoral country, like that of the patri archs of old, the riches of the Circassians consist in the number of their flocks and herds, to which we may add their wives and children. Those of ray host, Ghatkhe Atiokhai, were nu merous, and remarkably fine, particularly the horses, the greatest attention being paid by every Circassian to their breed, which are highly esteeraed in the neighbouring countries, Russia and Turkey ; and I reraarked, that the character with which the cattle were branded bore some resemblance to the Grecian alphabet. During our rarables through the grounds, we found the wives and children of ray host, with their slaves, eraployed at agricultural pursuits, or tending their flocks and herds. Some were en gaged in reaping, others in milking the cows; and one fine-looking princess, with the force of an Amazon, was repairing a wooden fence with a hatchet. Among the children, there was a re markably good-looking, curly-headed boy, and a girl, about eight or nine years of age, who seem ed, in an especial degree, to possess the affection of the father. I was just in the act of extolhng the beauty of the children, when I was fortunately checked in tirae by the captain ; for though, in CIRCASSIA. 227 Europe, you win the heart of a parent by praising his offspring; yet here, for the same compliment, you are accused of intending to extend over them the raahgn influence of the evil eye. The young urchins were not inappropriately named the " Look of a Lion," and the " Speed of a Deer," for the one was playing with the half- wild horses as if they were kittens, while the fair young princess displayed the utmost agility in driving her refractory charge of goats, cows, and buffaloes, to water. The women of Circassia are not, as in other parts of the East, completely confined to the harem, nor are they altogether obliged to conceal their features with the veil from the observation of the stranger, that article of dress being worn more as a shelter frora the sun, when taking the air, and, in-doors, as a graceful forra of head dress. The wives of my host were habited in a species of white garment, made from camel or goat's hair, which enveloped the whole form. To this was added a muslin veil ; and you cannot think how picturesque was the effect when viewed from a distance. The sanctum sanc torum, in which were lodged the women and children, in addition to being enclosed within a wooden fence, was completely concealed 228 CIRCASSIA. from view by the thick foliage of groves of trees. Here are also the sheds for the cattle; the remainder of the cots being either set apart for the reception of strangers, or inhabited by the dependents of the chief. There raight have been altogether about six or seven ; the whole built of hurdles, plastered inside and out, and neatly thatched with reeds and Indian corn leaves. Each cot contained two rooras : the one, with a large fireplace in the centre, appro priated to cooking and domestic purposes, some what resembled that of an old English farm-house, having pot-hooks and hangers, while the other answered the double purpose of a sitting-room and dormitory. A chequered mat, of variegated colours, covered the floor; and a divan sur rounded three sides of the roora : the only additional furniture being a few sraall tables, about a foot in height, and soraething resembling a chest of drawers ; unless, indeed, we include the saddles, bridles, housings, and weapons, that hung suspended against the walls. Those occupied by the ladies of the chieftain and their slaves, were furnished in a similar manner ; the only additional decoration, I pre sume by way of ornament, were shelves loaded with glass, china,, and bright culinary utensils, made of brass, copper, or glazed pottery, in- CIRCASSIA. 229 tended raore for show than use. There was also a grand display, hanging upon hues across the roora, of the various speciraens of feraale indus try, such as erabroidered napkins, handkerchiefs, veils, and costly dresses, glittering with gold and silver. In one corner was a heap of raattresses, and in another, pillows and coverlets covered with a gay rauslin quilt of various colours, but raost studiously arranged, so as to shew the ends of each, which were decked with satin, sprigged with gold and silver; and it is but jus tice to the fair daraes to say, that every thing was kept reraarkably clean and neat. Of every part of the dwelhng of this primitive people, the little verandah, in fine weather, is the greatest favourite ; this is generally furnished with a raat and a bench for a divan. Here the visitor is regaled ; here the iraprovvisatore chants the warlike songs of his nation ; the story-teller relates the traditionary tale. Its cool shade offers an agreeable retreat frora the burning sun, for taking the noon-day siesta, or for indulging in the delights of the darhng tchibouque. It was beneath the shade of that of ray hos pitable host, towards the close of the evening, while sipping our coffee and smoking our tchi- bouques, in company with hira and his wives, the fair princesses, Nazeek and Djanteen, who 230 CIRCASSIA. whiffed theits with as much gusto as a Gerraan student, that a young warrior arrived, at the head of a train of young raen about his own age, all well arraed and mounted upon splendid horses. The young prince, who was reraarkable for the syraraetry of his athletic form; and the frankness and sincerity expressed in his coun tenance, was introduced to rae as the cousin of ray host, the son of one of the Khapsoukhe chiefs called Beitzroukou. His visit was for the double purpose of arranging comraercial relations with the captain for a supply of powder and salt, and inviting me to the residence of his father, some twenty leagues distant across the mountains. Accordingly, the next morning we comraenced our route long before Aurora made her appear ance ; and, even thus early, the family of my host had breakfast prepared, sirailar to the repast I have already described. A stranger in Circassia, who raay be intro duced to the ladies of his host, is expected, through courtesy, to present thera with some trifling articles for their wardrobe. Aware of this custom, I provided myself, before leaving Trebizond, with a variety of trinkets, raore showy than valuable, together with a plentiful supply of coloured and white rauslin shawls, pins, needles, Gerraan silver fire-boxes, &c. Several CIRCASSIA. 231 of which I presented, when taking my departure, to my host and his family. I need hardly say that they were objects of universal adrairation, and tended to elevate me in no slight degree in the estimation of the people. Here I also bade adieu for the present to my captain, whose friendly attentions I shall ever remember, and committed myself to the care of the young prince, and his gallant troop. /- Hi se™_!J E.E0EPTION-E0OM OF A CIECASSIAN PRINCE. LETTER XXI. DEPARTURE FOR THE RESIDENCE OF A CIRCASSIAN CHIEF — ROMANTIC CHARACTER OF THE SCENERY COLONY OF KRIM-TARTARS — ALPINE VILLAGE ABUNDANCE OF GAME ARRIVAL AT THE RESIDENCE OF THE CHIEF HIS AP PEARANCE AND MANNERS INTERIOR OF A CIRCASSIAN DWELLING HOUSE A SERENADE IN CIRCASSIA WAR-CRY OF THE CIRCASSIANS INTRODUCTION TO THE FAMILY OF THE CHIEF BEAUTY OF THE WOMEN THEIR MANNERS AND COSTUME OCCUPATIONS OF THE CIRCASSIANS. To attempt giving you a detailed description of ray route is irapossible, as it lay across a country, wild as if no other foot had trodden it CIRCASSIA. 233 save that of the beasts of the forest ; it was not raerely up hill and down dale, but over a suc cession of dizzy precipices, savage glens, and frightful defiles, bared, broken, entwined, and dis torted, — forming, altogether, a picture of Alpine scenery rarely witnessed in the most savage dis tricts of Europe. Notwithstanding our ride was one of the most neck-breaking description, yet these daring raoun taineers galloped over it with as rauch noncha lance, as we should through a stubble-field in England ; and, however elevated, yet every spot capable of producing vegetation was covered with the raost splendid forest trees, and even, in sorae fertile patches, we found an Alpine cot, with its half-wild inhabitant tending his goats. It was not till after ascending several thou sand feet, that the peculiar character of the Caucasian raountains was developed ; for, how ever precipitous or rocky the ascent raay be, each invariably terrainated in a fertile plateau, even at a height of between four and five thou sand feet above the level of the sea. This is, perhaps, independent of their well-known bra very and patriotism, the principal cause that every attempt to subdue these people has been hitherto found irapracticable ; for, when driven from the plains, they ever found a secure retreat 234 CIRCASSIA. on the mountain tops till they recruited their forces, and then descended to annihilate their eneraies. On the sumrait of one of these plateaux, where we reraained during the noon-day heat, I found a blooraing village, surrounded with orchards and agricultural fields, all extremely fertile, and in a high state of cultivation. I soon ascer tained that the inhabitants were a colony of Tartars, who having escaped from Russian op pression at the conquest of the Crimea, had here found a secure asylum. When I told them, in their native language, that I had recently travelled through Krira-Tartary, these simple- minded people lavished upon rae a thousand kind attentions ; indeed we had every reason to feel grateful for their hospitahty. Like the Circassians, the Tartars conceal their httle dwellings behind erabankraents or clusters of trees ; and, were it not for the numerous herds of cattle grazing in the fields, and the men and women eraployed at the various works of husbandry, it would be irapossible for the tra veller to discover that he was in the neighbour hood of a human habitation. I found these Alpine cots to be of the sarae peculiar form as those I had before observed while wandering in the remote mountain districts of the Crimea. CIRCASSIA. 235 The roof is always flat ; being strongly built, and covered with a layer of gravel, they become per fectly impenetrable to the rain. During the suraraer raonths, the Tartars are accustoraed to furnish the tops of their houses with a divan and carpet, when they are used instead of the interior for taking their meals and receiving the visits of their friends ; nor are they less valuable in the autumn, when they serve as a granary, on which to dry their grain and fruits. In the centre of each cot is a liarge chimney, appropriated to the treble purpose of communicating their wishes to their neighbours, a channel for the sraoke to escape, and a win dow to hght the apartraent. The vestibule in front is frequently the kitchen ; the rooms for the harem being on one side, and the stables for the cattle on the other. However singular these cots may appear when described, they are nevertheless exceedingly well adapted to the cliraate, being warm in winter, and cool in suraraer. During our ride, we shot several kinds of garae, such as wild turkeys, pheasants, hares, and deer, to which I raay add jackals, wild cats, and an immense boar. And although the Cir cassians are unrivalled as marksraen at a station ary object, yet I was infinitely more successful when firing at a bird on the wing, or an animal 236 CIRCASSIA. at full speed : this arises from the bad custom I before alluded to, of using the javelin as a rest for the rifle. The forests appeared to abound with animals of every description. In addition to those I have mentioned, there are wolves, bears, foxes, the lynx, &c. ; and, if I have been rightly inforraed, the inhabitants of the Caucasus are sometiraes favoured with a visit from the tiger. On descending the mountains, sufficient light remained for us to obtain an indistinct glance of the httle congregated cottages of the high land prince to whom we were repairing ; which, frora the palisadoes in front, and the semicir cular rivulet that formed a natural moat as it rushed past, appeared fortified. This, however, was not the case ; for the nuraerous flocks and herds that covered the hills, told more of rural life than feudal vassalage. Several horses were standing under the veran dah, ready saddled ; when, on our leader firing his musket, we were presently joined by the old chief and a few of his clansmen, who welcomed me in the most friendly manner to Atteghei, (Circassia, in the language of the natives.) The appearance of the prince was in every respect calculated to excite the attention of a stranger. In his person he was tall and erect, with a beard descending half way to his girdle. His features still handsome, but roughened by long exposure CIRCASSIA. 237 to the weather, wore a mingled expression of good nature, ferocity, and cunning, the effect of a long hfe of warfare and peril. Although he had attained the age of seventy, yet he managed his steed with as rauch ease and grace as any one of the athletic youths that surrounded rae. Indeed, he is said still to excel in horsemanship, and all the railitary exer cises of his country ; he had only returned, a few days previous to ray arrival, from the camp near Soudjouk-Kali, where he performed prodigies of valour in defending the passes against the ad vance of the Russian array, and was now pre paring his clansraen for a second carapaign. The residence of my host was quite as primi tive in its construction as that I before described, the only difference being, that there were a few raore detached cottages, and two or three, by way of distinction, were plastered outside with a species of raineral clay, found in the environs, which becoraes, from exposure to the weather, exceedingly firra, and has not a bad effect. As to coraforts and conveniences, none were visible either in the furniture or the arrange- raents : the windows, open by day, were siraply secured at night from the cold damp by an ill-fitting shutter; and, during the severest weather, a piece of parchment is the substitute for glass. 238 CIRCASSIA. This total absence of domestic comforts was singularly contrasted with the splendid armour of the men, their gemmed weapons, noble horses, and rich housings ; together with the magnificent Oriental costurae of the women, who, in their dresses of gold brocade and silvered rauslin, resembled so many peacocks proudly strutting about a farm-yard. Still, the traveller arriving at the house of a Circassian chief has no reason to complain. The roora appropriated to strangers is always furnished with a divan, pillows, and coverlets: the cheer is, by no raeans, to be despised; and I do not think that any people ever tendered the cup of refreshment to the weary traveller with raore genuine hospitality. On entering the strangers' apartraent, to which the prince had the courtesy to conduct rae him self, his squire, according to the general custom of this people, divested me of the whole of my weapons, and hung them up on the walls of the room with those of his master, except the poniard, which a Circassian never parts with, being considered a part of his costume. How like the warriors of ancient Greece ! And now with friendly force his hand he grasped, Then led him in within his palace halls ; His coat of mail, and glittering helm unclasped. And hung the splendid armour on the walls ; For there, Ulysses' arms, neglected, dim, Are left, nor more the conqueror's crown will win. CIRCASSIA. 239 Having partaken of an excellent supper, attend ed with the same ceremony as before described, two feraale slaves brought in warra water, when ray feet were most carefully washed, this being an essential observance in the forms of Circassian politeness. Sleeping, I soon found, in Circassia, to be by no means a necessary consequence of going to bed ; and, assuredly, if Young had been a native of the East, the world would never have been favoured with his " Night Thoughts;" for, amidst such a din and clatter as now greeted my ears, the author, instead of thinking, must be content to listen ; and, should they ever be translated into the Circassian language, the natives will certainly deem the poet crazy. Indeed, nothing but being accustoraed to the nocturnal choristers will perrait even the most weary to sluraber. Besides the chirping of innumerable insects, the croaking of rayriads of frogs, whose united din rung far and wide through the forest, there was another species of this noisy reptile that I never raet with, except in the raountains of the Caucasus, and whose note, deep-toned, sonorous, and even musical, was so pitched in alto, as ever to render them the principal per formers in the concert. 240 CIRCASSIA. All this was bad enough : still it raight have been borne, had it not been that I was favoured with a visit frora the jackal, whose cry was so melancholy, shrill, and fearfully wild, that, when numbers howl in concert, which was, un fortunately for my slumbers, the case, it is sufficient to shake the nerves, even of the most stout-hearted, who hears thera for the first time. It is singular that the war-cry of the Cir cassians is an exact imitation of the howl of this animal ; and, when screamed at the same raoraent by thousands, is the raost fearful, unnatural, and intiraidating yell, ever uttered by a people in presence of an enemy. The Russian officers assured me, that so paralyzing is its effect upon troops who hear it for the first time, that they are rendered incapable of defending themselves. The following morning, owing to my charac ter for generosity in presenting the women with presents, and ray profession of hakkira, the young prince introduced rae to his raother and sisters ; for these people, as I before remarked, unhke other Orientals, do not rigidly seclude their women in the harem ; probably they have fol lowed, in this respect, the example of their neighbours, the Tchernemorsky Cossacks : how ever, from whatever cause it has resulted, I CIRCASSIA. 241 have frequently seen the women at the public assemblies of the raen, particularly those who were unmarried. Still, a married man does not appear in pubhc vrith his wife; neither does he see her during the day, when it can be avoided. This custom does not originate in any fee|ing of disrespect for the fair sex, but in ancient usage, and a desire to prolong the reign of love. A similar law was established by Lycurgus araong the Lacedemonians. But, to return to ray visit: having been re ceived raost courteously by the princess and her daughters, I raade thera, in corapliance with universal custora, a few trifling presents, which they acknowledged, by giving me an embroidered belt, to hold ray pistols, and a pair of red Mo rocco patron pockets,^— the work of their own fair hands. The mother of my young companion, pro bably between forty and fifty years of age, was sumptuously attired in a blue silk robe, open iq the, front, confined with silver clasps,^ and a girdle ornamented with silver; her trousers were very beautiful Turkish muslin, of variegated colours, and red shppers ; on her head she wore a light shawl, partly arranged as a turban, and partly falling, in graceful folds, over her neck and shoulders, completely concealing her hair ; VOL. H. R 242 CIRCASSIA. over this was thrown a large, thin muslin veil, that nearly enveloped her figure ; her dress being completed by an abundant display of gold trinkets, evidently extremely ancient, and, from the workmanship, I should think, Venetian. Her person still retained traces of great beauty. The attire of her daughters was even raore splendid ; but, in lieu of the turban, each wore a tiara of red Morocco leather, ornamented with a profusion of small Turkish and Persian gold coins. In other respects their dress was similar, except that the hair of the young dames, instead of falling on the neck in curls, hke that of the married women, was arranged in a thick plait, confined at the end by a silver cord, which descended below the waist : their features were as beautifully regular and expressive as those of their raother ; yet, it raust be confessed that their sallow coraplexions by no means improved their personal appearance. They were, however, young, still encased in the tight leather corset worn by all Circassian girls, of whatever age, which was, no doubt, the principal cause of their unhealthy appearance. On a signal being raade, the young prince, agreeably to custom, left the room, when one of his wives entered, a princess of the Demirghoi tribe, one of the handsomest woraen I think I ever CIRCASSIA. 243 beheld. She might be about eighteen : with the most regular features of the Grecian cast ; eyes, large and dark ; complexion, a clear brown ; hands and feet delicately small : and her whole figure admirably moulded. She was dressed in a similar style to that of the elder princess, except that it was more tasteful, and studied with no small degree of coquetry : her fine dark hair hung in tresses on her shoulders. Indeed, the finest women I saw in Circassia, were the young and married ; for, being divested of the leather confinement, their forms had ex panded into all the luxuriance of womanhood. At first sight, we raight be inclined to think there was an undue share of embonpoint in the figure ; but this is caused raore from the custom of wearing wide Oriental trousers, than any defect of nature. In short, beauty of feature, and symraetery of form, for which this people are celebrated, is no chimera (and some of the finest statues of the ancients do not display, in their proportions, greater perfection) ; but, it is the singular degree of animation in the eye, so generally observable, that raost arrests attention : when this is exhibited in a high degree in the men, it gives an expression of great ferocity to the countenance ; and, when we see a warrior, mounted on his fiery steed, arraed and equipped 244 CIRCASSIA. for battle, brandishing his sciraitar in the air,' bending, turning, and stopping at full gallop, with unequalled agility and grace of action, he realizes every idea of Homer's Hector. The complexion of both sexes is far more ruddy and fresh than raight be expected in such a latitude. In that of the woraen, delicately so, who, aware, like their sex in Europe, of the advantage of a pretty person, use every arti ficial raeans, by cosraetics, &c., to iraprove their beauty. Still, the traveller who raay read ray account, and expects to find the whole popula tion such as I have described, will be wofully disappointed, should he find hiraself, on arriving in Circassia, surrounded by a tribe of Nogay Tartars, Calraucks, Turcoraans, or even the Lesghi. The latter, however, a fine warlike race, are nearly equal, in personal appearance, to the Circassians, but raore ferocious in cha racter, and less refined in manners. The Cau casian valleys having been, in all ages, the asylura of those who fled frora oppression in the neighbouring countries, we everywhere find tribes differing from each other in appearance, custoras, and raanners. Still, as the Circassian raen never interraarry with any other race than their own, they preserve their hneage uncon- taminated, a fkther paying more attention to CIRCASSIA. 245 the beauty of feature and forra in a wife for his son, than any other consideration ; and, if I have heen rightly informed, a prince, or usden, never sells his daughter, except to one of his own nation and rank. My first impression at Pitzounda, on seeing a number of Caucasians together, was, that they were decidedly of Grecian origin. This, how ever, I found, did not correspond with the general physical character of the people, as I advanced into the interior of the country, there being a greater proportion with the small aquihne nose, and fine arched eyebrow, than any other. This reraark raay be raore particu larly applied to that powerful tribe, called the Nottakhaitzii, celebrated as being the bravest, handsoraest, and purest race araong the Cir cassians; and who still preserve the tradition that their ancestors carae frora beyond the seas. Were it not that we are ascending into the regions of fable, we might almost suppose them to be descended from a reranant of the Trojans. I found the princess and her daughters era ployed at erabroidery. This refined accoraplish ment does not, however, occupy a large portion of the tirae of the woraen of the Caucasus ; and those of my host, like the princesses of old. 246 CIRCASSIA. occasionally eraployed themselves in spinning wool and flax : their fair hands not only made the clothes for their families, down to the very shoes, but plaited caraels' and goats' hair into raantles, made cushions for the saddle, housings for the horse, and sheaths for swords and poniards. Nor were they less expert in the art of cookery or the management of the dairy; and sometimes even displayed their agricultural skill in the fields, the whole ward robe of finery being reserved for visits of ceremony. My host was equally industrious ; for, besides building, with his own princely hands, the little cottages he occupied, he was his own cai-penter, tanner, and weaver, raounted his pistols and guns, raanufactured his inimitable bows and arrows; and, like old King Priam, in conjunction with his princely boys, tilled the land, and tended his flocks and herds in the mountains ; and, when the wintry snow rendered his occupations in the open air no longer agreeable, he made mats of great beauty, which find a ready sale in Turkey and Persia. Nor was this his only eraployraent : he cast bullets, raade gunpowder ; and, if these were not sufficient to fill up his tirae, he sraoked his tchibouque. There is no regular body of artificers and me- CIRCASSIA. 247 chanics in Circassia, except the cutlers, arraourers, and goldsraiths, who fabricate and raount the weapons with gold, silver, and precious stones ; in which they exhibit much elegance and taste. I often admired the beauty of the designs traced on their swords and poniards; while the ex cellence of the teraper they give thera cannot be surpassed : nor yet their ingenious raethod of inlaying their guns and little tables with raother- of-pearl. Their brass chain-arraour, and some of their weapons, are obtained from Persia and Turkey. The art of preparing gunpowder, which, it appears, has been known in the Caucasus frora tirae iraraeraorial, is, with them, extremely siraple : they raerely boil the efflorescence of nitrate of potass in a strong lye of birch and poplar ashes, when it is left to crystallize, then pulverised vrith two parts of sulphur, and the sarae quantity of charcoal. After the mixture has been wetted, it is put into a cal dron, and placed over a slow fire, till it begins to granulate. 248 CIRCASSIA. LETTER XXH. SUSPICIOUS FEELING OF THE CIRCASSIANS TOWARDS FOREIGN ERS JOURNEY TO THE VALLEY OF THUMUSSE ARRIVAL AT THE CIRCASSIAN CAMP SITUATION CIRCASSIAN GUERILLAS THEIR MODE OF FIGHTING A RECONNAIS SANCE FORTUNATE ESCAPE A RUSSIAN SPY. As the Turkish captain with whora I arrived in Circassia was well known to the inhabitants for his intrepidity in supplying thera vrith the articles they raost required, salt and powder, in defiance of the Russian blockade estabhshed on their coasts, I was, consequently, every where received with friendly hospitality. In addi tion to this, I was highly recoraraended to the chiefs of the Chipakoua, Nottakhaitzii, and Khap- soukhie tribes ; and imraediately on landing, ac cording to established custom, I declared to the elders of the land, at Pchad, the name of my konak, one of the most powerful among the con federated princes of Circassia. Still all this did not exempt rae frora becoming an object of the keenest suspicion ; every act CIRCASSIA. 249 and motion was raost closely watched ; and this suspicion was still further increased by ray own inquisitiveness, which induced rae to raake nu merous inquiries of some Arraenian merchants I met at the house of the prince, respecting the manners and customs of the people, extent of the country, &c. But when I entered these in my note book, and even took sketches of them selves, their houses, and various other objects, the vexation of this most jealous people knew no bounds. This was indeed a serious infringement of their laws and usages; and a few even went so far as to suppose that I might be a Russian •agent. A meeting of the elders was, therefore, convened, and a sitting held for the purpose of examining the traveller before he should be al lowed to journey any further through the land. The name of ray nation was deraanded ; the object of ray visit to the country; besides a hundred other questions of a sirailar tendency. I now felt the full weight of the injudicious course I had pursued, in announcing myself as a Frank Stambouli Hakkim, and that Genoa was my country. They had never even heard of such a land, nor such a people, and they enter tained no respect for any other nation or people under heaven except the Turks and the Enghsh ; 250 CIRCASSIA. all the world besides being leagued with their enemies the Russians. My position was not very enviable ; however, should I deviate in the least degree from my original declaration, it would only have had the effect of making bad worse. Nor was the annunciation of the object of my visit calculated to soften their unfavourable opi nion. They could not understand what a stranger had to do with their custoras and manners, or what interest he could have in crossing the wide, wide seas to behold their country. The whole of ray papers were taken from me ; and the spe culations of the elders as to the purport of such unintelligible documents were most ludicrously chirnerical. Some declared, with a brow ex pressive of the fiercest indignation, that they were in the Russian language ; when, imme diately, a few Russian slaves were summoned, who decided in the negative. Greeks, Arme nians, and Turks next made their appearance, who all declared they had never before seen so curious a character, nor heard so strange a lan guage, and that the prisoner must be from the other end of the world. Finding nothing that could crirainate rae as a Russian agent, this, added to the interest my companion, the young prince, had evinced in my behalf from the comraenceraent of our acquaint- CIRCASSIA. 251 ance, so far operated in my favour, that the elders, after mature deliberation, resolved I should be conducted across the most intricate and • raountainous districts to the valley of Thu musse, where my konak held his camp, in order that I raight not becorae farailiar with the locali ties of the country. In truth, we can hardly wonder at the sus picion with which a stranger is regarded by the Circassians, however well he raay be recora raended, when we reraeraber that this unfor tunate people have had to contend for the last half century against legions of Muscovite agents, ever tarapering with their fidelity, ever endea vouring to promote civil feuds, and to detach the people from their chiefs, by bribery, pro mises, and all the various cajohng artifices for which the Russian government is so justly celebrated. After a disagreeable ride of two days across glen, valley, mountain, and river, I arrived at the camp of my adopted konak. I had, however, the pleasure of being accompanied by ray young friend, Beitzroukou, who took care that my every wish should be complied with. I found my konak confined to his couch by an attack of interraittent fever, frora which I had the pleasure of recovering him in a few days. 252 CIRCASSIA. having taken care to bring with rae a large sup ply of raedicine. The fame of this Jilsculapian feat soon spread far and wide, and I was in stantly elevated to the dignity of a hakkira of the first order; consequently, I was daily be sieged by invalids, raany of whom I had the good fortune to relieve ; for, as their naturally healthy constitutions were totally unaccustomed to raedicine, the sraallest doses of the reraedies I administered effected an instantaneous and de cided improveraent. I need hardly say, that, on presenting the tokens of friendship I received from the friends of my konak at Stamboul, every suspicion raised against my integrity was imraediately dispelled, and the prince installed me in the office Of domestic hakkim, to say nothing of the raore agreeable one of guest, during the whole of my stay in the Caucasus. The Khapsoukhie prince had chosen the site for his camp with no small share of military skill and judgment, being a dell on the suramit of a considerable hill, completely surrounded by rocks, inaccessible on every side except one, and that was a gorge so narrow and difficult of access, that two horsemen could scarcely pass abreast. Nor was a secure retreat in the event of defeat the only advantage derived frora his CIRCASSIA. 253 position ; it also coramanded the whole of the neighbouring passes, Mezip and Koutloutzi, leading to the Russian fort of Ghelendjik ; Tu- musse, to Soudjouk-Kale ; and that called Souk- hai, Goraraunicating with Anapa; while, at the sarae tirae, it was sufficiently elevated to enable hira, in cases of imminent danger, to correspond by watch-fires with his brothers in arms, in va rious parts of the country. Notwithstanding the advantageous position he had taken, the objects he had in view were rather to watch the raoveraents of the invaders, cut off stragglers from the carap, harass their outposts, and coramunicate information to the inhabitants of the interior, than aggressive war fare. Although he had with him only about a thousand men, and the Russians fifteen thou sand, yet scarcely a day passed without witness ing sorae slight skirraish, the success being prin cipally on the side of the Circassians, who sel- dora expose theraselves, unless secure of victory ; thus corapletely succeeding not only in con fining the enemy to their entrenchments, but in preventing thera from erecting the necessary fortifications. When we consider the nature of the country, the strength of the defiles, and the warlike spirit of the people, we must feel assured, that 254 CIRCASSIA. it is npthing but the overwhelraing force of the Russian array, their formidable materiel of war, and fortified positions, which enable them even to retain possession of their forts ; and if the mountaineers knew but the value of a few light howitzers, there cannot be a doubt that the Russians would be exposed to utter annihilation should they attempt to advance into the interior. As it is, if we are to depend upon the accounts I. received frora the deserters and Russian slaves in the camp of the prince, the army of General Willeraineff sustained great losses in their recent corabat with the Circassians at the taking of Soudjouk-Kale. The guerilla systera has taken such root in the Caucasus during the protracted strife be tween the Circassians and their neighbours, that it has attained the highest state of per fection, being the raode of warfare best adapted to the force and hardy habits of the people. The chiefs — raen of the raost undoubted bra very — assured of the inviolable faith and at tachraent of their clans, undertake the raost roraantic expeditions, and rarely fail in accora- plishing the object they have in view with an activity and address perfectly astonishing. Every station occupied by the eneray, though bristhng with guns, is, nevertheless, insufficient CIRCASSIA. 255 to protect them. These vrily mountaineers will lie concealed for whole days at their very gates, and, when a convenient moment presents itself, pounce upon their prey like a tiger, and fly off to the mountains. Besides, the Circassians, acting independently and in sraall bodies under their own respective chieftains, are a constant source of inquietude, and give perpetual occu pation to whole brigades. Therefore, you may be assured, unless the tide of pubhc feeling should change in favour of Russia, which is by no means probable, she will not succeed in her attempts to subdue these provinces even with a force of three hundred thousand raen, for it would take that amount alone to occupy the passes of the mountains, that every where inter sect the country, in order to stop any corarau nication between the chiefs ; and then, with strong colurans, pursue the various bands of guerillas. But this is not all, nature has been so highly favourable to this country, that, if beaten out of the valleys and defiles, the tops of the mountains, being alraost invariably fertile, offer a secure retreat for theraselves, their flocks, and herds. The aniraosity ever borne by the inhabitants of the Caucasus towards the Russians has been lately increased a thousandfold, not only by 256. CIRCASSIA. the aggravated reports of the Polish and Tarta^ deserters who reside araong thera, but by their individual sufferings. In addition to the length ened and incessant warfare carried on to deprive thera of their country and independence, they accuse the Russians of wantonly burning their villages, of forcibly carrying off their wives and children, and of encouraging their predatory neighbours, the Tcherneraorsky Cossacks, esta blished on the opposite bank of the Kouban. These, they say, in defiance of the raost soleran treaties, still cross the river, plundering, and laying waste all before thera. So determined, indeed, are the Circassians to raaintain their independence at all risks, that, at a recent meeting, the confederate chiefs having sacrificed every petty feud to the public interest, bound themselves never to sheath their swords while a Russian remained on their territories. Of their ultimate success it were difficult to form an opinion when we consider the gigantic power they have to contend against, and the dark and sinister raanceuvres which that government em ploys when deterrained upon accomplishing any iraportant object. But again, there is a hope when we reraeraber the nature of the country, the extraordinary bravery of the people, their attachraent to their chiefs, roraantic love of CIRCASSIA. 257 liberty, that they are the best guerilla soldiers in the world, and, above all, that they have hitherto resisted every atterapt to betray their country for gold, or jewelled poniards. During a carapaign, difference of rank seeras to cause no distinction between thera, the chief fares no better than his clansraan ; a bag of millet, here called adjikha, and a leathern bottle full of skhou, a species of sour milk, forraing the stock of provisions ; and the mantle (tchaouko), both tent and bed. A Circassian never coraplains that he cannot raarch for want of shoes, nor sub sist for want of provisions ; for, if the bag of adjikha and bottle of skhou fail, the rifie will procure him a dinner so long as a bird flies in the air, or a wild beast roams in the woods. Inured to what we call hardships fi'ora their infancy, and practising abstinence in a high degree, which is here considered a virtue, they bear all the fatigues of war, not only without repining, but cheerfulness. To give you an idea of their desperate valour, the Russian offi cers assured me, that a Circassian warrior never -surrenders, combating while a spark of life reraains, even with a host of eneraies, it being only when powerless frora wounds that he can be taken to grace the triuraph of the conqueror; and, if my space would allow, I could relate VOL. II. s 258 CIRCASSIA. anecdotes of the heroism and valour of this people, perhaps unparalleled in the history of any other. Even during my short stay in the carap, I witnessed exploits that would do no discredit to the pages of roraance. To all this bravery we raay add, that they possess quite as much cunning, it being abso lutely impossible to overreach thera : an enemy can never calculate upon their raoveraents, for, appearing as if endowed with ubiquity, they are found now in one place, and, then in another, and even creep, like a snake, in the grass, and surprise the sentinel on duty at the gates of the fortress : in short, every tree, crag, and shrub> serves a Circassian as an arabuscade. In cases of extreme danger, watch-fires, corr responding with each other, like telegraphs, are lighted upon the hills, which the Circassians no sooner behold, than each man seizes his arms, mounts his horse, always ready saddled at his door, and gallops to the chief of his clan. Nothing short of actual representation can convey any adequate idea of the impetuosity of a Circassian charge ; to the very bravest Euro pean troops it raust be absolutely terrific, being executed literally with the rapidity of lightning, accorapanied with ,a frightful war-cry, resem bling, as I before observed, the scream of a CIRCASSIA. 259 jackal : such also is the admirable training of horse and rider, that I daily witness feats of horsemanship, even by the meanest soldier, far superior in dramatic effect to any pubhc eques trian exhibition I ever beheld in Europe, ap pearing almost irapossible for the huraan body to execute. For instance, a Circassian warrior will spring frora his saddle to the earth, plunge his dagger into the breast of the horse of his eneray, again vault into the saddle; then stand erect, strike his adversary, or hit a raark, almost at a hair's breadth, with his hght gun : and all this while his horse is proceeding at full gallop. But the finest exhibition you can possibly imagine of this description of warfare, is a single combat between one of these fine fellows and a Tcherneraorsky Cossack, the only cavalry soldier in the Russian army at all capable of maintain ing his ground against such a formidable foe, who, nevertheless, in the end alraost invariably falls a victira to the superior prowess and agility of the Circassian. These corabats are usually conducted with all the forras of a duel, and, to the honour of both arraies, the strictest neutrahty is observed. I did not rayself see any of these chivalrous duels ; but a Russian officer, on whose veracity I could place the strictest reliance, and who had 260 CIRCASSIA. witnessed several, supplied rae with the following particulars : — " The corabatants usually coramence the attack at full gallop with the light rausket ; but so well trained are both, that the first fire rarely takes effect, as they either jurap frora the saddle, or throw theraselves on one side in order to avoid it. Sometimes they reserve their charge, till, like a snake darting upon its prey, each party watches a favourable raoraent, while his adversary is off his guard, to fire. At an other tirae, when at full gallop, their swords meet with a tremendous crash, they then turn quickly round, and the death-struggle coraraences,^ in which one or other is alraost certain to fall." If a horse is killed it matters not to a Circas sian, owing to the admirable custom of having the whole of his weapons attached to his person ; and his agility is such, that he generally avoids every atterapt to cut hira down unless over powered by numbers. Even the dangerous po sition of being without his horse he does not fail to turn to advantage, as he frequently springs like a tiger upon the horse of his oppor nent, and hurls the rider to the dust. These solitary combatants are gradually fol lowed by their comrades until the whole body is engaged. Generally speaking, the Circassians CIRCASSIA. 261 never follow up an attack ; their mode of fight ing being, after a furious onset, to vanish like hghtning into the woods, when they carry with thera their killed and wounded ; and it is only while engaged in this pious office, to which they affix a religious character, that the Russians have a chance of obtaining any material advantage, except, indeed, when cannon — the horror of the mountaineers — can be brought to play against thera. On the other hand, however, should the ranks of the Russian troops becorae disordered, they are literally hewed to pieces in a few minutes. From the commencement of my introduction to the chiefs, I positively objected taking any part in the warfare, declaring, upon every occa sion, I was a peaceable hakkim, and that my visit was purely one of curiosity. Besides, however much I raight conderan the arabitious views of the Russian governraent, and denounce its selfish policy, I had abundant reason to esteem many of the people individually. Add to this, I was personally acquainted with several of the officers on duty in the neighbouring fortresses. How then could I lift my hand against thera, or be in any way instrumental to their destruc tion? Nevertheless, during my short stay at the 262 CIRCASSIA. camp, curiosity induced me more than once to accompany the prince in his reconnoitring ex peditions ; but a Circassian reconnoissance is somewhat too daring not to be attended with considerable danger, and in one we found our selves with raerely a few followers in the valley of Soudjouk, corapletely surrounded by an over whelming force of Tchernemorsky Cossacks, who had posted themselves, like a regiment of frogs, in the long reeds and sedges on the banks of a river. Fortunately, the vigilance of the clans raen of our chief had not slept ; for, on per ceiving our danger at a distance, they flew to our assistance, otherwise we should probably have fared badly ; as it was, we had several of our raen wounded, and lost three horses. For rayself, I was indebted to the adrairable custom of wearing the patron pockets on the breast of the coat, for ray preservation, at least, from a bad wound, a pistol-shot having .completely shattered one of its metal tubes filled with bullets, leaving nO other bad effects than a slight contusion. But the most singular circumstance attending the attack was, that it appeared directed in an especial manner against my liberty, a circum stance which I suspected could not be altogether accidental. This proved to be the fact. On CIRCASSIA; 263 coramunicating to the chief ray suspicions that the carap contained a traitor, a strict watch was maintained, which led to the detection of a Volhynian deserter, who was discovered the fol lowing night returning from the Russian camp. I now found the advantage of ray assuraed character of Starabouh Hakkira. But if a poor doctor was an object of aniraosity to the Russian general merely because he was a European, what would have been my fate, if it had been known I was an Englishman ! In fact, Circassia abounds with Russian spies, in spite of the most active vigilance of the chiefs ; but, to the honour of the people, they are rarely found to be natives of the country, being prin cipally travelling Arraenian raerchants, a sordid race, who would at any tirae sacrifice honour and probity for gold. Soraetiraes, indeed, the Russians desert, calling theraselves Polaken (Poles) ; and, after abusing the hospitality of the Circassians, return to their own carap, thus betraying them, in the barest raanner, which occasions a general distrust, not only towards the Poles who raay take refuge among them, but all foreigners arriving without sorae guarantee for their integrity. 264 CIRCASSIA. LETTER XXIII. PLANS OF RUSSIA FOR THE SUBJECTION OF CIRCASSIA — PREPARATIONS OF THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES TO OPPOSE THE PROGRESS OF RUSSIA DEPARTURE FOR THE CIR CASSIAN CAMP ON THE UBIN BEAUTIFUL SCENERY — ARRIVAL AT THE CAMP DISPLAY OF THE NATIONAL BANNER ENTHUSIASM OF THE PEOPLE. A FEW days after my arrival in the camp, an express carae, bringing the iraportant intelli gence that the Cossacks were raaking great preparations, on the opposite banks of the Kouban, to invade the country simultaneously with the Russian garrison of the fortress on the Aboun, or Ubin, for the purpose of establishing a line of communication between that fort and the Russian possessions on the Black Sea, Ghelendjik, and Soudjouk-Kale. Thus it was in tended to prevent all intercourse between the Khapsoukhi, Nottakhaitzi, and other tribes, on the left bank of the Kouban, with their brethren. CIRCASSIA. 265 the various tribes of Circassians that inhabit the country of the Abazecks, or Abazians. This plan corresponded, in every respect, with what I had previously heard from the Russians ; towards the-corapletion of which, Soudjouk-Kale had been captured, the fortress Ghelendjik con verted into an arsenal, and the new acquisition, on the Aboun, in the raountains, strongly forti fied. This, by the by, is the most important position gained by the Russians since the com mencement of the war ; for, should they be able to maintain it, any effectual combination on the part of the confederate princes will be rendered so difficult, that the whole of the north-western part of Circassia must ultimately submit to their authority. Of this danger, however, the Circassians seemed fully aware ; and I was rauch surprised to find the accuracy of the knowledge they evinced in this respect, and the judicious plans they had laid down to circumvent the designs of the invaders. The whole country through which they were expected to pass, was to be laid waste, and the villages burned. In one direction, armed bands were to cross the Kouban, and carry war and desolation into the country of the Tcherne morsky Cossacks ; in another, attack the Russian carap at Soudjouk-Kale; while well-appointed 266 CIRCASSIAN guerillas were to be stationed in all the passes; and on the banks of the Aboun, to harass and interrupt their progress.* On the receipt of the above-mentioned intelli gence, together with the intiraation that the presence of my konak was necessary at an asserably of the confederated princes, sorae twenty miles distant, we iramediately mounted our horses and proceeded thither. As I possessed but a very imperfect knowledge of the Circassian language, and but few of the natives here speak Turkish, it was with no little satisfaction that I discovered one of the slaves of my host to be a Silesian Jew, Nathan Schrager, a native of Teschen, and fully competent to act as interpreter, through the medium of the German language. I therefore requested his freedom, which was instantly granted, and en- * The results proved that their plans were judicious, for Soudjouk-Kale was abandoned, the garrison at Aboun re duced to starvation, and the ranks of the Russians not only doomed to experience a fearful diminution, but their territory on the Tchernemorsky side of the river in great part laid waste. In addition to which, a deeper feeling of animosity has been excited in the breasts of the Circassians against their in vaders; and the temporary advantages they have obtained have had the effect of uniting the bonds of friendship more closely between the various chieftains, and of inspiring- the whole nation with a hope and confidence for the future. CIRCASSIA. 267 gaged him as my attendant. He had been taken, some few years previous, during an incursion of the Circassians into the country of the Tcher nemorsky Cossacks; but, being by trade a silversmith, he was found very useful, and, con sequently, retained in the service of the chief, instead of being sold. He was both quick witted and shrewd, and attached himself much to me, expressing the strongest desire to return with rae to Europe ; and, as you raay suppose, in ray present circurastances, I considered hira a great acquisition. To describe ray route, would be only to repeat what I have already said of this charming country. Indeed, if possible^ the scenery in creased in beauty, the herbage was more lux uriant, and the immense nuraber of houses that every where met ray eye, together with the wide extent of cultivation, afforded the surest evi dences of the existence of a numerous population, araply provided with all the coraforts of life. Each separate valley through which I had passed, since ray entrance into the country, was watered by its own stream, and, although not navigable, yet they added, in no inconsiderable degree, to the fertihty of the soil and beauty of the landscape. I was now forcibly struck with the wilful 268 CIRCASSIA. errors of Klaproth, Pallas, and other writers under the control of the Russian governraent, when describing the population of the inde pendent tribes of Circassia; but, perhaps, in nothing raore than in the accounts they have given of the customs, habits, and manners of these people. That they are industrious, is evident, frora the neatness of their farras and the numbers of their flocks and herds ; and, to give you sorae idea of the population, every tirae I ascended a plateau, from whence I could obtain an extensive view over the valley, I discerned, partially shaded by the trees, at one glance, from twenty to thirty hamlets, and I have frequently found one of them inhabited by a hundred to a hundred and fifty persons. As to the moral character of the Circassians, that has been also grossly misrepresented, for they have been de scribed as nothing better than predatory hordes of savages. To this, however, I shall refer more particularly in a future letter. In the course of my excursion, I passed several salt springs, which I pointed out to the .notice of my companions; at the sarae time giving them directions, in case it were necessary, how to avail theraselves of this valuable source of an article of the first necessity. I ara also of opinion, judging from the strata on the sides of CIRCASSIA. 269 the hills, and the structure of the rocks, that the country abounds with coal, particularly along the sea-coast. In short, I have every reason to be heve, frora the accounts of the natives, that the country is rich in raetals, particularly in the neighbourhood of Pchad and Djook, and in the greatest part of the country of the Abazecks. I was also repeatedly shewn lead and silver ore ; and the Arraenians, the only foreign raerchants who travel in the interior of Circassia, inforraed rae that the mountain rivulets abound with particles of gold, the peasants frequently giving thera in exchange for Turkish merchandise. As we descended frora the raountain, the bright rays of the evening sun were shedding their rich effulgence over the beautiful valley, watered by the Ubin and the Aphibs, tri butaries of the Kouban ; bosoray hills, covered with the richest verdure, gradually rose from their banks, crowned, at the extreme horizon, by the snowy pinnacles of the Caucassian alps. But it was not altogether the natural charms of the landscape that arrested ray attention, so rauch as its aniraated features, for on that spot the con federated princes of Circassia, with their brave followers, were encamped, preparing to arrest the progress of the invader ; and a more interest ing, novel, or imposing spectacle, than they pre- 270 CIRCASSIA. sented to the eye of a European, can hardly be conceived. The tents of the different chiefs were sepa rately grouped (several of the true Haraaxobi forra), surrounded by their clansraen, engaged in every description of warlike exercise ; sorae hurling the javelin or hatchet at a raark, others practising with every species of weapon, frora a poniard to a bow and arrow; here perforraing equestrian feats, there wrestling or running. Smiths, in one place, were to be seen, repairing fire-arras ; in another, horses were being taught swiraraing, and raere infants riding ; in short, it appeared as if fighting were the sole business of existence in this country. Still the pastoral habits of the people were not altogether lost sight of, as, in the far distance, the eye wandered over agridultural fields, ffiled with raen, woraen, and children ; their verdant pastures dotted with nuraerous flocks and herds. On discharging our fire-arms, which always announces the arrival of a chief, numbers of gallant warriors galloped forth from the tents and thickets, and, in a few seconds, we found ourselves surrounded by hundreds of the noblest patriots in Circassia ; some dressed in the siraple costurae of the country, and others in glittering chain arraour. It was then that the valiant CIRCASSIA. 271 chief, Hirsis, Sultoune Oglou, unfurled the splendid national banner he had just received from Stamboul, wrought by the beautiful '^hands of a Circassian princess, occupying a high station in the Turkish empire. At the sight of the long expected national flag, thousands of swords flew in the air, and. one universal long-continued shout of joy burst frora the iraraense multitude. Never was there a greater display of enthusiasra, nor a fiercer de- terraination exhibited by a people to defend their fatherland. Their coraraon danger having awakened in their breasts, for the first time, a sense of the necessity of union, as the first and raost necessary element to ensure success, every male throughout the whole country has sworn never to submit to the Russians, nor to enter into any coraraercial relation, nor hold any cora munication with them, under any pretence. The eternal feuds which had heretofore subsisted be tween chief and chief, tribe and tribe, have ceased ; and those Circassians which had hitherto ravaged each other's territories, are now to be seen hand in hand, united by the closest bonds of fellowship. 272 CIRCASSIA, LETTER XXIV. PUBLIC ASSEMBLY ORATION OF AN AGED WARRIOR — PATRIOTISM OF THE CIRCASSIANS DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE DISADVANTAGES THEY LABOUR UNDER WITH REGARD TO WEAPONS OF DEFENCE VISIT OF A FRIENDLY STRANGER TO THE CAUCASUS POPULARITY OF ENGLAND IN CIRCASSIA. The asserably was held in one of their sacred groves, contiguous to the camp. Several of the trees were decorated with the votive offerings of piety ; and, in the centre, on a small hillock, singular to say, stood the symbol of Christianity — the raouldering reraains of an ancient Roman cross, rudely constructed of wood; in front of which the principal chiefs had taken their seats upon the grassy turf. The aspect of such an iraraense raultitude of warriors, reposing beneath the shade of their venerable trees, earnestly debating and devising upon the raost efficacious raeasures to be adopted in order to defend their country against the CIRCASSIA. 273 dreadful enemy now about to devastate it again, for the hundredth time, with fire and sword, was remarkably striking and impressive. Whenever an orator arose frora his seat to address the asserably, the deepest and raost respectful silence was observed, till some exciting passage pro duced a general shout of enthusiasm, or a fierce exclamation of vengeance, to which the loud clang of their sabres gave an additional ani mation ; in the midst of which, it was only necessary for any one of the elders to wave his hand, when order was again restored. But it would be utterly impossible for me to attempt picturing the excited enthusiasra of this most patriotic people when one of their aged chiefs, helpless frora wounds, arrived on the field, carried thither on a sort of palanquin : the wild roar of joy and din of weapons I then heard still rings in ray ears. His feeble forra was enveloped in the araple folds of the tchaouka ; and, although his pallid countenance was deeply furrowed with tirae and care, his eye still glistened with the fire of the soldier; while the long hoary beard, that de scended to his waist, iraparted an expression to his figure which raade him scarcely appear to belong to earth. I found the old chief to be a Tartar prince, called Taou Gherei Aslane VOL. II. T 274 CIRCASSIA. Nourous, whose ancestors were forraerly Sul tans, or Khans, over one of the powerful tribes of Tartars that, at one tirae, occupied the Isle of Taraan, and those countries on that part of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Kouban. They had been tributaries of Turkey; but, on the subjugation of their country by Russia, great nurabers of the inhabitants, with their chiefs, took refuge in Circassia, and have, in a manner, now become amalgamated with the people. In conformity with the great respect paid to age, the principal chiefs, with the elders, ap proached, and reverently kissed his robe, when he slowly arose frora his couch, supported in the raanly arras of his son, a young raan of raost Herculean proportions, and, after blessing the raultitude, with uplifted hands, commenced his oration ; an oration, however, which I do not pretend to give verbatim, as it was translated by ray interpreter into Gerraan, yet, for the sake of its curiosity, I have endeavoured to preserve the outline, as far as these disadvantages would perrait. He first expatiated upon the present prospects of the country, and the indispensable necessity of unanimity, the absence of which had cost his own country and people their independence. He then insisted upon the necessity of watching, CIRCASSIA. 275 with great strictness, their foreign slaves, and of preventing the entrance of all strangers into the country unprovided with a konak, who would undertake to be answerable for his integrity. To which he added, the expediency of making'a horrible exaraple of any chief who should give in his adhesion to Russia. " Where," cried the old warrior, " is ray coun try ; where are the hundreds of tents that sheltered the heads of my people ; where are their flocks and herds ; where their wives and little ones ; and where are ray people theraselves ? Ah, the Moscov! the fana Moscov ! have scattered their dust to the four winds of heaven ; and such will be your fate, oh children of Atteghei, if you sheathe your swords against the invader ! " Behold your brethren the Inghouses, the Ossetes, the Goudaraakaris, the Avars, and the Mistdjeghis, once brave and powerful, whose swords leaped from their scabbards at the bare raention of bending their neck to a foreign yoke, what are they now ? Slaves ! Oh, Atteghei, the consequence of having permitted the fana Mos cov a free passage through their territories. They first built houses of stone for their arraed men, then robbed the deluded natives of their lands, stripped thera of their weapons, and, last of all, obliged thera to swell the hosts of their oppressors. 276 CIRCASSIA. " I hear," said he, " that the great Padischah of all the seas, and the Indies, the terror of the fana Moscov, has tendered to you the hand of alliance. Such a raighty raonarch is indeed worthy of being united with the heroic sons of the mountains; but remember your indepen dence, and never allow a foreigner to place a yoke upon your neck. You already permitted the Osmanli to build strong houses on your coasts : what did they give you in return ? War and pestilence to raow down your children ; and, in the hour of peril, they fled, leaving you single-handed, to stera the torrent that flowed against you. " A few short weeks will reduce my feeble body to ashes ; but my soul will ascend to the abode of my fathers — the land of the blessed : there it will cry aloud to the great Tkhd, the Eternal Spirit, for vengeance on our persecutors. When that event takes place, oh! Atteghei, protect the remnant of my people; we fled frora the exterrainating hand of the destroyer, and you gave us a horae ; our country was torn frora our grasp, and you shared with us the land of your fathers ; and your country is now our country. " Have ray people proved ungrateful for the boon ? Has any act of treachery stained the name of a Tartar ? Have not our swords a thousand CIRCASSIA. 277 times drank the life's blood of our relentless enemies ? By the wounds I have received in de fending your liberty, — wounds which have left me for years a helpless cripple, — continue your hospi tahty to ray people." Then presenting his son, he cried, " Behold the last of my race ; four of my boys have already fallen by the cannon of our enemy : he alone reraains ; take hira : his life is devoted to uphold the liberties of Atteghei." Thus saying, he fell back on his couch ex hausted with exciteraent, and was borne frora the grove in deep silence, interrupted only by the srao- thered sobs of those whose eraotions would not be controlled. Many a hardy, weather-beaten warrior strove in vain to prevent the tears from chasing each other down his sun-burnt cheeks ; while others knit their brows, clenched their teeth, half-drew their sabres, and exhibited every symp tom of suppressed rage and indignation. After a few rainutes had elapsed, when the tone of feeling had become a little lowered, one burst of acclamation rent the air, and resounded far and wide through the forests, which, being re-echoed from rock to rock, seemed to shake the very raountains theraselves. Orations were also dehvered by the elders of nearly the whole of the neighbouring tribes of Circassians, independently of those leading a 278 CIRCASSIA. noraadin life, Turcoraans, Nogay Tartars, Cal raucks, &c., all professing the raost friendly feel ing to the general cause, and swearing to raain tain their independence at every hazard. I raust confess that the whole asserably, to gether with the aniraated speeches of these siraple raountaineers, made upon me a powerful impression. This was aided by their patriotic spirit, love of liberty, the roraantic character of the country, and the characteristic dresses of the men, with their knightly arraour ; while the women, enveloped in their long flowing veils, moving among the multitude, resembled so many angelic spirits sent to excite thera to deeds of valour. The whole scene rerainded me of what Switzer land raight have been during the heroic struggle of her sons for freedora against the disciplined legions of the powerful house of Habsburg: and, as I regarded the peaceful, hurable cots, and pastoral fields around rae, I execrated frora my soul that accursed ambition, so prolific of misery; neither mountain, glen, nor barren rock, being protected frora its evil train. How deeply, then, raust we coraraiserate the fate of this unhappy people, so long exposed to all its ravages ! In truth, it is absolutely frightful to contemplate the dreadful power against which CIRCASSIA. 279 this handful of people have to contend, particu larly at the present moment, when, being at peace with the world, the whole energies of that mighty nation are directed to this one point, instigated and put in action by thousands of bankrupt nobles, and penniless comraanders, who thirst after the possession of their beautiful mountains and fertile valleys. Not to raention the fearful superiority of nura bers, their discipline, and abundant supphes of all the raateriel of war, possessed by the Rus sians, what defence have these intrepid moun taineers to oppose ? Nothing, but their moun tain walls, and brave swords : of cannon they may be said to be entirely destitute ; and not unfrequently of powder for their muskets. Nor are these the only disadvantages under which they labour : one-half of the men are without muskets, and the greater number of the remain der out of repair. The bayonet is altogether unknown, the sabre and poniard being, in fact, the only universal weapons. As you may suppose, in a country like this, there is no regular array, each raan consulting his own taste and finances in his costurae and raili tary appointments ; consequently, in one place we see a soldier arraed with a long gun by the side of another with a short one ; and thousands, in 280 CIRCASSIA. lieu of the musket, are obliged to adopt the javehn and the bow and arrow. Still, the latter weapon, from the nature of the country, and their expertness at using it, is most effective, and much dreaded by the Russians : not alto gether from the deadly wound the arrow inva riably inflicts, so much as that they cannot tell from whence they are menaced. A few of the chiefs present were, it is true, provided with most primitive-looking iron guns, of their own manufacture, about the size of three or four pounders, mounted hke muskets, which are transported with thera, during their gueriha excursions, on the backs of horses. This new iraproveraent in the art of warfare araong the Circassians, they owe to the sugges tions of a friendly stranger, who visited thera sorae tirae since ; and, if better fabricated, and in more general use, they might become most formidable weapons in defending their passes against the advance of an enemy. The rauzzle rests upon two sticks, crossing each other at the top attached to the gun ; and, being fired frora the shoulder, like the coramon musket, they are enabled to take the most deadly aira ; for, be it reraerabered, a Circassian is scantily supplied with araraunition : and, consequently, never fires without being sure of his prey. CIRCASSIA. 281 The sarae friendly stranger who learned the Caucasians the use of the howitzer, taught them the necessity of a confederative governraent, that consolidation was strength, and, as a sym bol of their union, arranged a national flag : the device consists of three gold arrows, crossed on a green field, over which are several white stars, representing the nuraber of independent tribes united in the confederation. The interest which this noble-rainded indi- ridual has evinced in behalf of this brave, but persecuted race, entitles him, apart from every consideration, political or comraercial, to the respect and admiration, not only of the people of England, but of the humane of every nation under heaven; and, it is only in consideration of his public situation, and the consequences that inight possibly accrue at the present moment, that I forbear proclaiming his name. This disclosure would also, perhaps, injure the cause of Circassia, and tend to protract the period of her ultimate independence. His endeavours to aid and give effect to the efforts of this heroic people in maintaining themselves against their formidable invaders, have been responded to by the whole of the independent chieftains. How earnestly, then, is it to be hoped that they will be able to defeat 282 CIRCASSIA. the long contemplated deep-laid schemes of Rus sian intrigue, and wanton aggression, to subju gate them : and, how gratifying is it for an Englishraan, in this reraote part of the world, to hear his country and countryraen extolled with enthusiasra, and in every burst of patriotic feel ing, the narae of Inghz mingled with that of Atteghei ! Let it also be reraerabered, that this could not have been done from motives of courtesy to myself; for my secret never transpired, and I was always considered a poor djenouves hakkim : whereas, if I had only proclaimed rayself a Briton, they would almost have worshipped me. Such, I assure you, is the fervour of the public feeling in favour of England — a feehng, of which our government are sufficiently sagacious to avail themselves, and to derive the advantages that naturally flow from it. CIRCASSIA. 283 LETTER XXV. DEVELOPEMENT OF RUSSIAN POLICY IN THE CAUCASUS ATTACHMENT OF THE CIRCASSIAN CHIEFS TO THE NATIONAL CAUSE ULTIMATE VIEWS OF RUSSIA WITH REGARD TO THE OCCUPATION OF THE CAUCASUS HER HOSTILITY TO ENGLISH INTERESTS POLICY OF ENGLAND WITH RESPECT TO CIRCASSIA CONSEQUENCES OF BRITISH IN TERFERENCE. Perhaps you are not aware that ever since the establishment of the Tchernemorsky Cos sacks on the banks of the Kouban in 1792, Russia has warred against Circassia ; but the means she adopted for preventing truth from transpiring, and for veiling her designs on Asia, have been so effectual, that it is only now her system of spoliation and unjust self-aggrandise ment, in endeavouring to wrest the country of the Caucasus frora its legitiraate possessors, has been blazoned forth to indignant Europe. Thanks, however, to steam navigation, the 284 CIRCASSIA. mists she flung over these unhappy countries will now be rolled away. Aware of this, and con scious that England alone forms the bulwark to her ambitious designs, whose interests in the East would be deeply comproraised by the subjuga tion of the heroic inhabitants of the Caucasus, she is now hastening the accomplishment of her purpose by every means she can employ : hav ing found that the secret machinations of in trigue and the lavish expenditure of millions were ineffectual in purchasing the fidelity of the patriotic chiefs, a system she had hitherto expe rienced to be so successful in every other coun try compelled to bend beneath her power. Here I am surrounded by princes and nobles display ing her costly presents in their jewelled arms ; others, dividing among their compatriots the sums of raoney they received as the price of treachery to their country ; yet, such is the deep-rooted aniraosity of this people to Russian rule, that, instead of winning thera to her purpose, she has only rendered thera raore determinately hostile. Even the youths educated in Russia at the ex pense of the government, no sooner returned to their native raountains than they raade coraraon cause with their countryraen. This persevering hatred is partly referable to the religious feelings of the people, which never perrait forgiveness. CIRCASSIA. 285 and blood alone can wash out the blood of a Circassian chief : thus the desire for revenge is transmitted from generation to generation. Will Europe regard with indifference the un equal contest now carried on against the only people who have offered a valorous resistance to Muscovite efforts at aggrandisement among the myriads subdued by her policy or arms ? Im possible! Will England, will Europe, sanction this crusade against the rights of a free people ? We cannot believe it. The present question is too vital in its importance to be lightly passed over, or disposed of by a bombardment of pro tocols. No, no ! the prize aimed at by Russia is too valuable to be resigned, unless forcibly compelled, — a prize that would ensure to her the keys of Europe and Asia. Is it probable she will abandon a contest that has already cost her half amilhon of men, and the sacrifice not only of treasure but character ? To accomplish this purpose, every sovereign of Mus covy, frora Peter the First to the present era peror, Nicholas, has braved the obloquy of per petrating the raost perfidious measures that ever disgraced a government ; for this the sovereignty of Georgia and Imraeretia has been purchased, and hundreds of chieftains and nobles pensioned ; for this, the Crimea has been conquered ; for 286 CIRCASSIA. this, Turkey and Persia have been enfeebled by wars, and torn by intrigue and dissensions. Every step Russia has taken to complete the conquest of the Caucasus, has been the result of mature deliberation ; each succeeding monarch pursuing the same undeviating line of pohcy. Do not, however, suppose that the object she has in view is simply the Caucasus, as an addi tional acquisition of territory ; for every inch of ground there has been purchased at a waste of blood and treasure perfectly appalling, and even if obtained to-morrow, it would be a costly ap pendage to the empire. No ; you may be as sured the possession is sought after, on account of the facilities it offers for the accomplishraent of- some great enterprise ; and the surest evi dence we have of this, is the avidity with which she pursues every advantage, however trifling, and the pertinacity with which she clings to every^ acquisition of territory there, however in considerable ; being a proof that she regards the conquest of that country, more as a means than an end. Let her then be once in possession of the defiles of the Caucasus, and, in a few years, we shall see Persia and Turkey incorporated with her already overgrown empire, and her victorious arms dictating terms to ourselves at Calcutta. Have, we then no interest in the independence CIRCASSIA. 287 of Circassia ? Nay, is it not as essential to the security of our eastern possessions, and the sta bility of the peace of Europe, as the integrity of Turkey and Persia ? and ought we not to regard the blockade of its ports as an act of indirect hostility against ourselves ? But, apart frora po litical considerations, events have sufficiently proved that every inch of territory acquired by Russia, in whatever part of the world, has been obtained in direct opposition to the interests of Great Britain. If she had never crossed the Caucasus, what would have been, at the present moment, our coraraercial relations with Persia and the other countries in the East ? At every step of her progress, by the imposition of re strictive duties, she first interrupts, and then annihilates, our commerce. I have already told you, that she has given the death-blow to our transit trade by way of Redoute-KaM, in Mingrelia ; and would now exclude us from en tering into comraercial relations with the inha bitants of Circassia, — a people who willingly open to us their ports, and welcorae us with the hand of friendship to their country ; a country des titute of every species of manufacture ; abound ing with all the raw materials we stand most in need of. Our government, who are perfectly cognizant of this, together with the circumstance 288 CIRCASSIA, that a Circassian port has been offered to Eng^ land as a coraraercial station, vrill no doubt seize the opportunity of extending our coraraerce to the countries on the Black Sea, anxious as they are for the welfare of the country and the maintenance of the power and grandeur of Great Britain. This act can in no way whatever compromise us with Russia, but will further the interests of a gallant people, and those of our own country at the sarae tirae ; and prove to the world, by enforcing our rights as a coraraercial nation, that Britons have not degenerated. Besides, the ports of Circassia, in accordance with international law, are as free to the coraraerce of England as those of France or Holland ; and the blockade of her coast by Russia, and the encroachments on her territories, are as illegal as they are unjust. For all the world knows that the free sons of the Caucasus never bowed their neck to the yoke of a foreigner ; and never, at any epoch, ancient or modern, when we take into consideration the magnitude of the foe against which they are now contending, have the arras of the Cir cassians shone with greater lustre ; never have their attacks been better combined, or attended with raore decisive advantages ; and never was the national enthusiasm of this unconquerable CIRCASSIA. 289 people at a greater height, than at the present moraent. On the other hand, should the guardians of our national rights hesitate in pursuing a bold hne of pohcy at this critical juncture, by aban doning milhons of our fellow creatures to a fate which is frightful to conteraplate ; they will not only call down upon our heads one universal anatheraa, but open the door to Russian aggres sion and insult in every part of the world. Russia once in possession of the defiles of the Caucasus, no measures we can afterwards adopt to guarantee the integrity of Turkey and Persia, unless at an immense cost of life and treasure, will be effectual. Is it not, therefore, evident that the best and only secure protection against a protracted war, will be to strengthen our alliances in the East, more especially with the inhabitants on the coast of the Black Sea ? and, be assured, if we do not speedily avail ourselves of our influence, and pro tect Circassia, as an independent state, every Oriental power will despise our friendship, and ultimately seek to unite itself with Russia, as a more efficient ally. For the interest excited at the present moraent in favour of Circassia, is not only universal throughout Turkey and Per sia, but even in the Russian settlements of Krim- VOL. II. u 290 CIRCASSIA. Tartary, Mingrelia, Georgia, &c. The eyes of all are anxiously directed towards Great Britain, as the sheet-anchor of their hopes, and the only European power capable of protecting them. I have rayself seen and heard sufficient to feel assured that nothing but the feeble state of Persia and Turkey prevents thera from openly espousing the cause of the raountaineers ; and notwithstanding the limited state of their re sources, if these powers were encouraged by any open manifestation of sympathy on our part, their interference, from motives of rautual interest, would be iraraediate and decisive. Be this as it raay, the raoral influence of the ap pearance of a British raan-of-war in the Euxine would be incalculable ; the dejected Turk would be aroused frora his apathy; every Caucasian, frora the Caspian to the Black Sea, would in stantly fly to arras; and the Russians would as hastily retreat to their fastnesses. For I now only repeat for the hundredth tirae, what I have already said, that the strength of Russia is feebleness ; and the great increase of her ter ritory, for the last half century, has been ob tained principally through the supineness of those foreign powers whose interests ought to have rendered them more watchful ; by diplomatic finesse ; and the daring raanner in CIRCASSIA. 291 which she has executed her purposes. But let Enghsh firmness once shew her a broadside, and she vrill become tractable. I have lived long enough araong the Russians to know that they are bold with the weak, but timid with the strong. 292 CIRCASSIA. LETTER XXVI. RIGHT OP CIRCASSIA TO BE CONSIDERED INDEPENDENT, AS PROVED BY RUSSIA RUSSIAN UKASE — RUSSIAN VIOLA TION OF TREATIES RIGHT OF INTERNATIONAL INTER FERENCE — VISIT OF A BRITISH NAVAL OFFICER TO CIR CASSIA CONSEQUENCES RESULTING FROM IT. Having, in a previous letter, proved that Rus sia could derive no right to that part of the Caucasus inhabited by the independent tribes, known under the narae of Circassians, from the Ottoman Porte ; and also shewn, while visiting the Russian fortresses on the coast, that the people are in actual possession of their country, it is unnecessary to discuss this subject at any considerable length. The real fact is, Turkey never was, at any period whatever, raaster of Circassia, beyond a few crurabling fortresses on the coast. How then could she transfer a title she never had ? If we refer to the fourth article of the treaty of Adrianople, we shall find that the independent tribes of Circassia were not even mentioned. circassia. 293 Again, from tirae iraraeraorial, the Turks have been in the habit of purchasing slaves from the independent princes of Circassia ; consequently, every man at all conversant with Oriental laws and raanners, raust be aware that it is contrary both to the religion of Mahoraet and the laws of Turkey, to import slaves, except from a foreign power. In short, it is notorious throughout the whole of the eastern world, that the utmost efforts of the Turkish arras failed in the atterapt to estab- hsh their supreraacy over the raountaineers of the Caucasus. Anapa, Soudjouk-Kale, and one or two others in Abasia, were ceded to Turkey by the Circassians, solely for the purposes of cora merce ; and, so far as that power possessed any right over these places, she made it over to Russia; but whether settlements under such circurastances, the purpose for which they were originally granted having ceased, ought not, in justice, to have reverted to the natives, I leave to the unprejudiced inquirer to deterraine. That even Russia herself recognised the inde pendence of Circassia, is placed beyond contro versy by the maps of Lieutenant Boudistchev and General Khatov, published at St. Peters burg, prior to the Adrianople treaty, by order of the governraent, wherein we find that part 294 circassia. of the Caucasus inhabited -by the free tribes distinctly marked as independent, and forming no part whatever of the Ottoman empire. But raark the profound policy of the Russian governraent. On taking possession of the com mercial settlements above mentioned, in order to blindfold Europe with respect to the actual position of the independent tribes, she issued a manifesto to the whole comraercial world, a passage frora which I shall take the hberty of quoting in the words of the Ukase itself, dated St. Petersburgh, 1831. " We hereby notify, that every attempt of foreign vessels to trade with any part of the Circassia Abazian coast, except the two har bours of Anapa and Redoute-Kale, will be con sidered contraband, and the individuals guilty of such offence held liable to the penalties in flicted for carrying on illicit traffic ; and, in order to enforce the execution of this our decree, we have granted a commission to our iraperial squad ron, cruising on the east coast of the Black Sea, to use the necessary measures to that effect." Now the real intention of the Ukase was, to deter foreign vessels frora visiting the Circas sian coast, as they would not only find the whole population in open arras against Russia's self-assumed right of possession, but that power CIRCASSIA. 295 actually carrying on a war of aggression against the unfortunate inhabitants by sea and land. On a further exaraination, we shall find that Russia had very substantial reasons for liraiting European intercourse to the two settleraents raen tioned in the Ukase, and interdicting it with the long line of coast between them (where she dare not land a single man), both being under her own absolute control. Anapa is situated close tothe Kouban, a district inhabited by the Tcher- ': nemorsky Cossacks, and the town itself strongly fortified. As for Redout Kale, that is not even , within the limits of the territories of the confe derated princes of Circassia, but in Mingrelia, a province long since subject to Turkey, but sub- iSequently ceded to Russia, at the treaty of ^Adrianople. Independently of the circumstance that the country is in actual possession of the original inhabitants, I could instance a hundred facts, were it necessary, to prove that the treaty of Adrianople does not confer the right of so vereignty over the Caucasus, as claimed by Russia ; but, as an enumeration of them would not prove interesting to the generahty of my readers, and as our government are already in possession of them, there can be no doubt they wih adopt whatever measures may be necessary 296 CIRCASSIA. to uphold the honour, and maintain the interests, of Great Britain. That Russia, in taking advantage of the en feebled state of Turkey at the conclusion of the late war to augraent her already overgrown power in the East, has acted in direct violation of her own raost sacred engageraents, entered into with England and France, there can be no doubt. The treaty of July, 1827, bound her to seek no augraentation of territory, no exclusive privileges, no coraraercial advantages, from Tur key, or any other of the eastern countries bor dering on the Black Sea, that would exclude the subjects of any other nation. At the com raenceraent of the war with Turkey, in the year 1828, she again soleranly declared, that the sti pulations of this treaty would be adhered to with the most scrupulous fidelity; and that the results of the war in which she was then about to engage, whether favourable or unfavourable, should not infringe any single article of the treaty. In the face of this, we have the treaty of Adrianople; or, in other words, a deliberate violation of her own contracted stipulations, a falsification of her raost sacred promises, and an open defiance of France and England, the par ties with whom she made the treaty. With such a power, is it not evident that we shall be CIRCASSIA. 297 obliged to ascertain whether cannon-balls are not raore effectual arguments than protocols? unless, indeed, we are united with her in facili tating our own downfal, and the subversion of European and Asiatic independence. If we recognise the necessity of putting a stop to the encroachments of Russia, we must admit that it is across the Caucasian frontier the barrier must be placed. It is here she is most vulnerable ; and the progress of events, and the nature of the country, point it out as the spot on which we can oppose her with a certainty of success. If this is not done, future generations will have araple cause to laraent the culpable apathy of their forefathers. For, let it be re membered, that what at the present moraent may be accomplished with ease, will be found, in the course of a few years, if not irapracticable, at least a work of much difficulty. The right of governraents to interfere in the affairs of independent states, has been long re cognised ; a right estabhshed by mutual consent, for the purpose of raaintaining the equihbriura of power, and thereby preserving peace to the world. In corapliance with this principle, the erapire of Napoleon, and his ambitious views, were deemed incompatible with the general tranquilhty ; con sequently, he was obliged to succumb to the 298 CIRCASSIA. arms of the alhed powers. But even when at the sumrait of his glory, with nearly the whole of Europe at his feet, if there was not raore rao- deration in his councils, there was less subtlety in his policy, than in that of Russia. The one, like a lion, raet his eneray boldly in the field; while the other, like a serpent, gradually coils round its victira till the pow^er of resistance is gone. His acquisitions were assuredly less extensive ; his arabition less unbounded ; and, above all, his public conduct raore raanly and straightforward. Russia, while she accuses England of too much liberalism, and France of republicanism, as tending to subvert the peace of Europe, is her self underraining every throne within her reach, .either by diploraatic intrigue, or the deraorahsing influence of bribery. Year after year, she enters into new treaties, and gives fresh guarantees of her raoderation : all of which are broken, when a convenient opportunity occurs of executing sorae long-cherished design for the extension of her territory. In the face of all this, we are told by her hire ling press, in their long articles, that " she is the saviour of Europe — the preserver of peace and social order." While, at the same moraent that they are lauding the huraanity of the eraperor. CIRCASSIA. 299 his armies are ravaging, with fire and sword, the countries of the Caucasus, and his agents* spreading sedition among the subjects of the Turkish empire. But now Russia is no longer bold in the ignorance of Europe with respect to the Cau casus : the task of tearing away the veil was reserved for an English tar, who visited the Cir cassians about two years since, in defiance of Russian blockade and Russian spies : to his spirited enterprise we are indebted for the first knowledge we obtained of the reckless line of policy pursued there by that power. For, though in this work I have endeavoured to elucidate, as far as I was able, the state of the Caucasian pro vinces, his endeavours to relieve the sufferings of the people, and promote the cause of their independence, by pubhcity, was prior to mine. In addition to the gratification of knowing * While I was at Constantinople, it was clearly proved, that, owing to the instigation of the Russian agents in Bul garia, hundreds of the peasants of that province had, without any cause, deserted their homes, and taken refuge within the Russian territory. This was an undoubted fact, notwith standing every attempt was made by the Russian ambassador to disclaim any connivance of his government in the transac tion. The Turks go even still further ; for such is their hatred of the Muscovites, they attribute every public evil that hap pens in the country to their agency. 300 CIRCASSIA. that the accuracy of ray own stateraents are in some measure confirmed by the representations of the enlightened traveller who preceded me, they have had the good effect of awakening sympathy, and exciting in the public raind a wish for more lengthened details ; and, I trust, will remove any irapression which might be enter tained that my statements were exaggerated ; an impression which would have been highly pro bable, when we reraeraber the liraited inforraa tion possessed by the people of Europe respecting these provinces, and their consequent inabihty to form a correct decision. CIRCASSIA. 301 LETTER XXVII. NEW RUSSIAN SETTLEMENT AT ABOUN EXCURSION TO THE KOUBAN — COSSACK GUARD-HOUSES — ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE CIRCASSIANS AND THE TCHERNEMORSKY COSSACKS — ;¦ CHARACTER OF THE TCHERNEMORSKY COSSACKS PREt DATORY HABITS OF THE BORDERERS INSALUBRITY OF THE COUNTRY ON THE BANKS OF THE KOUBAN. I AM aware the tenor of my letters from Cir cassia is more hostile towards Russia and her policy than is exhibited in those written while travelhng in that empire. But how is it possible that any man, possessed of the slightest feehng of compassion for his fellow-creatures, can con template the burning villages, the thousands of helpless orphans, the weeping widows, bereft of all they hold dear on earth, without execrating the authors of so much misery ? Indeed, it is impossible to reside among these people, and witness their resignation ; their unwearied energy in defending their hurable hearths; their sturdy integrity ; their hospitality, and kind affections ; their huraanity to their slaves and those pri soners who fall into their hands,— without sympa thizing with their cause, without being interested 302 CIRCASSIA. in their fate ; and, at the same time, proclaiming to the world the real situation of the most cruelly per secuted people at this moment under the heavens. Among the iraraense multitude by whom I am now surrounded, I have not yet seen a single disorderly individual : every ancient feud is com pletely absorbed in the public cause, and death or independence is the universal watchword. To give you an idea of the admirable facility with which a large body of men can be assem bled in this country, it took only half-an-hour for the majority of those present to disperse, probably about ten thousand, vrith the cer tainty of finding food and lodging sufficiently near to enable them to raeet again at day break the next morning, completely armed for battle. Still, it raust be confessed, that a Circassian is very different frora the native of any other country, except the Arab. A cleft in the rocks, or the shelter of a tree, even in the severest weather, is to him a home, when no better is to be found ; the saddle is his pillow ; the housings his bed ; the mantle his coverlet ; and the horse, faithful and docile as a spaniel dog, ever his companion at home and abroad, cheers his solitude ; while his abstemious habits render the bag of meal, and bottle of skhou, always carried at the saddle-bow, sumptuous fare. CIRCASSIA. 303 The Circassian carap is situated in the pro vince of Nottakhaitzi, about half-way between the new Russian fortress in the mountains called Aboun, and the river Kouban ; by which means the highlanders can watch the approach of the enemy frora either side, and check their advances into the interior of the country. They can also pre vent the garrison of Aboun frora receiving any r^inforceraent, should it at any tirae be weakened by defeats, or starving for want of provisions, without at least risking a serious skirraish. In our reconnoitering excursions, we frequently approached within gun-shot of the fortress, when the garrison, on perceiving us, never failed to scamper behind their intrenchraents like a colony of rats, and •greet our presence with a royal salute from the whole of their guns. The situation of the fortress, domineered by a mountain, has been badly chosen ; consequently, it is ill-calculated to resist a regular attack: nevertheless, against an eneray like the moun taineers, destitute of artillery, it is a formidable position. It appears, however, that at the time it was originally constructed, the Russians had little choice as to the situation ; for, being cora pletely heraraed in here by a large body of Cir cassians about two years ago, they had no other alternative to escape frora utter destruction. 304 CIRCASSIA. than to throw up intrenchraents, which were afterwards gradually erected into soraething re sembhng a fortress. At present the Russians do not derive, from their position at Aboun, any material advan tage ; for, being entirely cut off frora any cora munication whatever with the troops on the line of the Kouban, or the nearest Russian fortress, at Ghelendjik, on the Black Sea, they are always exposed to the murderous hostility of the natives, whenever starvation compels them to sally forth in quest of provisions. Some months previous to my arrival, desperation had driven a portion of the garrison to attempt crossing the country to Ghelendjik, which they succeeded in accoraplishing, with very little loss, owing to the circurastance that the enterprise was under taken during the tirae when the raountaineers were celebrating a grand religious festival in one of their sacred groves. Since this sortie, the Circassians Watch them with redoubled vigilance ; and in order to prevent a sirailar incursion, the numerical force of the camp has been increased to several thousands ; while the summit of every hill comraanding a view of the valleys, is, if I raay so terra it, garrisoned by guerillas. After leaving the fortress, we continued our route on the banks of the Ubin to the Kouban, CIRCASSIA. 305 when we soon found ourselves in one of the most beautiful undulating countries in the world. From thence we descended into a plain ; and, last of all, bivouacked for a day or two among the reeds and sedges, which grow to a height of at least thirteen feet, near the Kouban; but never shall I forget what I suffered here from musquitoes. The hardy Circassian was not much better off; and the only chance we had to escape from their incessant persecution, was by lighting large fires during the day, and creep ing into sacks by night; and if to this we add the howling of dogs, wolves, and jackals, the bellowing of herds, the chirping of myriads of reptiles and insects of every species, which kept up a constant clamour by day and night, together with the momentary expectation of a visit from the Cossacks, you may suppose ray situ ation was any thing but enviable : to say nothing of the badness of the air, the sultriness of the weather, and the possibihty of inhaling, at every breath, a poisonous miasma that might destroy life itself. The latter evil is, indeed, the gi-eatest danger that besets the path of the traveller, whose curiosity and enterprise prompt him to explore those countries of the East, subjected to pestilential miasma. As to comforts, they never once gave me a thought : I could rough it with VOL. II. X 306 CIRCASSIA. the hardiest raountaineer that ever drew a bow ; but what constitution is proof against the noxious exhalations of a swarap ? The Kouban is here very broad and rapid: the Tartars call it the Great Water ; the Cir cassians, Psi-Skhe (the Old Water); while the ancient Greeks gave it the narae of Hypanis ; the Romans, Vardan ; and the Khazars, Ouk- rooghe. It has its source at the foot of the Elberous ; and here forms the boundary between Russia and the country of the confederated princes of the Caucasus. The northern bank, inhabited by the Tcherneraorsky Cossacks, upon which are erected mihtary stations along the whole line of frontier, for the purpose of pro tecting the inhabitants from the inroads of the Caucasians, is rauch raore elevated than that on the Circassian side. These railitary stations are even raore priraitive than those I already de scribed, belonging to the Cossacks of the Danube, being nothing better than three perpendicular poles, fastened in the earth, with a seat on the top, like an eagle's nest, upon which a sentinel, arraed with a lance and gun, stands night and day, watching the raoveraents of the Circassians, who, notwithstanding all this vigilance, some tiraes pay their neighbours an unwelcorae visit. On ascending one of the nuraerous turauli CIRCASSIA. 307 which abound here, I caught a distinct view of Ekaterinodar (Catherine's Gift), the metropolis of the Tchernemorsky Cossacks. It is situated in the midst of a dense forest, appearing more like an extensive village than a town. The heights around it were completely covered with cannon down to the water's edge, comraanding the whole of the marshy lands over which we were travelling. It would appear that the feeling of animosity between the Circassians and Tcherneraorsky Cossacks is most murderous ; for the latter no sooner perceived us, than, without the slightest provocation on our part, they discharged at us their whole line of guns in succession. Of course there is no lack of powder in the carap of the Russians ; but, I raust say, the speciraens they exhibited gave rae a raost conteraptible opinion of their skill in gunnery ; for, though fully deterrained to slay us wholesale, yet the only sufferers were the reeds and sedges. The country inhabited by the Cossacks is a con tinuation of the vast steppe of Krira-Tartary. It appeared, however, so rauch raore fertile than .any other part I had previously seen, that nu merous herds of cattle were every where grazing ; and the piles of lances ranged round the hara- lets, shewed that the inhabitants, notwithstanding 308 CIRCASSIA. their long guns, were hourly apprehen^ve - of being plundered by their neighbours. Indeed, this is frequently done by both parties ; and so actively has the raarauding system been carried on, that, perhaps, no people upon earth detest each other more cordially; and though the river here rushes forward like a tor rent, yet parties of each frequently swim across on horseback to the territory of the other, and carry away every thing within their reach, men, women, children, and cattle. The reproach so frequently addressed by a Circassian raaiden to her lover, " Oh, you coward ! you have not yet been able to steal a Tchernemorsky cow," is equally popular with the Cossacks ; for, accord ing to the established code of morals among both these people, to steal with address, so as not to be discovered, is considered meritorious ; but to spoil an enemy, is the very perfection of virtue. Besides the Tcherneraorsky Cossacks, that here guard the Russian frontier, there are also various other tribes of the sarae narae in this extensive erapire, settled on the banks of the Don, the Pruth, Caspian Sea, and Siberia, for the sarae purpose; the greater part of whora, during the raiddle ages, were a free people, governed by their own chiefs or ataraans. At present, the Crown Prince of Russia centres in CIRCASSIA. 309 his own person the Sovereignty of the whole, uiider the title of Grand Ataraan. But, strictly speaking, the only true Cossacks now existing, and who were celebrated in the raiddle ages, are the Tcherneraorsky, and those of the Don, whose laws, custoras, raanners, and raode of fighting^ were nearly sirailar. The Tcherneraorsky are quite a different race from the other Cossacks, more resembling the inhabitants of the Caucasus than the Sclavonian of Russia, whora nature has by no raeans cast in her finest raould. It is supposed they have been originally descended frora the Kazakhs, a Caucasian tribe still existing. They are, for the most part, tall and well made ; of slender, athletic form, with a profile generally Grecian, or Roman ; hair always of a dark brown, or black ; and having so rauch Asiatic blood, it gives their features that piquancy of character so common to the people of the East. I shall not atterapt to follow them in their sanguinary wars with the Turks and Tartars; being for centuries the great supporters of the cross— the watch-dogs that guarded the frontiers of Europe in this quarter from the devastating incursions of the fanatical hordes of Mahomet ; and, from their well-known bravery, their ad hesion to Russia (for they were never conquered), has been attended with the most decided ad- 310 CIRCASSIA. vantages to that power, having raore than once, by their valour, turned the fortunes of the day in her favour, while corabating against the Turks and Tartars. Notwithstanding the services he has rendered, the Cossack of these countries is by no raeans a favourite with the Russians, who affect to regard him as a being beneath their notice, a raan in whose faith no confidence can be placed ; who, besides being a robber by profession, is still a barbarian, and whose valour partakes raore of the ferocity of a savage, than the bravery of a gallant soldier. The real fact is this, there is no love between thera and the Mus covites of old Russia — regarding each other with mutual jealousy ; and their hatred is such, that they rarely mingle together without coming to blows. The Cossack, on his part, calls the Russian an ignoble, mean wretch, as deficient in loftiness of soul as he is in stature ; as unprin cipled as he is dastardly; and as filthy in his habits as he is unprepossessing in his person : consequently, we must be of the opinion that, were the Cossacks in this part of the empire sufficiently powerful, Russia might, at some future period, calculate on their renouncing her allegiance altogether. Of all the Cossacks in the Russian empire, the CIRCASSIA. 311 Tchernemorsky is considered, by friend and foe, to be the bravest — his valorous brother of the Don unhesitatingly acknowledging his own infe riority ; while the former yields to no warrior of any other country, save the unconquerable Cir cassian, who prefers being cut to pieces to surrendering. These singular people, the Tcherneraorsky Cossacks, date their origin so far back as the year 800, being then coraposed of a congre gation of adventurers, from every nation under heaven, who formed theraselves into a sort of roving republic ; sometimes establishing them selves in one place, and soraetiraes in another, till they ultiraately settled on the banks of the Dnieper, beyond the cataracts, frora which they received the name of Zaporogztzi, or the people who live beyond the cataracts. Here, owing to their predatory habits and bravery, they were for centuries a serious an noyance to their neighbours, the Russians, Poles, Turks, and Tartars ; and, as they ever main tained a sort of wild independence, they were accustomed, according to the dictates of caprice, or through the hope of plunder, to place them selves under the protection of one or other of their powerful neighbours. Russia was, however, generally preferred, on account of professing, like themselves, the Greek rehgion. 312 CIRCASSIA. In the armies of whatever temporary master they raight select, their bravery never failed to distinguish thera ; always occupying the post of danger, not so much from a desire to court peril, as the facilities it offered of obtaining a greater share of plunder. Partly to get rid of such troublesome neighbours, and partly to turn their warlike spirit and predatory disposition against the Circassians, Catherine the Second, in 1792, wisely induced thera, by advantageous offers, to reraove to Kouban Tartary, which had been re cently taken possession of by Russia, over whose inhabitants, the Nogay and Kara Tartars, she had assuraed a sort of precarious sovereignty. They now occupy the whole of that district extending, on the right bank of the Kouban, frora the river Laban to the Aoust, or Ae, near the Sea of Azov, which separates them from the country of the Don Cossacks. This, to gether with the isle of Taman, coraprehends an extent of upwards of a thousand square railes, which they hold from- the crown, in accordance with an ukase of Catherine, on the sarae tenure, and enjoy the sarae privileges, as the Cossacks of the Don ; consequently, they have the privilege of electing their own Ataraan, and being governed by their own laws. These laws are not, however, in the present day, rigorously enforced, accordipg to the letter of the original code, which is at CIRCASSIA. 313 once singular, and not unmixed with ferocity. For instance; if a man kill another, except agreeably to the laws established for duelling, he is taken, without respect of persons, bound to the murdered man, and buried ahve. If a woman is found guilty of adultery, she is buried alive, with the exception of the head, and then left to perish ; and if one unmarried becomes a, mother, she is tied by her hair to the church door, and every person entering is at hberty to slap or spit in her face. These, and various other customs of a sirailar character, are rapidly falling into disuse, since they have recognised the supreraacy of Russia ; they are also becoraing more attached to agriculture and coraraercial pursuits, and do not neglect the education of their children. In personal appearance the Tcherneraorsky Gossacks are far superior to those of the Don ; and, though not so handsome as their neigh bours the Circassians, yet, as they are con stantly imitating the conduct of the Romans to the Sabines, the beautiful girls of Circassia have considerably iraproved the present gene ration. With respect to their raoral character, we cannot, of course, credit the accounts given by the Circassians, who paint thera in no more flattering colours than their masters, the 314 CIRCASSIA. Russians : the Tcherneraorsky retaliating, in like raanner, upon his forraidable foe; no epithet being bad enough when applied to a Caucasian, whose very narae is synonyraous with a terra of reproach. However, raost certain it is, no poet in the present day can celebrate the peaceful dis position of these borderers, who are eternally engaged in petty warfare, the greater number depending solely upon plunder for their sub sistence. This feeling of dislike is encouraged by the Russian governraent, who would have much to fear for the stability of this part of its empire were the Cossacks to raake coramon cause with the mountaineers. Indeed, the predatory system carried on by both, and the enmity thereby fostered, frora generation to generation, is little calculated to encourage a friendly intercourse. It is in the breast of the Circassian, however, that this aniraosity appears to exist with the greatest force ; for, though raany instances have Occurred of a Cossack deserter becoming domi ciliated among their sworn foes, yet I believe it is unknown that a Circassian raade his horae, voluntarily, in any land subject to Russia ; and those troops who figure in St. Petersburg as Circassians, are in reality, for the raost part, natives of Mingrelia, Georgia, and the adjacent CIRCASSIA. 315 Caucasian provinces, long her subjects ; for even the temptation of a dollar a-day, offered by Russia, has proved ineffectual to draw a single na tive of Circassia from the land of his forefathers. If a Circassian has to complain of the pre datory habits of his neighbours, yet, on the whole, he is considerably the gainer ; for the Tchernemorsky, in his migration from the Dnieper, brought with him the domestic habits, comfort, and cleanliness, of Europeans, together with an improved system of warfare, all of which he has taught the wild Circassian, who has thus becorae too formidable a foe for Russia to sub jugate. On the other hand, the Cossacks, exposed to the influence of an unhealthy chmate, the poisonous raiasraa of the swaraps, and the un tiring hostility of their eneraies, are daily de creasing in numbers ; for, at present, they cannot bring raore than twelve thousand raen into the field, whereas, when they first settled on the Kouban, their force consisted of fifty thousand. This dirainution is also attributable, in no incon siderable degree, to the late wars with Poland, in which, it is well known, they suffered raost fearfully. At all events, you raay be assured that no Eraperor of Russia can now threaten Great Britain, as did Paul of glorious raeraory, with marching a hundred thousand Cossacks, 316 CIRCASSIA, from the Don and the Black Sea, to Overturn her power in India ; the whole force of these Cossacks, at the present day, being insufficient to guard their own long line of frontier against the incursions of the Circassians ; so that, literally, the acquisition of territory to Russia, in this part of Asia, instead of giving her an accession of strength, has added to her weak ness. Then the country itself yields no prOfit, the whole district, from beyond Ekaterinodar to the Don, being, for the raost part, coraposed of swaraps and steppe land. There is, to be sure, here and there a fertile spot, like an oasis in the waste, producing abundance, together with fine pasture lands and raeadows, on the banks of the rivers ; but the air, for the raost part, is so pesti ferous, and the water so unwholesorae, that it only serves as a grave to the Russian soldiery, producing fevers sirailar to those generated in the Pontine marshes of Italy. The Russians are well aware of the bad policy of raaintaining their present extensive frontier in this part of their erapire ; consequently, it forras another reason for wishing to extend it to the raore easily defended passes of the Caucasus. The pestilential air arising frora the marshes, on the Caucasian frontier of the Kouban, con stitutes a formidable bar to the advance of a CIRCASSIA. 317 Russian array into Circassia frora that quarter ; for, should the natives defend their passes with vigour, and prevent their entrance into the fortress of Anapa, they would be obliged either to recross the Kouban, often found irapracticable when swollen by the rain in the mountains, or bivouack in the swaraps ; and the sarae con sequences would ensue that occurred to the Russian troops, sorae years since, when the raor- tahty, even in a few days, araong raen and horses, was so frightful, as effectually to deter them from repeating the attempt. In addition to the thousands who fell victims to bad air, nurabers died from mortification, consequent on the bites of the musquitoes. 318 CIRCASSIA. LETTER XXVIII. CAUCASIAN SCENERY ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY — IN DUSTRY OF THE INHABITANTS THEIR PERSONAL AP PEARANCE VILLAGES POPULATION CHARACTER OF THE CIRCASSIANS LIABILITY OF TRAVELLERS TO BE SEIZED AS SLAVES ARRIVAL AT THE HOUSE OF A DE MIRGHOI PRINCE HIS HOSPITALITY MANNER OF LIVING ABSTEMIOUS HABITS OF THE CIRCASSIANS. Heartily tired of ray excursion along the swarapy banks of the Kouban, 1 gladly turned ray horse's head again towards the health-giving air of the raountains ; and a raore subhrae spec tacle than the Caucasian barrier then exhibited, in all its grotesque craggy forras, could not be unfolded to the eye of a traveller in any other alpine country — the vast chain extending east and west as far as the eye could reach. I never was raore irapressed than at this moment, while viewing the intricate and ira passable defiles before rae, of the difficulty at tending the conquest of the Caucasus ; and how lovely was the prospect, when contrasted with the dreary steppe and swarap I had just left, appearing a very Eden ! There were the raost CIRCASSIA. 319 beautiful hills ever formed by the hand of nature, covered with wood, and shelving down to the plain, intersected by fertile vales, cul tivated like gardens; while every green spot was animated with numerous flocks and herds ; and all this even in the midst of war. What might not this charming land becorae, were the olive branch once more waving over it ? The whole soil in this highly favoured country, with the exception of the low grounds in the vicinity of the Kouban, and frequently to the surarait of the highest raountains, is rich to exuberance ; even the raost simple cultivation produces abundance, consequently we nowhere perceive the hand of the skilful . agriculturist ; still, when we reraeraber the state of perpetual hostility in which they live, being exposed alike to the plundering Cossack, and the marauding Russian, we cannot but admire the industry of the inhabitants, who, whether engaged in the labours of the fields, or tending their flocks and herds, are obliged, including the very woraen and children, to be always arraed for defence. The natives of this part of the Caucasus are much more European in their habits than their brethren in the mountains of Upper Abasia ; they were also rauch better dressed, but their costume and weapons were the same ; and their patriotism and enmity against the invaders could not be 320 CIRCASSIA. exceeded in intensity. Here I was shewn, for the first tirae, several copies of the " Portfolio;" containing their declaration of independence, translated into Turkish, one of which every prince and noble carries about with hira, whether he can read it or not, and regards With the same veneration as the Turks do the Koran. When ever they now sally forth on a warlike excursion, the national banner is carried at the head of the party ; and, when a general assembly takes place, it is exhibited in some conspicuous place. In short, the enthusiasm of this most excitable people, since the general adoption of a national symbol, almost exceeds belief. This circum stance, alone, has given an accession of moral strength, and a confidence in the justness of their cause, with the certainty of ultimately tri- uraphing, that the Russians will find extreraely difficult to overcorae, and renders the final issue of the contest raore than doubtful, even if left tO their own unassisted resources. Nearly the whole of the princes and nobles wear, under their clothes, light vests of chain mail, particularly during a predatory excursion. Those that I saw, appeared to be of the most splendid workmanship ; and I could not too much ad mire the beautiful designs of the gold and silver arabesque work upon their weapons and belts; nor were the silver borders, wrought by the CIRCASSIA. 321 hands of their women, that adorned their clothes and housings of their horses, less remarkable for neatness. I was now travelling in the province of the Nottakhaitzi — a people considered the hand somest of all the Circassian tribes; and most justly are they entitled to this distinction, for I do not think, during my whole route, that I saw a single face not distinguished for beauty ; unless, indeed, it was a Nogay Tartar, a Calmuck, or a Russian prisoner : of the latter I beheld great numbers. The general outline of the countenance of a Nottakhaitzi is perfectly classical, exhibiting, in the profile, that exquisite gently curving line, considered by connoisseurs to be the ideal of beauty. Their large dark eyes, generally of a deep blue, shaded with long lashes, would be the finest I ever beheld, were it not for an expression of wild ferocity, which strongly irapressed me on my first arrival in Circassia, probably occasioned by the circumstance that the hardy mountaineer is exposed, from infancy to hoary age, to a life of danger and strife. The women often sadly injure the beauty of their eyes, by dyeing their eye lashes, and other practices of the sarae kind, so coramon with the Asiatics. Both sexes are passionately fond of dress ; and, I assure you, a handsome face and VOL. II. Y 322 CIRCASSIA. good personal appearance are as rauch valued araong these people, as by the raost refined nation in Europe. If, to this, we add that the one is distinguished for a graceful easy deport ment, and a natural elegance of raanners ; and the other for a dignified warlike bearing; it is not too rauch to say that, perhaps, no half-civil ized people in the world display so pleasing an exterior. In the first appearance of a Circassian, there is soraething extreraely raartial and coraraand- ing : his raajestic look, elevated brow, dark moustachio and flowing beard, his erect position, and free unconstrained action, are all calculated to interest the stranger in his favour. It must be confessed that he owes soraething to his fine railitary costurae, the jewelled poniard that hangs at his belt, and the round black cap of shining astrachan — the most becoraing part of the dress, and which would iraprove the very worst features. Unlike the apathetic Turk, the Circassians are lively and aniraated, and but little disposed to sedentary pursuits ; the occupations of war being only diversified by agricultural and pas toral eraployraents : even these, of late years, have been left principally to their slaves, on account of the incessant hostihty of the Rus- CIRCASSIA. 323 sians. Fortunately, however, they are in some measure prepared for the evils of war; their houses being principally constructed of hurdles and mud, with thatched roofs : hence they make no scruple of setting fire to the whole of their rillages and hamlets on the approach of an eneray too formidable for them to meet front to front. A few days will suffice to rebuild their habitations ; consequently, when the Russians invade the country, they find it a desert, des titute alike of food and shelter ; which, of course, obliges them to retrace their steps. The villages and hamlets they occupy are almost invariably built in the form of a circle, in the centre of which they deposit their cattle on the approach of an enemy, or to shield thera during winter from the attacks of the wolves that abound in the woods. Thus, having but little to lose, they are seldom dejected by sorrow ; and, being naturally brave, danger has for them no terrors. Indeed, any other people but them selves would have been long since driven to des peration ; yet, such is their confidence in their own strength and valour, that they feel assured the day is not far distant when they shall be able to drive the eneray frora their land. Even now, they confidently believe that, with a suffi cient quantity of powder, and a few more mountain 324 CIRCASSIA. howitzers, they could take every fortress in their country in less than six raonths ; and, when we take into consideration their bravery and address, it is by no means improbable. If I am to credit the accounts I received from sorae of the con federated princes, it appears they can bring into the field nearly two hundred thousand raen, all well-mounted and arraed. They calculate the whole of the population included in the league to be about three milhons; and if the other tribes, who partially acknowledge the supremacy of Russia, corae over to thera, which is expected, they will then receive a very considerable ac cession to their present force — probably four millions. But as I know that the Circassians have the custom of including, in their calcula tion, all those provinces that formerly acknow ledged their supremacy, this account is not alto gether to be depended upon. Owing to their robust fraraes, and teraperate raanner of living, the Caucasians generally attain an advanced age, their diseases being neither nuraerous nor dangerous. This we raust attri bute, independently of their siraple diet, to their constant exercise, pure air, freedom from anxiety, and exemption from every employraent not congenial with health. The raore I see of the Caucasians, the CIRCASSIA. 325 more I am convinced, notwithstanding the bad character they bear abroad, that they are natu rally a kind-hearted people ; and though travel lers, no doubt, have had abundant reason to complain of their brigandage, this does not emanate from cruelty, but long-estabhshed usage. This sanctions the custora, that every foreigner who enters their country, without placing hira self under the protection of a chief, who will be answerable for his good conduct, becoraes the property of the first Circassian who chooses to seize hira as a slave. This chief, or elder, receives the appellation of Konak. On the other hand, the traveller who, on entering the country, conforras to the above rule, may confide to the care of a Circassian not only his property but his life; and any one of these people would, if it were necessary, die in his defence. In short, in all my wanderings, and they have been not a few, I never found the inhabitants of any country raore hospitable, generous, courteous, or courageous. Reraeraber, however, that these comraenda- tions are only deserved by the Circassian so long as he is among his own people ; for, when at enmity with a neighbouring tribe, or engaged in war, he is a most reckless robber ; a natural consequence of the belief in which he has been educated, that to plunder adroitly and success fully, is a part of military discipline. 326 CIRCASSIA. On our return to the camp, we remained a day or two at the house of another chieftain, Aitek- Tcherei, one of the princes of a sraall tribe called Demirghoi. I was received, as usual, into the guest-house, standing, like a little palace, in the midst of a nuraber of sraall cottages appropriated to the use of the proprietor, his faraily, and slaves, together with extensive barns and stables for his cattle, corn, &c. These were built, according to their custom, of the most frail raaterials, that in case of a necessity arising to destroy them, the loss might be trifling ; and, as the weather is delightfully genial in these valleys throughout the year, it is hardly necessary that their habitations should be more substantially built. The room I now entered, appropriated to the reception of guests, was much more neat and corafortable than those I have described while travelling in Upper Abasia : the floor was covered with a beautiful chequered raatting; the little table ingeniously inlaid with mother- of-pearl ; and the cushions and pillows were all that could be wished. In fact, the raanner of living of the tribes inhabiting this part of the country very rauch reserabled that of their neighbours, the Cossacks, except that we were obliged to use our poniards for knives, and fingers for forks. In addition to the bak-siraa, a drink not CIRCASSIA. 327 unlike the bouza of the Turks, we had souate (wine) of excellent flavour, resembhng Cham pagne ; and if better raade, it raight rank araong the best wines in the world. There was also sooui, a species of raead, and a spirit distilled frora corn, which they learned the art of making frora the Cossacks ; but as they are a raost ab- steraious people, it is never made use of except as a medicine, or when guests are present. Here I was made acquainted with their manner of procuring sugar, which is derived from the wal nut tree, that flourishes here in extraordinary perfection. During spring, just as the sap is rising, the trunk is pierced, and a spigot left in it for sorae tirae, when this is withdrawn, a clear sweet liquor flows out, which is left to coagulate ; and on sorae occasions they refine it. For dis eases of the lungs, and general debility, they consider it a raost valuable medicine. Clarified honey, bleached in the sun, till it becomes quite white, is another substitute for sugar. Pilaw here, as well as in Turkey, forras the principal article of food ; and is preferable to any other for a traveller in the East, not only as being the raost palatable and nutritious, but the most easy to digest. Of this I can speak from experience ; for I always selected it in preference to every other food made either with rice or 328 CIRCASSIA. buck-wheat. The latter grain is by no means a bad substitute for rice ; and I certainly attribute the uninterrupted good health I enjoyed, in coun tries so generally fatal to Europeans, entirely to my abstemiousness, and to conforraing, as rauch as possible, to the raode of living practised by the natives, particularly while en route. During the whole of the tirae that a Caucasian is e7i voyage, whatever he eats is of the very plainest description, and never exceeds eight or ten ounces a-day. As to drink, he seldora takes even water, although exposed to a burning sun, and suffering frora thirst, till he rests for the evening, thus practising literally the Arabian proverb, " The raore a raan drinks, the greater will be his desire." Yet a hardier race than these raountaineers does not exist ; and if their fraraes are slender, whatever deficiency there may be in strength, is more than compensated by their surprising activity; to all of which, they have the advantage of retaining the vigour of their lirabs, the fire of their eyes and their intel lect, to the extreme verge of life : whereas, if luxurious living were once introduced among thera, they would probably consurae four tiraes the quantity of food they do at present, and increase their infirraities tenfold. CIRCASSIA. 329 LETTER XXIX. CAMP OF THE DEMIRGHOI CHIEFTAIN WARLIKE HABITS OF THE PEOPLE CAPTURE OF A RUSSIAN CORVETTE EXPE DIENCY OF ADOPTING THE NATIONAL CUSTOMS OF A COUN TRY CIRCASSIAN MUSIC THEIR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MELODIES WAR SONGS — IMPROVVISATORES BARDS — POETRY. Our host, the Demirghoi chieftain, also main tained his little carap, where probably between three or four hundred persons were asserabled. He was one of the finest looking fellows you could imagine, between thirty and forty, with raanly features, expressive of the most resolute firmness: a descendant, I understood, of the famous warrior, Djaraboulet Guerai, whose heroic deeds are the favourite theme of aU the wander ing rausicians in the Caucasus. He was swept away, together with thousands of his country men, by the plague, which the Turks introduced into the country in 1816: since which tirae, the Circassians have been more cautious in their commercial intercourse with their neighbours. 330 CIRCASSIA. The coup d'ceil exhibited around the house of the prince, was extremely picturesque, and peculiarly characteristic of the warlike habits of this people. The greatest part of the popula tion were, as usual, engaged in every species of military exercise ; and when you see a troop of these daring fellows scouring the sides of the hills and valleys on their long-tailed steeds, their gaudy trappings, glittering with silver and glass beads, together with the jewelled ornaments of their weapons, reflected in the sun, you have a picture at once as novel as it is interesting. However much you may offend a Circassian by praising the beauty of his wife or child, for fear of shedding over thera the raalignity of the evil eye, still, singular as it raay appear, you cannot too rauch praise or adraire his horse ; and I raust say that they soraetimes dress out their dumb favourite bizarre enough : besides the tinselled toys that we see hanging down from the red cloth trappings, there is a wreath of raany- coloured glass beads and ribands around the neck, and not unfrequently a bunch of flowers attached to each side of the head. The chief hiraself raingled araong his clansraen with the raost perfect farailiarity, little or no distinction being observable in his dress and ap pearance, with the exception of his jewelled CIRCASSIA. 331 poniard ; and also that he exhibited, like most of the Circassian chiefs, a decided physical superi ority ; and frora the circumstance that they speak a different dialect of the Circassian, they would appear to be a distinct race. Notwith standing this familiarity, characteristic of all the chiefs, whenever they preside over any pubhc business, however unimportant, they assume an air of great gravity ; and their clansraen stand before them as if in the presence of the raost despotic sovereign in Europe. This austerity of raanner is however instantly relaxed when the asserably is dissolved, and the raultitude render their princes or elders no higher courtesy than they would to the humblest of their brethren. The most trivial amusements of this people, even dancing, partake of a warlike character; generally representing pantomimic fights : and not only are the mere children habited in mihtary costume, but the fair dames frequently carry a dagger and a brace of pistols in the girdle. Of the raen now present, nurabers were arraed with Russian muskets, which had been princi- paUy taken during the summer's campaign, together with those found in the Russian cor vette, captured some months previous, during the terrific gale of July, the effects of which I experienced myself, while coasting off the shores 332 CIRCASSIA. of Mingreha, in corapany with Count Wor renzow. It appears, the corvette, having become unmanageable, the captain was obliged to cast anchor near the little bay of Soutcha, in the possession of the Circassians; when, on per ceiving it, one of these daring fellows actually swara out,. regardless of the boisterous eleraent, and cut the cable, when she iraperceptibly drifted ashore : she was then iraraediately boarded, the whole of the crew raade prisoners, and the vessel, after being corapletely pillaged — burnt. This exploit is referred to with great pleasure by the Circassians : the booty must have been con siderable, for, in the hopes of obtaining a sirailar prize, nurabers, on the look-out, have taken up their quarters, day and night, in the clefts of the rocks near the coast. Having becorae by this time, through the un remitting kindness of my Konak, raore intiraately acquainted with the people, I raingled with them more in the character of a native than a stranger. It is inconceivable how far you may gain upon the friendship of a people, however unci vilized, and allay their suspicion, by adopting their costume and conforraing to their habits and raanners. This proved the raeans of deve loping to ray observation raany little traits in the national character, to which I should otherwise CIRCASSIA. 333 have been a stranger. I enjoyed the cup of hos pitahty, divested of etiquette ; for the Circassians are, perhaps, the most cereraonious people ex isting in their deportraent towards a visitor; and, with the exception of sleeping al fresco, with a raat for ray bed and a saddle for my pillow, more frequently than was agreeable, I passed my time pleasantly enough. The Circassians being a lively aniraated people, they are, as you raay suppose, no strangers to music and dancing; albeit, their progress in these arts has been, it raust be confessed, rather liraited. The raost coramon rausical instruraents I observed among thera, were the two-stringed lyre and a sort of pipe : the latter is sometimes made of silver, or any other metal, and, not un frequently, from the large canes that grow in the marshes near the Kouban. The form is not less curious than the mode of playing on it, and the sounds it produces. The length is about two feet, with only three finger-holes at the lower extremity ; and the mouth-piece, projecting about an inch in length, being open at each side, the performer presses it against the roof of his mouth, when it gives forth sounds sirailar to those of a bagpipe. Sometiraes I have seen thera play a sort of raarch on two of these at the same tirae, which was by no means disagreeable to the ear. 334 CIRCASSIA. I have also observed the harp in use, but it is not national ; neither is the drum, nor the tam bourine ; the performers on these instruments being generally wandering Calmucks, or gipsies. I was much pleased with the originality of the Circassian melodies ; and the music, when cora pared with that of the Tartars and Turks, is harraonious enough. Their ka-ri-ra, a boat song, chanted by the whole population, is adrairable ; also a sort of raarch, perforraed on the pipe : but their greatest favourites are the war songs, generally sung in chorus while marching, when the woods and raountains re-echo the raartial strain, and the enthusiasra of the people is excited to a degree only found in an eastern clirae. Their songs usually refer to sorae vic tory obtained over the Cossacks, or the fana Moscov; or are expressive of an animated call to battle. But, as description can convey only a faint idea of musical composition, I have sub joined a few of the most popular airs for your amuseraent. CIRCASSIAN MELODIES. WAR SONG. r;^: &L ¦• • I I ipipjCfC iizcimiP" tz^ ¦i^'-^^-X^XH i fi-if-:^—^ I I i i 1 r ^Si=E^5EEj± 3a:t!iztjizt=!!=:t 17-^7-^7— tr -^- -t~ J=i iprpcpzpzpip: .N ^j i«^ .<«. •-•- •-•-•-•-•-•- •- . E :^_p_^p: ¦^3==i— g^ 33 ty Haik, i oh hark! the fife and drum, 3 :p===p: 1 — C3r c/ ipizip: P===P= :t:=t: •-!-•- i 5 -•- -•- . 336 CIRCASSIAN MELODIES. i 5P=p: _^=p: t: On - ward on, - the Cos - sacks come, mmmm ^^^^ -m-m-n- ^^:]:q=Ji^=p:p:p5pic (-- .. c~» -Gi ^m T i ? Sound the war - cry. sword i :i=^ and lance £ -• — h -•H — »- ii aES&j .-p^ Pi^P^ -•-F-h :^^ * — -Pi — b»''*^ *^=^ •r- -P: Hii i It: lEfc Gleam in air, - ad - vance, - ad-vance ! ^1 -Jtn. --; — Id ¦v;:?^ c:>r P=1i ii pp:f:gj:t:i^£t=px^^=^=--p=P=q=^>J^3F ._L«| ^. ^^fef:^; # ^giS?E*^^5i^l-E8ES3^ aet .tz :it=i=i:: Ffctiir w :itr7 g^ I :1: :It4i*?; Verses, one to five. "^^ • EE- .-]?=e: Lti i 4: lli:^^* 1 :± :^. ^pi — p— « ^1 fl 0r~ r r — I "I " a r -0^ . -h -t -«^ -t -t ¦m -0 -0 -w I m —I h*r "l ^ — ® — ®r-P- ~l-t-t-«-W~!-^^i*-STii- at-is -«F— i4^ IJ^C ¦^ »- . fi_j ^e_:^' 1^.^. -t-^^^ I Iteral :d-zfc=ZK ,.^:^ I», J». _i I L' =itf=F=^: ,] — _i_j.i_|. i^cit: =^eF ifz tQ-t^- j«- "^ ^ i ,H»- » i 4^. «-. S 1 ;i?=^=1i ;P-9— P" 1: a ^ CIRCASSIAN MELODIES. 339 2. Raise, oh raise, the banner high ! Arm ! arm all, for Atteghei ! Guard the valley, guard the dell ! Hearth and home, farewell, farewell ! 3. We will dare the battle strife. We will gladly peril life ; Death or liberty 's the cry ! Win the day, or nobly die ! 4. Who would fly when danger calls ? Freemen's hearts are freedom's walls ! Heav'n receives alone the brave — Angels guard the patriot's grave ! 5. Beats there here a traitor's heart, Duped by wily Muscov art, Who his land for gold would give ? Let him die, or childless live ! 6. Hark ! oh hark ! the cannons roar ! Foe meets foe, to part no more ! Quail, ye slaves, 'neath freemen's glance! Victory 's ours ! — advance ! advance ! DANCE. :Uz2t- 1 1 1 r- -» — *¦ P-- mf S=SE^ t 4: -^il ia E3 ?^ -g-^-j- i:=^ J-P^ -^^ M #^ ^i I -•- -«- ^J s; -•- _ -•- / -F-; i^ i SiF I -l2=i te -f, i-*^ -• 9- Bitbl oi- 0 — i FJ **|?J*t * H ^- * . P -i P-,- £ -»-+f»-«- r=1: •-•-«- :F-i SRp-^=t I -p.«-p- J aEb: ¦Qj-h a: :5: -^ '0 • "C> ^. -r -• •- f f==S^; ^-•.f: -pVj!- -P-.-P- f I -^- :t: _©- CIRCASSIA. 341 It was, however, the coraposirions of the Im- provvisatore's that raost interested rae, in which they display much exuberance of fancy and warmth of feehng. The incidents were always highly roraantic ; and the lively raanner in which their extemporaneous effusions were re ceived by the people, proved that their tem perament is imaginative and poetic ; and shewed, however uneducated they might be, that they were susceptible not only of heroic feeling, but elevated sentiment. These wandering bards hold a high station in society : every house throughout the country is open to receive thera. Their sweet strains cheer every festive board ; their warlike songs aniraate the hero, alike in the carap and on the battle field ; while, in chanting their legendary ballads, they perpetuate the history of the country frora tirae iraraeraorial ; and, by relating the passing events of the day, not only iraraortahse the deeds of the brave, reprove the traitor and the coward, expose the criraes of him who violates the laws of society, but convey to distant tribes intelli gence which otherwise could never have been transraitted, in a country without literature, or any of the methods of coraraunicarion comraon to civilized countries. We cannot, therefore, feel surprised that 342 CIRCASSIA. these errant poets are every where regarded with the greatest interest and veneration. This feel ing is so universal, that, on the arrival of one in a haralet, I have frequently seen the inhabitants disputing, with good-natured violence, which should have the honour of rendering the fa vourite the cup of hospitality ; and wo to hira who should raock or ill-treat the defenceless blind musician. Indeed, the greatest delight of a Circassian is to listen, for hours, during the winter evenings, to the tales of the story-teller, or the songs of the poet. I have attempted to render, through the assistance of my servant Nathan, one or two of these extempore strains into verse, which were chanted in honour of ray Konak, on our arrival at the house of the Derairghoi chieftain. Oh welcome, proud stranger, from battle's red field ! The guests are assembled, the banquet is spread ; Let the clansmen divest thee of helm and of shield. For past is the danger, and past is the dread. The wine cup is quaffed ; and the song of the bard, And the strain of the minstrel, resound through the halls; For praise and renown are that hero's reward. Who perils his life-blood when Atteghei calls. After a long prelude on his lyre, he recora- raenced, in a raore raelancholy strain, relative to CIRCASSIA. 343 the death of a young Khapsoukhi prince and his beautiful bride, who fell, fighting side by side, a few raonths previous, while defending, with his clansmen, a dangerous pass, against the Russians, in the vicinity of Ghelendjik. ,Hark ! hark ! the dread battle-cry booms through the air ; Young Islam is armed, and the war-horse is nigh ; He hears not, he marks not, the sob of despair. But onward he rushes, to conquer or die ! The war-cry is sounding, through mountain and vale, The Muscov, like masses of locusts, come fast : What shriek rends the air? — 't is the hero, who, pale And wounded, and lifeless, is breathing his last ! But he lies not alone on his cold earthy bed, For she whom he loved fell a corse by his side : There beauty and bravery sleep with the dead. And the dark narrow grave is the home of the bride ! But I regret much having lost one of the most popular songs of the day, relative to a young hero, who, in 1829, at the siege of Anapa, re mained the only survivor of thousands belonging to his clan, that fell, mowed down by showers of grape-shot from Russian cannon. So indignant, however, were his countrymen, that he had not brought with him the body of his chief, according to custom, or shared the fate of his brave cora panions, the propriety of selling hira as a slave, 844 CIRCASSIA. the greatest disgrace that can befall a Circassian (who even prefers death itself), was actually debated at an assembly of the elders. However, his severe wounds, which afterwards caused his death, and the extraordinary bravery that had ever distinguished him, pleaded in his behalf, and he is now, together with his companions, iraraortahzed in the songs of his country. CIRCASSIA. 345 LETTER XXX. SIMILARITY OF THE TUMULI IN THE CAUCASUS TO THOSE OF KRIM-TARTARY INTERIOR OF A TUMULUS — FEW REMNANTS OF ANTIQUITY TO BE FOUND IN THE CAUCASUS GRECIAN MEDALS RESPECT FOR JUSTICE EVINCED BY THE CIRCASSIAN MISREPRESENTATIONS OF RUSSIAN WRITERS RESPECTING THFM. In ray letters from Circassia, I do not pretend to give you detailed descriptions, but siraply such things as I had an opportunity of becoraing acquainted with, either from personal observation, or through the information of, now and then, a Pole, a Russian slave, or an Armenian ; and, as my notes were taken in haste, and always by stealth, to avoid the imputation of being con sidered a spy, they are not written with that accuracy, as to naraes and places, that I could wish. Notwithstanding I avoided, as much as pos sible, giving the people any cause to doubt ray 346 CIRCASSIA. good intentions towards thera and their cause, I did not altogether escape distrust ; for, whenever a raouldering ruin, or a turaulus, excited my curiosity, their suspicion was instantly aroused, it being supposed I was in search of hidden treasures; for, in their opinion, what other motive could induce a man to be interested about a few old bricks and broken pillars ? While wandering through the valleys, I fre quently found tumuli, sirailar to those of Krira- Tartary, except that here they are more varied in their form, and of larger dimensions ; some tiraes coraposed of earth, resembling beautiful green hills ; sometimes girt by a stone wall, and sometiraes nothing better than a vast heap of loose stones ; and, to give you an idea of their great antiquity, I have generally found them crowned by a majestic oak, which, to judge from the parent stem, raust have been at least a descendant of the third or fourth generation. The traditions of the natives give no other ex planation, as to their origin and purport, than that they were the burial places of the people who occupied the country previous to thera selves, and that it was only distinguished warriors who were entitled to such a sepulchre : however, raost certain it is, they have no feature in cora raon with those of the Circassians of the present CIRCASSIA. 347 day> whose mode of interment only differs from that of the Turks in the single circurastance that the grave of the warrior chief is generally covered either with a wooden roof, or a large stone slab, intended to shelter the wanderer ahke frora the tempest and the burning rays of the sun. The only indication we have of the sort of people that inhabited the Caucasus in days of old, is, now and then, an antique statue of comraon stone, rudely carved, representing a huraan figure, of either sex, with a large head, flat breast, short neck, broad face, high cheek bones, and flat nose, exactly like a Calmuck ; and the head-dress is precisely similar to that worn by a Calrauck woman of the present day. Being extreraely desirous of opening a tu mulus, I at length, after repeated sohcitations, obtained the consent of ray Konak; but, alas ! not a single Circassian could be prevailed upon to assist in so dreadful an enterprise as to invade the rights of the deraon that guarded the treasure, consequently, I was obliged to resign every hope of gratifying ray curiosity. To this singular su- persrition, so prevalent, also, among the Turks and Tartars, we raay principally attribute the circumstance that the tumuh of these countries have been left to the present day unmolested. I had, however, the pleasure of descending 348 CIRCASSIA, into the interior of one, during my rambles on the coast, near Soudjouk Kale. To judge from its appearance, and the age of the trees that had sprung up on the excavated earth in the vici nity, it must have been opened sorae centuries ago, raost probably by the Genoese. On ex amination, I discovered a few fragraents of unglazed terra cotta vases, containing charcoal and earth, reraarkable neither for beauty of design nor elegance of forra. There were also strewed about several pieces of white sea-weed, of the sarae species as that I had seen in the turauli of Krim-Tartary. Nevertheless, the in terior of this differed not only from those of that country in the construction — in the vases being less beautiful, but in the circurastance that the entrance was placed due east ; probably, originating in a superstitious feeling of the peo ple for the glorious lurainary of day. Whether this arose frora accident or intention, I cannot deterraine; it raay, nevertheless, serve as a guide to future travellers in their research. The interior consisted of a large arched vault, built of cut stone, united without ceraent ; and, frora the skill displayed in the construction, and the adrairable turn of the arch, there was suf ficient evidence to prove that it raust have been the work of a people far advanced in the arts CIRCASSIA. 349 of civilized life. That they were a people wealthy and powerful, is equally apparent ; for who can behold one of those mountains, raised to iraraortahse the memory of the illustrious dead, without being astonished at the prodigious labour and enormous expense that raust have been incurred in erecting one ? And what rao- nument could any people raise to the raeraory of their forefathers so siraple and enduring? for while the vast and suraptuous edifice, the triumphal arch, even the gigantic pyramid, have crumbled, and continue crumbhng, into dust, — these alone have remained unchanged for ages, and will continue to the end of time ; appearing as if left to mark the path of the first inhabitants of the earth, as they passed onward from the East to people the more distant parts of the globe. Do we not find similar erections in various parts of Europe (although of diminished size and magnificence), particularly in Hungary, Russia, Poland, Germany, and on to the snowy regions of Lapland ? It would appear as if the Caucasus had been occupied for successive ages by a pas toral people, few or no remains existing to prove that it was at any period inhabited by a great and powerful nation : for, with the ex ception of the tumuh and the ruins of a few 350 CIRCASSIA. churches and monasteries on the coast, erected by the ancient Christians, there is no vestige of antiquity, to guide the traveller as to the history of the country in past ages. It is true the natives, while tilling the land, frequently discover gold and silver coins, belong ing to the kings of the Bosphorus, and other Grecian colonists; still this affords no ground for believing that the country, at any time, belonged to thera, for we find the inhabitants of the Caucasus, from the earhest epochs of his tory, defending the passes of their country against the arms of the most powerful nations with the same obstinancy as they now do against the inroads of the Russians. Here Alexander the Great was arrested in his progress; and here the march of Mithridates, with his nu merous legions, was disputed, with fearful loss ; and, at length, it was only by paving his path with gold, in the form of presents to the chiefs, that he was allowed to proceed. Besides, the natives take good care that we should know as little as pos sible of their country ; for should a coin fall into their hands, they either melt it down, or destroy the effigy : in the latter case, it serves as an ornament for the women and children. This is done with the intention of obliterating every trace of the original inhabitants of the country, CIRCASSIA. 351 whose descendants they fear might come and claim the land if they could trace its posses sion to their forefathers. The respect for private property and indi vidual rights, as evinced by the Circassians, par ticularly when we remember that they are still, in a manner, a semi-barbarous people, is one of the most admirable traits in the national cha racter. In all their various transactions with each other, justice is as rigidly respected as in any part of civihzed Europe ; and the laws established by ancient custom are administered by their chiefs and elders with the strictest irapartiality : therefore, you may be assured that most of the accounts we have heard of this country are glaringly erroneous ; for, how is it possible that any nation could exist if the people were eternally warring against each other? " The whole life," says Pallas, " of a wild Circassian, is that of a professional robber ; and it raight have been foretold of him as of Ishmael — ' He will be a wild man ; his hand will be against every man, and every marts hand against him.' " But the fact is, Pallas had the misfortune of being a dependant upon the boun ty of Catherine ; and, as a consequence, he was obhged to write agreeably to the views of the Russian governraent. Again, the whole range 352 CIRCASSIA. of his tour in the Caucasus was confined to the raountains of Daghistan (which was also that of Klaproth, another Russian scribe), the haunts of the Lesgi, the raost barbarous tribe of all the inhabitants of the Caucasus, and who were, at that tirae, driven to desperation, owing to their ineffectual efforts to defend the passes of their raountains against the Russians; consequently, they either raassacred, or sold as a slave, every stranger that fell into their hands. Poor Pallas, a truly estiraable raan, was but ill rewarded in his old days for his subserviency to the views of Catherine ; who, instead of call ing hira to honours and eraoluraent, as a just recompense for his long and faithful services, sent him to reside in the Criraea. To be sure, it was in the terrestrial paradise his own inflated descriptions had pictured: that did not, how ever, save hira from falhng a victim to the miasma of his Elysium. Even Dr. Clarke hiraself, one of the raost accurate travellers of his day, was led into the sarae error respecting the Circassians, influ enced, no doubt, by the raisrepresentations of the Don and Tcherneraorsky Cossacks, with whora he was on friendly terras, and also by the disappointraent he must have felt in not being permitted by the mountaineers to penetrate into CIRCASSIA. 353 the interior of their country. But how was it possible that they could receive a man with kindly feeling, who had just arrived frora their bitterest eneraies — eneraies who, according to his own account, had only just returned frora a predatory excursion into the interior of Cir cassia, where they not only burned eight vil lages, and slaughtered the inhabitants, but plun dered the country of eight thousand head of cattle, and other valuables, besides capturing nurabers of defenceless raen, woraen, and child ren, whom they sold as slaves. In his descriptions of the Circassians, he says, or rather reports what the Cossacks told him, " the majority do not pursue any agricultural em ployment, depending solely upon plunder for subsistence." Still, they found in the country eight thousand head of cattle, and other valu- ables ! " The petty princes are continually at war with each other ; the people pay no respect either to the laws, or their chiefs, one neigh bour preys upon another ; and no treaty, how ever soleran, is sufficient to bind a Circassian in keeping his faith." No part of which is applicable to them in the present day ; and I much doubt whether it was at any time, except so far as regards their violarion of treaties, both law and religion forbidding them to keep faith VOL. 11. A A 354 CIRCASSIA. with an eneray ; consequently, they are not very scrupulous upon this point in their cora- pacts with the Russians, nor, indeed, with any eneray. Dr. Clarke is, nevertheless, right as to the ragged appearance of their clothes ; for, how ever splendid a Circassian warrior may dress at home, yet when he passes the frontier, or goes to war, his usual practice is to clothe himself in his worst habiliments, for the purpose of eluding observation, and to avoid becoming an object for the cupidity of his enemies. In obedience to this practice, I have frequently seen their raost powerful chiefs, when equipped for battle, or the duties of the carap, with their chain arraour shining through the holes of their clothes. Indeed, it is to be regretted that a man of such truly Enghsh feelings and independence of mind as Dr. Clarke, was not permitted to ex tend his excursions into the interior of Circassia, when the designs of Russia upon the freedom of the Caucasus were only in their infancy; for the man that did so much to unmask the ara bitious policy of that power, would have done every justice to the character of these pastoral tribes, and promulgated to the world their ex traordinary efforts to maintain their indepen dence. CIRCASSIA. 355 LETTER XXXI. SKILL OF THE CIRCASSIANS AS AGRICULTURISTS THEIR KINDNESS AND HOSPITALITY FERTILITY OF THE SOIL SUPERB FORESTS GENERAL VIEW OF THE COUNTRY PRIMITIVE MANNERS OF THE PEOPLE — -THEIR MILLS GRANARIES CATTLE GAME WILD ANIMALS. The representations raade by Russian travel lers, that " the raajority of the inhabitants of the Caucasus do not follow any agricultural era ployraent, depending upon plunder for subsist ence," are most wilfully erroneous. We may state, as a contradiction to this, that from what ever country you enter Circassia, whether Tur key or even Russia itself, you are at once agree ably impressed with the decided iraproveraent in the appearance of the popularion, the agri culture, and the beauty of their flocks and herds. The tiny cottages of the villagers also, however insignificant, are neat and cleanly ; and being generally seated on the banks of a mur- rauring rivulet, or clustering around the base of 356 CIRCASSIA. a hill, sheltered by the finest foliage, contribute not a little in imparting to the landscape an aspect of great rural beauty ; v^hile the romantic character of every surrounding object veils a thousand imperfections, that in less favoured situations would obtrude themselves. From the first moraent I entered the valleys of the Caucasus, the aspect of the country and the population far surpassed ray most sanguine expectations. Instead of finding it a raountain desert inhabited by hordes of savages, it proved to be, for the raost part, a succession of fertile valleys and cultivated hills : the inhabitants every where overwhelraed rae with their forras of etiquette, and the observances of Eastern po liteness ; while at the sarae tirae, their good nature, frankness of manners, open sincerity, and unbounded hospitality, imperceptibly enlist ed me in their favour, till, at length, I became as anxious for their future welfare, and final triumph, as if I had been personally interested in their fate : and how little, poor people, were they conscious, while accusing me of being a spy, and writing incantations, that I was pen ning remarks on their country, every line of which advocated their cause ! Although I cannot cite the little cots of the raountaineers as raodels of beauty or taste, nor CIRCASSIA. 357 their skill in agriculture as worthy of imitation, or the arrangements of their farm yards or houses as examples of domestic economy, — it was irapossible to look on the charraing land scape around me without admiration, particularly when we reraeraber the pecuhar state of the country, and that nearly the whole of ray ex cursions lay through that part of the Caucasus in the iraraediate vicinity of the most formidable hne of Russian operations. There was hardly an uncultivated spot to be seen ; iraraense herds of goats, sheep, horses, and oxen, as if in the raidst of peace, were browsing in every direction araong herbage which could not be exceeded in luxuriance. Yet, however lovely it raight be, I did not see the country, during ray second visit to Circassia, when its charms are most fully developed ; for, it being now the decline of the year, the fields were partially robbed of their beauty, the trees of their fruit, and the leaves of the rich verdure of summer. In truth, these provinces are so richly favour ed by nature, that the inhabitants have abun dant reason to be contented. The chmate is favourable; the soil, hke that of Mingrelia, rich, and adapted to every species of grain, par ticularly to the cultivation of tobacco, cotton, rice, and even indigo. The saffron, of the 358 CIRCASSIA. sarae species as the crocus ang., but superior in strength, grows wild in the valleys ; and the plants of the green houses of Europe are the coramon flowers of the field. The mountains are covered with the finest oak ; and that valu able tree, the valonia, is found every where. Besides the usual trees of the forest, beech, ash, elra, &c., all the fruit trees coraraon to Europe attain here the highest perfection ; and I n'ever saw the linden,* cherry, and chestnut, equalled in raagnitude ; which may also be said of the plane, and the yew : the latter grows to an iraraense size, and, frora the colour and veins of the tiraber, raight replace raahogany with ad vantage : and such is the abundance and large diraensions of the box, that it would afford a supply for all the wood engravers of Europe during centuries. Araong the most beautiful, and by no means the rarest tree, and for which I ara unable to find a European appellation, is that called by the natives, outchelia ; the wood is of a deep rose colour, and the grain being close, variegated, and susceptible of a high * In no other country is this tree of such general utility : its wide-spreading foliage adorns their hamlets ; its aromatic flowers provide honey for their bees, and a tisane for them selves when unwell ; its bark is made into sandals, baskets, mats, coverings for their cots : — in short, it serves a hundred purposes. CIRCASSIA. 359 polish, it might be rendered available for every species of ornamental furniture. Owing to the nuraber of plants of every species, that creep from tree to tree, here forra ing a leafy bower, and there a tangled wall, it is . irapossible to penetrate these virgin forests, unless a passage is hewn out with the hatchet ; for which purpose, every Circassian carries one in his belt. The wide spreading fohage of the alder and willow, with the raspberry, blackberry, and other blooming shrubs, as underwood, adorn the banks of the rivers ; while the variegated blossoms of the promegranate, and a hundred other beautiful fruit trees, give variety to the raany tinted foliage of the forest. At every step our adrairation is excited, on beholding vines of the most incredible size, en- circhng the highest trees loaded with the clus tering grape, the broad leaves so corapletely enveloping the trees, that we are often unable to divine their species; nor is this luxuriant vegetation confined to the forest, as cotton is frequently seen growing wild on the prairies, and grain of every kind, with flax and herap, in the valleys. Here, indeed, the husbandman is certain of being rewarded for his labour ; and he has no fear that his crop will suffer from the caprice of the season, as if bounteous nature obU CIRCASSIA. were deterrained that every want of raan should be supplied. The enjoyments of the sportsman are endless; for, besides every species of game that roara through wood and vale, the rivers teem with fish. Can we then wonder that a country (in dependent of its advantageous position) so beau tiful, varied, and fertile, not only abounding with all the necessaries of life, but the luxuries, together with excellent bays and good anchor age, protected by capes and promontories from every wind, should be coveted by Russia ? Nei ther can we be surprised that the inhabitants resolutely defend it, and their liberties, against every foe. In addition to this, the cliraate is most salubrious, with the exception of a few marshy spots on the banks of the Kouban and the coast. These will, no doubt, be drained ; and the interraittent fevers they engender, en tirely disappear as the country becoraes more densely populated : and, singular enough, of all the mountainous countries I have explored, — and few persons have travelled further, — this is the only one in which I did not see a single inha bitant suffering from the goitre, nor the usual curse of alpine districts — the deformed cretin.. The raountaineers of the Caucasus are per haps the raost original people existing, still pre- CIRCASSIA. 361 serving many of the customs that distinguished the patriarch of old. In strict accordance with the command of Moses to the Israelites, the husbandman never fails to leave a little uncut corn, for the purpose of feeding the fowls of the air. Their manner of threshing is also still the same as that of the eariiest inhabitants of the earth. This process is performed on a little circular paddock, shorn of its grass, and pro perly hardened; upon this is laid the new reaped corn ; when half a dozen horses, or raore, attached to a pole, are made to perforra the circuit in full gallop ; and it is incredible in what a short space of tirae they get through a heap of corn : the straw, however, is good for no thing, except as fodder for the cattle. Their mills for grinding corn, usually terraed horse-mills, are equally primitive, being situated under the earth, with a wheel at the top, which is turned by a horse : the man who brings corn to grind raust also bring a horse to turn the wheel ; and, as there is no raoney in circulation, they pay the owner for the use of his raill in grain. The lighter seeds, such as raillet (the favourite food of a Circassian), is generally ground by the woraen, at horae, with the cora mon hand-mill. The granary of a Circassian in those districts. 362 CIRCASSIA. raost liable to the ravages of war, however sin gular its forra, is, nevertheless, adrairably adapt ed for a country, like this, exposed to the con tinual devastations of the eneray, independently of the advantages that it preserves the grain for years, both from damp and vermin. For this purpose, a pit is dug in the earth of such a size as may be required, the raouth being only suf ficiently wide to allow a man to enter, after a fire has rendered it perfectly dry ; hay is placed at the bottom and round the sides, to protect the corn from darap ; the top is covered with boards, and finally with earth, over which the grass soon grows ; consequently, it is impossible for any one, save the man who buried it, to point out the spot where the treasure lies con cealed. Hence an enemy may be encamped on the very ground which contains abundance, and yet be starving for the want of provisions. The rearing of flocks and herds, particularly horses, is the occupation in which these people take the greatest interest ; for a rich Circassian, like a patriarch of old, values himself upon the excellence and nuraber of his flocks and herds ; to which we may add, his wives and children. Their oxen are reraarkably fine, of the sarae dun colour and eastern breed as those we see in Hungary ; and their sheep (also eastern) have CIRCASSIA. 363 been, of late years, considerably iraproved by those of their neighbours, the Cossacks. Num bers of buffaloes wallow in the marshes and rivers, and goats browse on the hills ; the latter are some of the largest, with the longest hair, and finest hmbs, I ever beheld. The horse, here termed chii, the special fa vourite of every Circassian, for strength of hrab, beauty of forra, and fleetness, cannot be ex ceeded by that of any other country, not even the far famed Arabian, or English racer; and I doubt much whether any other could, from the force of long habit, and the nature of the country, bear the same fatigue, and scramble with the same sure-footedness up the craggy rocks, and down the steep glens. Nothing can be raore siraple than their raethod of breaking in a horse; he is first secured with the lasso, which is itself a feat of no coraraon danger, the herd being generally left to roara half wild through the woods. The Circassian then cora raences by tying his neck with a halter, so tight that it almost appears as if strangulation were intended : in this state he is pulled about till nearlv exhausted, or at least till considered thoroughly subdued ; and after being rode for some time, becomes, in a few days, as tractable and attached to his master as a spaniel dog. 364 CIRCASSIA. ¦ Perhaps in no country in the world is a horse better treated than in this ; neither is there any people who understand better how to ma nage him. The great secret appears to be kindness ; he is never beaten ; consequently, his spirit remains unbroken, and affection for his raaster undirainished. Swiraraing, together with all the guerilla evolutions, in which he is to be an actor, are araong his accoraphshments ; and in process of time he becomes as cunning and expert in eluding pursuit as a human being. I have frequently seen one lying at the feet of his master, when in ambush, perfectly quiet, or submitting without resistance to have his head adopted as a rest for the rifle. In short, I raight fill a letter in describing the various traits exhibited by these interesting ani raals, and the facility with which they raay be taught whatever is desired. To this end, a Cir cassian horse is tutored to understand every sentence addressed to hira ; and however far we raay be advanced in the various arts and accoraplishraents of civilised life, yet we are con siderably behind these people, not only in the raanageraent of horses, but in huraane consider ation for them, and from whom our grooras might take a lesson with great advantage. How little, then, are we acquainted with the degree to CIRCASSIA. 365 which this noble animal is capable of being edu cated and iraproved ! There is none less vicious, none more sensible of good treatraent, and none raore endearing in its affections. Those that are brought up in the farmyard while young, are so gentle, as to be the playmates of children ; and when fit for the saddle, they allow them selves to be broke in, without it being necessary to have recourse to scarcely any violence. Previous to the war with Russia, the Circas sians were accustomed to season the food of their cattle very plentifully with salt ; but now, in consequence of the strict blockade maintained on their coasts, they are prevented from re ceiving the necessary supply of this raost valu able article, which they were in the habit of procuring frora the Turks. The mutton and beef are excellent ; and the lamb, hke that of the Crimea, dehcious. Every village abounds with dogs, similar in appearance to those of our shepherds ; to which we may add greyhounds, coursing being one of the popular amusements of the people: for this, the fine large hares certainly offer a strong temptation, some of thera weighing even twenty pounds. The winged creation are raost abundant, in cluding wild turkeys, woodcocks, partridges, quails, and snipes : of the latter I reckoned four 366 CIRCASSIA. different species ; but, notwithstanding the vici nity of the Phase, the original country of the pheasant, strange to say, I saw but very few in the Caucasus. Swans, wild geese, and every other description of aquatic bird, haunt, in vast nurabers, the rivers and raarshes ; consequently, he who is supplied with araraunition, and can use a rifle, it is his own fault if he goes to bed without a supper. The boar and noble deer are also very abun dant ; the latter are frequently brought up tarae, when they raay be seen garabolling about in nearly every farrayard in the country. Of the wild aniraals, the jackal is the raost numerous ; he is about the size of a fox hound, with a fine bushy tail reaching to the ground, lank, sharp- headed, and exceeding swift and timid. The suroke, suslik, and jerboa, abound here, as in the Criraea. There are also various species of raoles ; that called the slepez, first discovered on the steppe, in Krira-Tartary, is also a native of the low grounds in the Caucasus ; they are, however, here, larger in size, and raore fero cious. It is, in every respect, like the coraraon raole, with the exception of the head, which is flat and broad, like that of an otter ; and being armed with the most formidable tusks, it is rendered, for so sraall an aniraal, a dangerous foe ; and its CIRCASSIA. 367 courage is such, that when marching in nura bers, they rarely deviate frora their path, but bite and tear every thing they encounter. The wolf, vulture, and eagle, may be said to be the only enemies the shepherd has to contend against ; the latter attains a fearful size. Bears are not numerous ; and, with the exception of the scolopendra morsitans, various species of the tarantula and scorpion, there are scarcely any venomous reptiles in the country. 368 CIRCASSIA, LETTER XXXH. CIRCASSIAN MANNER OF LIVING PRACTICE OF SELLING THEIR WOMEN ITS TENDENCY TO CIVILIZE TIIE PEOPLE CIRCASSIAN MARRIAGE STOICISM OF THE CIRCASSIANS SOCIAL STATE OF THE PEOPLE MORALS METHOD OF PUNISHING CRIMINALS COURTS OF JUSTICE SACRED GROVES CRIMINAL ENACTMENTS CIRCASSIAN ADROIT NESS IN THIEVING MODE OF EDUCATION. The general food of the Circassians differs little frora that of the Tartars who inhabit the raountainous parts of the Criraea ; mutton, kid, fowls, rice, buck-wheat, millet, dried fruits, and honey, form the principal ingredients of the cuisine. Fish, notwithstanding it abounds in the Euxine, and in the rivers of the country, I never found served at their tables. Almost every species of game is eaten, except the boar and porcupine ; and, like the Turks, they are accus tomed to season their raeat soraewhat too plenti fully with capsicuras. The quantity of raw cucumbers consumed by the whole population is astonishing: they may be seen eating thera during the whole day. Unlike ours, the rind is CIRCASSIA. 369 perfectiy white ; and although they grow to a pro digious size and length, yet they retain all the crispness and flavour peculiar to a young cu- curaber. During the summer, quantities are collected and preserved in salt for the winter, in the same manner as the Gerraans do saur-kraut. The tendrils and young fruit of the purapkin are also much in deraand. These are boiled, and eaten with butter, salt, and capsicuras. I frequently partook of this vegetable, when I found it by no means despicable. Wild aspara gus, carrot, and the leaves of the dandelion, are held in high estimation. The honey is indebted for its very superior quality and flavour, to the wild thyme, and other aromatic flowers of the raountains, upon which the bees feed ; and forms a raost important article in the husbandry and cuisine of a Circassian. It is not only eaten in the comb, but used in a great variety of dishes. Their raode of keeping the bees is extreraely siraple : soraetiraes a hive is plaited together frora the bark of the linden, into a cyhnder-like forra, of six or seven inches in diameter ; but, raost ge nerally, the bark of a young tree is preferred, the extremities of which are closed up, and placed horizontally in piles upon each other. When detaching the bees from the hive, they use a little burned straw instead of sulphur. VOL. II. B B 370 CIRCASSIA. Wines, spirituous liquors, even the boza of the Tartars and Turks, called here bak-sima, is rarely used by the Circassians, their favourite beverage being the skhou; a species of sour- milk peculiar to the East, and which I found to be a raost healthy, refreshing, and agreeable beverage, during ray travels in these countries. Fresh railk (sezend) is never used by the Cir cassians, being considered unwholesome, and certain to originate fevers: hence they are accustomed to boil it every morning and evening after the cows are railked, and, when cool, mix ing with it a little of the old skhou. In three or four hours afterwards it becomes thick, and fit for use ; and, when flavoured with a little rose- water and sugar, or indeed in any forra whatever, it is a raost grateful and refreshing drink. Even now, I recall with gratitude the deliciously cool draught, which I frequently drank while suffering frora a heat of at least 40 degrees of Reauraur. It is worthy of remark, that the skhou alone gives to the milk that peculiarly agreeable taste which we find in the East; and preserves it, during the hottest weather, in a fit state for drinking. Frora whence the skhou had its origin, is a raatter of great contention araong the people of the East. The Turks and Tartars, who call it yaourte, say, in accordance with their CIRCASSIA. 371 traditions, that the Alraighty hiraself revealed the knowledge of its use to Abrahara, who trans raitted the art of preparing it to posterity; while the Circassians, and, I beheve, the Arabs, contend that Hagar, when driven frora the house of her lord, and fainting with heat and thirst in the desert, was presented by angels with a cup of the Oriental nectar : from which time it has been preserved to the present day, as a corrective to the milk. However, be this as it may, the skhou constitutes the principal article in the food of a Circassian : boiled with millet, or maize, it forms his breakfast ; while his pilaff", at noon, and evening meal, are alike mixed with it. During winter, that the supply should be unfailing, it is preserved in tubs, with a little salt, when it forms a consistency like curd. Next to skhou, the article of food raost neces sary to these primitive people, is millet, — with out which, and a bottle of their favourite bever age, no Circassian ever leaves horae ; and, as flint and steel form an indispensable part of his travelhng apparatus, he is never at a loss for subsistence, even in the raost desolate regions. While bivouacking, it is an interesting sight to see hundreds seated around their fires, each with. his httle casserole, preparing his slender repast, which, from their temperate habits, they 372 CIRCASSIA. enjoy with as keen a rehsh as the professed gourmand of Europe would the most recherche viands of the cuisine. Owing to the long intercourse maintained between the Circassians and the Tartars of the Crimea before the Russian conquest of that country, both people are distinguished by a great similarity in their customs and raanners ; and, in coraraon with raost eastern people, pursue the sarae system of purchasing their wives, and selling their daughters to the highest bidders. This is the more to be wondered at, when we reraeraber that a Circassian regards his own liberty as the first of all earthly blessings ; yet a father will sell his daughter, and a brother his sister. However, this is not considered in any other light than as a raost honourable way of providing for thera ; and the fair lady who has spent her youth in the harera of a rich Persian or Turk, on returning to her native country, decked in all her finery, never fails to create in the rainds of her young friends a desire to follow her exaraple ; consequently, they jurap on board the vessel destined to convey thera, perhaps for ever, frora home and friends, with as much alacrity as if they were proceeding to take pos session of a crown. The systera of selling their feraales to stran- CIRCASSIA. 373 gers, has, probably, tended to preserve in sorae degree the civilization and refineraent visible in the inhabitants of the Caucasus, as those of the women who return to their native land, after residing araong a people much higher than their own in the scale of civilization, bring with them a degree of knowledge that enables them to effect a variety of improveraents and araeliora- tions in the social condition of their countrymen, who otherwise, from their secluded situation, would probably, ere this, have relapsed into complete barbarism. On the other hand, it has been the cause of raany serious wars and petty feuds between the different tribes, who, frora their rapacity to procure a supply of beauties for the market, were accustomed to make predatory incursions into the territory of each other, solely for the purpose of carrying off" the young woraen. Happily for humanity, this practice has now nearly disappeared: for which they have been indebted to the late confederation among the tribes; and also to the circurastance that the Russian flag waves suprerae over the Black Sea, which has had the effect of suspending nearly every species of intercourse with their neigh bours. It would appear, the petty princes of the Cau casus are quite as sensible of the advantages 374 CIRCASSIA. of powerful family connexions as their brethren in Europe; consequently, they prefer giving their daughters in marriage to some noble or influential chief of the native tribes, to disposing of them to foreigners. Perhaps no people, par ticularly the princes, are raore desirous than the Circassians to preserve their race pure and un- contarainated. Frora which cause, raore regard is paid, in the selection of a wife, to beauty of form and features, than to accoraplishraents: the nuraber of flocks and herds to be given to the father in the purchase of his daughter varying according to her attractions. Indeed, a Circassian of the true Atteghei race rarely takes a wife from among the people of any tribe in the Caucasus who do not acknowledge the same lineage as himself; but he is not so exclusive with respect to his daughter, whom he , will transfer to the highest bidder, whether Tur coman, Nogay Tartar, or even a Calrauck. The preference is, however, I believe, always ac corded to an Atteghei. Although these people estiraate the value of a woraan in cows, yet they do not think it necessary to adhere literally to these useful aniraals in the payraent, but vary the dowry according to their own wants and inchna- tions. If the father is a warrior, it is probable he will accept, in heu of his child, a suit of CIRCASSIA. 375 Persian armour, weapons, &c. ; or perhaps he may prefer a certain nuraber of horses or sheep, or the personal services of the suitor for a year or two in his farm. At present, owing to the limited commerce between the inhabitants of the Caucasus and their old friends, the Turks and Persians, the price of the woraen has considerably decreased, which is laraented over by those parents who raay have a houseful of girls, with the sarae despair that a raerchant raourns over a ware house full of unsold goods. On the other hand, the poor Circassian is elated with this state of affairs, as, instead of giving his whole labour for a nuraber of years, or surrendering the greater part of his flocks and herds, he raay now obtain a wife on very easy terras, — the value of the fair raerchandise having fallen frora the enorraous price of a hundred cows, down to twenty or thirty. When the accepted lover has fulfilled his en gageraents, or given security for their perform ance, arrangements are made for the raarriage ; the girl is decked in all her finery, and cora pletely covered by a long white veil, which, araong the wealthy, is flowered with gold or silver. A friend of the bridegroora officiates as bridesman, and gallops away with the girl 376 CIRCASSIA. to the house of sorae relative where the wedding is to be celebrated. On arriving at their destination, the bride is received by the raatron of the house with all the solemnity observed on such an important occasion. She is then conducted to the apart ment destined for the happy pair, where she is left alone, with a bundle of pine torches, or a fire of the sarae raaterial ; the replenishing of which, so as to preserve a continued blaze until the arrival of her destined lord, is an indispens able duty. This is done to prevent the entrance of any supernatural enemy, who might be tempted to run away with the prize. We must not, however, forget to mention, that an elderly matron, one who usually offi ciates on such occasions, after the entrance of the bride, performs the mystic ceremony of walking three tiraes round the nuptial-bed, repeating the words of sorae charm in Arabic, commencing with the head, and finishing with the feet ; after which, she places three earthen ware pots, filled with corn, at the head, foot, and side ; in each of which a lamp is left burning. The happy moraent, raidnight, hav ing arrived, the bridegroom mounts his horse, and seeks his friend, who, in the interim, takes up his abode in the neighbouring woods. On CIRCASSIA. 377 being introduced to his bride elect, he draws his poniard, and instantly perforras the cereraony, so peculiar to the whole of the Caucasian tribes, of cutting open the corset that has confined her forra from infancy. It is owing to this singular custom of wearing the corset, that we so frequently see the coun tenances of the young girls sallow and un healthy in Circassia, and their forras often ill- shaped ; for it is not until being divested of the virginal corset, that they expand into what na ture had intended thera to be. No other cere- ijiony is observed at a Circassian bridal, except feasting and merry-making. At the break of day the youth departs with his wife, presents her to his parents, and she is installed in the dwelling appropriated for her near their house ; but, according to the custom of the people, her husband never visits her except by stealth, — a degree of disgrace being attached to the man who devotes his tirae to the society of his wife. Polygaray is allowed; but a Circassian is ge nerally contented with one wife ; or, at raost, two. A Circassian, during the prime of hfe, appears to avoid every thing that raay tend to render hira efferainate, even the society of his wife and children. With the same view, he braves not 378 CIRCASSIA. only the inclemency of weather, but hunger and thirst ; and, although surrounded by plenty, he will travel for weeks with no better provision than the usual bag of millet and bottie of skhou. Indeed, it is only when accompanied by a stranger, and then, through courtesy, or on days of pubhc festivals, that these most abstemious people indulge in any thing like luxurious living. He, however, throws away this stoicisra in de- chning years, and raay be said only then, accord ing to our notion, to enjoy life ; for we every where see the raan, venerable frora age, sur rounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren, exhibiting a picture of doraestic happiness. This renunciation of doraestic society for the duties of a hardy warrior, raight induce the behef that the raen of Circassia were incapable of feel ing, in any great degree, the gentler affections ; for, should a warrior raeet his wife unveiled, he will shun her with as rauch appearance of aversion as if an asp had crossed his path ; yet, from all I have been able to learn, they live together in the most perfect domestic harmony, the great object of his life being to provide for their wants, and never neglecting his children till they arrive at maturity. We might, also, suppose, that their wives, left so much without the society of their husbands, would be exposed CIRCASSIA. 379 to seduction, particularly as they are at liberty to receive the visits of both male and female friends and relations. This supposition, I was informed, was equally groundless, being generally characterised for great moral conduct. Still, like every other country, there are here ex ceptions. On this occasion, however, a Circas sian is not quite so relentless as his neighbour, the Turk, contenting himself with giving her a sound beating, and, in extreme cases, of sending her back to her parents — alas! for their gal lantry — minus ears and nose; the laws of the land not permitting any severer vengeance, ex cept that of selhng her as a slave. The punish raent of the paramour is confined to a heavy fine, as a corapensation to the raan for the loss of his property. It happens sometiraes, however, a Circassian revenges his loss of honour by the destruction of the seducer ; but, as this is illegal, he raust answer for the deed before the tribunal of elders, who never fail to inflict— no raatter how aggravated raay have been the provocation —such a fine as will compensate the friends of the deceased. I found the method of punishing criminals by fine very general, which appears well adapted to a country hke Circassia, where property is very equally divided : indeed, I do not think a single 380 CIRCASSIA. individual is to be met with destitute of the ability to procure the means of subsistence, owing to their mode of living being so siraple, and their wants so few ; the only luxuries they appear to indulge in being fine horses and splendid weapons, which perfectly accords with their warlike character. Their courts of justice are always held in a sacred grove, under the canopy of heaven, and are said to be most equitable in their decisions with regard to the individuals of their own clans ; they, however, relax in justice when a stranger is concerned, with whom they have not con tracted any engagement. These national assem blies are always presided over by the chief, and the principal elders of the land ; and conducted, to the letter, after their ancient code of laws, which are to the Circassians sacred and unalter able. You cannot conceive any thing raore interesting and roraantic than these discussions, particularly to a European, accustoraed as we are to hear the voice of judicial authority in the splendid edifices of our own country, accora panied with all the artificial aids that can render its decisions iraposing and venerable. On witness ing thera, ray iraagination was carried back to the days of our own great Alfred. Here I saw a prince, with his mantle for a throne, and the CIRCASSIA. 381 wide-spreading oak for a canopy, surrounded by his clansraen and the elders of the .land, all listening to his discourse with the raost reverent attention, none presuming to speak until it was his turn to address the assembly : nevertheless, the honour of president, or judge, is not always delegated to a prince merely on account of his rank, but for his known abilities to perform its duties ; as, ever since the rebellion of the Khap soukhi tribes, some ten or fifteen years since, in consequence of the tyranny of their chiefs, all local questions are confided to the judgraent of the elders of the land ; and the governraent of nearly all the Atteghei confederated tribes, at the present day, may be said to be more re- pubhcan than aristocratical. Neither age, rank, nor wealth, has any influence in the election of an elder ; virtue, wisdora, and the gift of elo quence, being alone the requisite qualifications. The debates are, it raust be confessed, occasion ally soraewhat noisy, as I have frequently seen a haughty Hotspur, who, finding the discussion not taking a turn favourable to his views, rise from his seat, foaming with rage, to interrupt the orator ; notwithstanding, such is the respect paid by this people to judicial authority, it was only necessary for the prince, or one of the elders, to 382 CIRCASSIA. elevate his hand, when silence was iraraediately obtained. Their criminal enactments are based upon the principle of retaliation, and by no raeans distin guished for ferocity. When a raan coraraits raurder, the friends of the victira have a right to deraand either his life or property ; and, so far as I was able to ascertain, the latter was almost invariably preferred ; but, as there are no bounds to the extent of the claim, in cases of great enormity, if the fine is rigidly exacted, it brings down ruin upon the perpetrator and his faraily ; and, should their resources be inadequate to meet the deraand, the raurderer is sold as a slave, and banished for ever frora the country. In order to give you a clearer insight into the mode of administering justice among this singular people, I shall relate a few instances. A Cir cassian, having returned from a predatory ex cursion, sold a horse, part of his booty, to a neighbour, which he warranted perfectly sound ; it was, however, subsequently discovered that the animal had received a slight wound in the hoof, but not till after he had fallen and broken the leg of the rider. The wounded man laid his complaint before the elders of the land, when the seller of the horse was held responsible, and a mitigated CIRCASSIA. 383 amercement levied, although he endeavoured to exonerate himself on the plea of ignorance, having taken the horse, only a few days previous, from a Tchernemorsky Cossack, during an attack on the frontier. Again, a Khapsoukhe warrior, in the service of a chief, having been out on a hunting expe dition with his lord, both fired at a bear, who, badly wounded, and pursued by the hunters, took refuge in a farm yard. The aspect of such a fearful visitor put to flight the whole of the tenants : these, in their endeavours to escape, and loudly screaming, flew against the riders, when one of the horses, becoming restive, fell, and killed its rider. The friends of the deceased sumraoned their chief before the elders, praying for retributive justice. The prince ehdeavoured to exculpate hiraself, by proving before thera the docility of his horse, and threw the whole blarae on the winged inhabitants of the poultry yard : the plea was not, however, adraitted, the elders assuraing that the nerves of a well-educated Cir cassian horse ought to have withstood the shock of a charge, not only of scared scarapering poultry, but even of a whole troop of Cossacks. This retributive justice has also the effect of preventing raany a sanguinary corabat between the neighbouring tribes ; for, though each party 384 CIRCASSIA. are to be seen apparelled in battle array, exhibit ing every symptora of angry feeling, yet their differences are almost always, in the present day, amicably arranged, each party fearing to proceed to extremities, well knowing the endless litigation that would follow, as the friends of the dead and wounded never fail to prosecute their claims before an assembly of the chiefs and elders, who enforce restitution for any injuries committed. Among the Circassians, like the ancient Spar tans, the thief who exercises his profession with dexterity excites universal admiration ; and you cannot insult a Circassian raore than to tell hira he did not know how to steal an ox. However, the raal-adroit, who may be detected, is not only condemned to the restitution of the stolen ar ticles, but to a fine of nine tiraes their value. In fact, these people are very clever thieves, and nothing could protect a stranger from their slight-of-hand dexterity, were it not for the re ligious respect they pay to the rights of hospi tality ; for, however rauch a Circassian may be addicted to this vice — here considered a virtue — from the raoraent a traveller has entered his house, and broken bread with him, he would defend the person and property of the stranger even with life itself. CIRCASSIA. 385 Diffidence is certainly not one of the traits in the character of a Circassian, for he never loses a benefit from want of asking ; and the traveller who may have a large circle of friends, stands a fair chance of being deprived of every article he possesses. I found myself assailed by hundreds of the cousins and near relations of ray Konak, who professed for me the greatest friendship, and to whom it was etiquette to present sorae trifling remerabrance ; but, as a stranger is also entitled to a present in return, he raay get rid of their importunities by admiring some article of value belonging to theraselves, which, in the Circassian code of manners, is tantamount to a request for it. The education of the youth of Circassia recalls to our recollection the heroic epoch of imraortal Greece, for rarely, very rarely, is a male child reared under the parental roof. When born, he is presented with a bow and a case of arrows, as symbols of his future destiny ; and an amulette is bound on some part of his body, for the pur pose of securing him frora witchcraft and the evil eye. After the first few years of helpless infancy have passed over, he is taken frora the mother, and consigned to the care of a warrior famous for his skill in the military exercises of his country, who now fulfils to the boy the duties of a parent, bearing the title of attalick VOL. II. c c 386 CIRCASSIA. (foster-father) ; and, during the whole of the time the boy remains under his superintendence, he is never permitted to visit his parents, lest he should be spoiled by indulgence, or enervated by excessive affection. As the Circassians are entirely ignorant of letters, his education is confined to every species of gymnastic exercise that can contribute to give force and agility to the frarae. He is taught, in addition to riding and swiraraing, the raost expert raethod of using every warlike weapon ; he also studies eloquence, that he raay distinguish hiraself as an orator in the national asserabhes of his country ; and, to coraplete his studies, he is instructed in the art of thieving with adroitness. When the youth is considered to have attained a sufficient proficiency in these accoraplishraents, he is conducted to the house of his parents in triumph, and a splendid banquet is given. The friends and relations are invited; the youth rehearses his acquirements ; his attalick is com plimented, not only with words, but more sub stantial offerings of gratitude, and ever after enjoys the highest consideration in the family. A reciprocal affection exists between him and his pupil through life, so that a young Circassian may be said to be doubly guarded with parental care. CIRCASSIA. 387 LETTER XXXIII. CHRISTIAN OBSERVANCES STILL EXHIBITED IN THE MAN NERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE CIRCASSIANS RELIGION OF THE CIRCASSIANS SUPERSTITION CEREMONIES BURIAL. Since the destruction of the empire of Con stantino, in the East, the Turks alone have been on friendly terms with the inhabitants of the Caucasian provinces, to whora they have been indebted for the introduction of Islaraism. The doctrines of Mahoraet, however, never struck any deep root araong these people ; for, although a few of the tribes on the coast profess this faith, it is so raixed up with Christianity, as alraost to form a separate religion: a circura stance which is often alluded to by the devout Turk with feehngs of deep regret. The Grecian and Itahan writers, on the Cauca sian provinces, of the raiddle ages, founding their opinions upon the nuraber of crosses of the St. Andrew forra then existing in the country, assert 388 CIRCASSIA. that this saint, or his disciples, converted the inhabitants to Christianity ; while others contend that St. Nina, a princess of Georgia, and con temporary with Constantino, had the honour of spreading the light of our holy religion among the mountaineers of the Caucasus. Be this as it may, the fundamental truths of Christianity were never sufficiently established to resist the torrent of ignorance that flowed back again on the land : a consequence of the people being destitute of a written language, or any guide save oral traditions. Several Armenian and Karaite Jew raerchants, accustoraed to penetrate into the interior of the country, confirraed the inforraation I received at Bombora, that the inhabitants of some of the reraote raountain districts in Upper Abasia actually profess Christianity, unraixed either with Islaraisra or Pagan superstition ; raaintain their clergy, and asserable at stated seasons to celebrate divine worship. Might not this open a wide field for the labours of those who are solicitous for the disseraination of Christian ity ? and is it not highly probable that, with the aid of the native believers, its sacred truths raight be again diffused among a people who still respect it ? The principal articles in the faith of the in- CIRCASSIA. 389 habitants of the Western Caucasus are, — a firm belief in one God, suprerae and powerful, and in the iraraortahty of the soul, which they feel con vinced will be translated to another world, the abode of their fathers. Like the Mahoraetans, they do not represent the Deity under any visible form, but define him as the Creator of all things, whose spirit is diffused over all space. Besides the one Eternal God, they believe in the existence of several inferior beings, or saints, to whom the Great Spirit,* Thka, has dele gated power over such sublunary things as he deems too trivial for his awful superintend ence. These saints have each an anniversary, which is celebrated with public rejoicing and prayer, in the same raanner as festivals are in Catholic countries. Sorae of them are repre sented under a peculiar symbol ; but they do not worship thera, except as intermediate agents. Upon this subject I made strict inquiry, and found that all my informants agreed as to this point, and which confirmed what I had pre viously heard from several Russian officers, who had been for many years in coraraunication with the Circassians. Nevertheless, this worship * It is remarkable that, with a slight difference in the pronunciation, this word in the Circassian language also signifies the sun, tgliha. 390 CIRCASSIA. raust be regarded as a species of adoration by the strict Protestant and the equally rigid Mahoraetan. The raost powerful araong these saints is Seozeres, to whora the winds and the waters are in subjection. He is regarded with es- , pecial reverence by those who reside near the coast ; and equally so by the shepherd, being also the protector of flocks and herds. His fete is celebrated by the inhabitants of each village or haralet at the beginning of spring, when his syrabol, a dried pear-tree, is adorned with gar lands of flowers, and various other ornaraents, not unlike a May-pole. A large curd, or cheese, is attached to the surarait ; and several laraps, according to the nuraber of the guests invited (the feast being usually held at the house of the chief, or one of the elders), are kept burning, here and there, over the tree. As cleanliness is con sidered a virtue araong these people, the syrabol of the saint, preparatory to being clothed in its finery, is raost carefully washed in the purest spring water. Every thing being ready, it is soleranly carried into the house by one of the elders ; and, as the saint is supposed to be a great navigator and traveller, his erablem is wel comed with acclaraations by the whole corapany. An aniraal is sacrificed to his honour ; a public CIRCASSIA. 391 banquet prepared; and feasting and rejoicing continued for three days, with an occasional supphcation to the saint to protect them from the evils which he is supposed to have the power of averting. The feast concludes by the division of the cheese among the guests, which super stition invests with the property of curing nuraerous diseases. Each Circassian faraily pre serves one of these sacred trees on his premises : the saint is, however, entirely neglected until his anniversary again occurs. One of the most remarkable features in this festival is, its resemblance to that of St. John, still celebrated by the peasants of the remote districts, in the Carpathian mountains ; to which we may add, that the decking of a tree with flowers, ornaments, and lights, during the Christ mas holidays, is practised, even to this day, by nearly the whole of the inhabitants of Germany, and other countries in the north of Europe; and one of the prettiest gifts you can present to a child in Germany, at Christmas, is an orna mented fir tree, covered with fruit, flowers, con fectionary, and wax ligfits. Another of the Circassian saints is Merissa, pro tector of bees ; and no less important a personage than the mother of God. This is evidently a mix ture of Paganism with the adoration paid to the 392 CIRCASSIA. Virgin Mary. In a country like Circassia, where honey forms so iraportant a part of the husbandry of the people, and raingles so ex tensively with their food, we cannot wonder that they personified a deity of such powerful influence to guard the bee ; and, from their traditions, it appears she performed the trust most faithfully ; for, on one occasion, when an evil spirit most wilfully attempted to destroy the whole of these industrious insects, she preserved a couple by her miraculous power, and repopu- lated the woods and forests. This feast is cele brated for three days, about the raiddle of Sep- teraber, with feasting and rejoicing, like the others ; the only difference being, that the dishes and drinks composing the banquet are made entirely from the produce of the bee. Besides these, there are several other saints, such as Yeraikha, Skuskha, Naokhatkha, and Meste, protectors of agriculture, woods, and forests, &c., who are each honoured with a fes tival. To which we raay add the powerful king, Tliebske, a raixture of Mars and Vulcan, pro tector of arraourers. "f bunder and lightning, as it emanates immediately from the great Spirit, Thka, is regarded by the Circassians with the greatest veneration ; and happy is the man who is so distinguished as to fall a victim to its CIRCASSIA. 393 violence : his body is consigned to the earth with great solemnity, and his family rejoice at the great honour conferred upon them. When they hear the chebli (thunder) rolling in the heavens, they believe it to be an angel of God, travelling in his fiery chariot through the air; and rush forth from their houses, en masse, to thank the celestial messenger who thus irrigates their fields, and refreshes and purifies the air, during the great heats of summer. The Circassians also reverence, with more than common devotion, three sisters, who pre side over and encourage the happiness of doraestic life, good-fellowship, and harmony, with their neighbours. These divinities are also supposed to shield the warrior in battle with their protecting wings, and to guard the foot steps of the traveller ; consequently, the natives never undertake an expedition, or even change their domicile, without raaking a propitiatory offering to the fair saints. Perhaps this custom may also be regarded as a remnant of Christi anity, and typify the Trinity. Their clergy do not form a distinct body : the aged, and those highly esteeraed araong their corapatriots for virtue, wisdora, and courage, being always selected as the most holy and fit persons to offer up the prayers and thanksgiv- 394 CIRCASSIA. ing of the people to the throne of the great Thka (God of gods. Lord of lords). Their religious ceremonies are always celebrated in a sacred grove, exclusively appropriated to that purpose, and characterised by some religious emblem, generally a cross, in the Latin or Greek form. Once or twice I observed an erablera, in their sacred groves, in the valley of Ardler, raore reserabling a T than a cross, said to be ex treraely ancient : I was not, however, able to obtain any inforraation as to its original pur port. When a warrior returns horae victorious, or an individual has been rescued frora calaraity, either real or anticipated, he repairs to the sacred grove to present sorae offering as a sacrifice to the Divinity, or as a tribute of gratitude. These offerings, usually adorned with wreaths of flowers, are generally suspended to a tree, in the vicinity of the cross; and every tribe and class concur in religiously respecting them : hence they are never removed, unless when sorae hostile tribe raakes an incursion into the country, who regard them as legitimate objects of plunder. The grateful worshipper also sacri fices an aniraal on the occasion of his dehverance, whose head is attached to one of the neighbour ing trees. The beauty of these sacred groves ; the highly CIRCASSIA. 395 picturesque country ; the silence that reigned in the forest ; the votive offerings of piety ; the cross, the erablera of our religion ; the siraple rites of this interesting people, assembled before our Creator in the temple of nature,— never failed to excite in me feelings of respect, awe, and veneration; for, under whatever form the Al mighty is adored, may we not hope the worship will be found acceptable at the throne of raercy ? The oflSciating priest who celebrates public worship at a general asserably of the people, is usually a man in the prirae of life, with a full- grown beard, nearly reaching his girdle: he is habited in the Tchaouko ; and, with his head uncovered, and bowing reverently before the cross, coraraences the celebration of service by a propitiatory sacrifice to the Divinity, which, on ordinary occasions, consists of a larab, kid, goat, or sheep : on those of great soleranity, such as a victory, an abundant harvest, or on public fete days, the aniraal is a full-grown ox, especially selected for its beauty. Before immolation, the priest takes one of the pine torches that stand blazing near the emblera of their faith, and burns the hair on that part of the body where he intends to strike, and imrae diately afterward pours over its head a goblet oi bak-sima. The dexterity and quickness with 396 CIRCASSIA. which the animal is despatched, is surprising; for it appears to pass in a raoraent from life to death. After the sacrifice, the priest takes a cup of the bak-sima, in which is steeped a small cake of barley-bread, and, after blessing and offering it to the supreme God, presents it to the raost venerable elder in the asserably, as the highest honour that can be rendered to age and virtue. A sirailar offering is raade to each of the saints, which he blesses in like raanner, and presents to the oldest raan of the corapany ; and thus the cereraony concludes with prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings; during which, the deepest silence, attention, and devotional piety, is ex hibited by the asserabled multitude. The head of the animal only is consecrated to the Supreme God : this is suspended to a branch of one of the loftiest trees in the sacred grove. The skin becomes the property of the officiating priest ; and, as each member of the congregation contributes something towards a public feast, the flesh of the animals forras a welcorae addition ; and the day concludes with eating, drinking, music, dancing, and racing on foot and on horseback, to gether with every description of warhke exercise. The day set apart for the celebration of divine service does not occur at stated seasons, being nominated by the officiating elder ; and is CIRCASSIA. 397 seldom oftener than once a-week, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, considered unlucky, are never selected; Sunday being generally pre ferred : and I was informed, that by sorae tribes in the interior of the country, this day is in variably chosen. After the perforraance of pub lic worship, the elder announces any event either of local or general iraportance, such as a declaration of war, the approach of the eneray, loss of cattle, &c. Araong the religious festivals, none is regarded with greater reverence than one celebrated about the time of our Easter. The pomp with which this is observed, and the rejoicings that attend it, leave httle doubt that this festival is also a relic of Christianity. The March raoon begins with a fast, which is rigidly kept till the end, when, at the break of day, the sound of fire- arras from the dwellings of the principal inha bitants of the village announces the comraence raent of festivities. All classes then hasten to the sacred grove, and the usual rehgious rites are performed. On this day an additional nuraber of animals is sacrificed ; and the rejoicings terminate with shooting at eggs, &c., when the skins of the animals becorae the reward of the raost skilful marksmen. The feast of the first-fruits of the harvest is 398 CIRCASSIA. also one of great consideration, and continues for several days, at which tirae a succession of visiting takes place throughout the whole of the tribes, each faraily giving a separate entertainraent. The favourite dish is wheat, cut before it is per fectly ripe, roasted, and eaten with skhou: the other species of grain, fruits, &c., follow in suc cession. Those who are unable, frora infirraity, to attend the houses of their friends during the feast, receive a portion at home, — it being con sidered most unlucky not to partake of some part of the blessings the earth has bestowed on their neighbours. The cereraonies conclude with thanksgivings to that merciful Power who has provided so abundantly for all their wants. While mentioning the religious observances of the Circassians, I raust not orait to tell you that the days of the week correspond with those of Christian countries. The new year, unlike that of the Mahoraetans, coraraences about the sarae tirae as ours ; and the first appearance of spring is also celebrated by a feast. Towards the latter end of October, when the leaves begin to fall, typical of the brief existence of man, public prayers are offered up by the people in comraemoration of the dead, to the effect that the celestial Powers would provide for the wants of their friends in Paradise. CIRCASSIA. 399 The cereraonies that attend the death of a Circassian are siraply confined to a few religious songs, and a funeral oration, pronounced by one of the elders over his body, which is enveloped in a white wrapper, and consigned to the earth much in the same way as we see practised in Krira-Tartary. During the space of a year his arms are guarded with the raost religious care, and left precisely in the sarae state as when living : his friends and relatives visit his tomb at stated periods, when they strike their breasts and repeat a few prayers ; but his woraen are obliged to rehearse every evening at sunset, for months, the same poignant display of grief as the Tartars. The anniversary of the death of a dis tinguished warrior, or chief, is celebrated for years with praying and feasting; to which we raay add horse-racing, and various kinds of raar tial and athletic exercises. 400 CIRCASSIA. LETTER XXXIV. CAUCASIAN DOCTORS MALADIES OF THE PEOPLE MODE OF TREATING THE SICK CURE FOR THE EPILEPSY — -CURE FOR HYDROPHOBIA SINGULAR CASE OF SOMNAMBULISM ADVANTAGES OF A FARINACEOUS OVER A CARNIVEROUS DIET RESPECT OF THE CIRCASSIANS FOR OLD AGE THEIR CHARITY SUPERSTITION. In relating all I have been able to glean respecting the customs and raanners of this siraple people, I must not forget to notice their method of curing diseases, the science of medi cine being as little known in the Caucasus as in Krim-Tartary. They are, however, not quite such fatalists as their neighbours, the Nogay Tartars ; and one hideous malady, so prevalent araong that people, is here, according to every inquiry I raade, unknown. Generally speak ing, the Circassians are not subject to raany diseases : for which they have to thank their own temperance, and the bracing air of the mountains ; and were it not for the occasional CIRCASSIA. 401 introduction of an epidemic, and the intermittent fevers of the marshes, they would have little to fear beyond the ordinary infirmities of humanity. When an epideraic does occur, then, indeed, owing to their ignorance, the raortality is fright ful. The most awful visitation these poor people perhaps ever experienced, and which is still ad verted to with horror, was the introduction of the plague by the Turks in 1816. The inhabit ants of whole villages were then swept away ; and the country became so depopulated, that the corn decayed on the ground for want of reaping, and the flocks and herds ran wild through the woods without owners. Thanks to the solicitude of their kind friends the Russians, in guarding the coast, the plague has not ex tended this year to the Caucasus. The cholera and influenza, so fatal to the inhabitants of Europe and the East, had not yet paid them a visit. As to the sraall-pox, I should say it was either not very prevalent here, or generahy fatal, if I might be allowed to judge frora the cir curastance of rarely raeeting with a countenance marked with its ravages. Their doctors, or rather saints, of whora we find one or two in every village, are utteriy ignorant of raedicine or surgery : a poniard is the substitute for a lance. If they cannot con- VOL. II. D D 402 CIRCASSIA. , sole pain by the application of an amulette, they use a hot iron, like the Arabs ; and, in the same manner, if the haemorrhage from a wound does not cease flowing, through the influence of some potent charra, a plaster of scalding pitch is re sorted to : hence, as raay be supposed/ a raan, dangerously wounded, has no chance of re covery; and, notwithstanding their incessant wars with Russia, a maimed warrior is never met with in these countries; which, however, with such surgeons, can be no matter of surprise. Like every half-civilized people, their materia medica is extremely siraple : an infusion of worm wood is used in almost every disease ; and a tisane, coraposed of elder flowers, sweet camo mile, and honey, for coughs. The vodka of the Cossacks is the universal reraedy, when taken internally, for the cholic, interraittent fevers, &c. ; and when diluted with water, relieves the oph thalraia, and various cutaneous diseases. The Calraucks and Turcoraans, wander ing tribes, are the quacks of the Caucasus ; and, if I raight credit the details given me, some of their .^Esculapian feats are worthy of record ;< particularly the cure of the epi lepsy, which, it appears, they effect by very siraple raeans. Reraeraber, however, that for the correctness of this, I depend upon the CIRCASSIA. 403 accounts of the Circassians, confirmed by my servant Nathan, who declared he had frequently known the treatment to be successful. The medicine used is the root of the artemesia, Lin.* which is drawn frora the earth a few days before or after Michaelmas : the woody part is thrown away, and the other portion of the root, which is brown and juicy, together with the bark, after being dried in the shade, reserved for use. These, when required, are pulverised, and about as much as would fill a tea-spoon, given to the patient in any warra drink half- an-hour before the fit ; who raust reraain in bed, be kept very warra, and drink plentifully of warra diluting liquors, until profuse perspiration ensues. The dose is to be repeated in the sarae raanner every third day, till the ninth, when he is considered perfectly cured. The patient must, however, avoid, for a few months, strong drinks, and sour, indigestible food, of every description ; but, above all, he must be careful not to take cold. In sorae cases, particularly those of children, one dose has been known to effect a cure. * If this medicine, when tried, should not be found to succeed, perhaps it might be advisable to procure the plant direct from the Caucasus, as climate is known materially to affect the properties of every vegetable production. 404 CIRCASSIA. I was also raade acquainted with the Calmuck remedy for hydrophobia, which this people are said completely ttif cure. It appears, according to their stateraent, that when a person has been so unfortunate as to have received the poison of a rabid aniraal into his frarae, several white spots or ulcers forra under the tongue, and occasion raadness ; but if these are cut, and the excised parts cauterized, the cure is coraplete : the operation should, however, be perforraed the raoraent they raake their appearance. This, also, I give as I received it, without vouching for, or denying, its authenticity. At all events, it would be desirable for sorae of our raedical men to ascertain whether the appearances I have described actually supervene during the presence of hydrophobia, or not. In my character of stambouli hakkim, I was frequently sumraoned to visit the sick; when, contrary to our European usages, I invariably found the dwelling of the patient surrounded by a nuraber of young people, making, upon every noisy instrument they could collect, a treraen dous clatter, to which they occasionally added loud shouts, for the purpose of frightening away the evil spirit. Generally speaking, I discovered in the chamber one of their saints, seated on the floor, near the pallet of the patient, not adrai- CIRCASSIA. 405 nistering pills or draughts, but muttering occa sionally incantations; between each sentence of which he maintained the most portentous silence. In one of my rarables, I raet with a very singular instance of soranarabuhsra, in the daughter of a Circassian noble, Noghai Selim Guerrai, near the river Ubin. The girl was, probably, about twelve years of age, and had been suffering frora the disease for the last two years. During the prevalence of the fit, which generally lasted from one to three .weeks, she was accustomed to employ herself at erabroidery, sing to her lute, or deliver exterapore poetry in a singing tone, always prophetic of sorae event that was to occur, of iraportance to the country ; but, except on these occasions, she never uttered a word, nor answered a question, and seeraed to address her warnings rather to sorae invisible spirit, than to the persons around her ; she also prescribed for the sick, whom she mentioned by name, gave counsel to the warrior, reproved the wicked, and assured her countrymen, that in their contest with Russia they would be ulti raately successful ; not one word of which re raained in her recollection when she awoke from her magnetic sleep. While this aberration of her faculties continued, her features wore an unnaturahy serious expression for so young a 406 CIRCASSIA. girl : her smell, also, was so acute, that she could discover the approach of any person she knew at a considerable distance, to whom she evinced the raost capricious dislike or partiality: her health appeared to suffer raaterially frora these attacks, as she invariably awoke frora her trance pale, and evidently rauch fatigued. These soranambulists, or, as the French call thera, clairvoy antes, so peculiar to mountainous countries, seera to forra a phenoraenon in ani raal raagnetism not yet perfectly understood. I raet with a sirailar case sorae years since, during a fishing excursion in the neighbourhood of Lindau, on the banks of the lake of Constance, in the person of the daughter of the Baron von Rader : she was about the same age as our Circassian Cassandra, and, like her, gifted with prophecy. The duration of the fit, and the symptoras of the patient, were also sirailar, ex cept that the young Gerraan lady frequently reraained cataleptic for several hours, which I did not observe in the other. The Circassians strikingly exeraplify the su periority of a farinaceous diet over one com posed principally of animal food ; active, vigour- ous, and nearly strangers to disease, they attain a very advanced age ; while the Nogay Tartars and Calraucks, who .reside araong thera, and live alraost entirely upon meat, particularly CIRCASSIA. 407 horse flesh, are subject to a variety of diseases, , especially those of the cutaneous kind. They are also more desponding in their temperament, less courageous and active, and rarely ever reach the great age of their raore absteraious neighbours. In addition to the partiality of the Nogay and Calmuck for aniraal food, they often drink to excess, like their brethren in Krim- Tartary, a spirituous liquor distilled from mare's milk ; a vice from which the Circassians may be said to be entirely exempt ; and, as far as I was able to learn, they do not consider horse flesh a delicacy. The respect exhibited towards the aged by the inhabitants of the Caucasus is not less ad mirable than their hospitahty, and deserves to be imitated by Europeans. The counsel of the most venerable man in the village is sought for with reverence ; his decisions are bowed to in all cases of petty contentions; when he speaks, the raost loquacious raan becoraes in stantly silent ; if angry, his denunciations are patiently listened to ; should he strike, the blow is never returned ; wherever he appears, youth raakes way for hira ; the warraest corner near the fire is assigned hira, and it is considered an honour to light his tchibouque ; when he rides out his horse is caught and saddled, and on his return, at least a dozen lads are seen running to 408 CIRCASSIA. help hira down ; happy is the man he blesses, and cursed indeed is the raan he curses, for he is shunned by all ! Even poor degraded woraan, so generally a stranger to kindnesses and honours in the East, is here treated with the highest consideration. The minstrels, like the ancient troubadours, sing songs in praise of her charms and virtues. The brave knights of olden time never displayed raore respectful gallantry towards the fair sex than these siraple mountaineers ; and this is the people now menaced with slavery, or exterraination ! In sumraing up the virtues of the Circassians, we raust not forget their charity ; the poor raan never cries at the door of the rich in vain ; the orphan is provided for by the nearest relations as his own children ; if a raan's house is burnt, his neighbours assist in building it; if he loses his cattle frora sickness, or his corn frora blight, each gives hira assistance, which the obliged party always raake it a point of conscience to repay liberally when fortune is kind. Like all raountaineers, the Circassians are exceedingly superstitious : people whose eyes are of a certain colour and forra, lie under the stigraa of being afflicted with the evil eye ; con sequently, every thing they look upon must wither, unless they haye recourse to their amu lets ; people, also, without any personal at- CIRCASSIA. 409 tractions, and those born with physical defects, are, in a greater or less degree, objects of aver sion, being considered the unconscious agents of evil spirits ; even the wounds or death of the warrior is attributed to the sarae agency. When a raan is wounded and confined to his couch, his friends are accustomed to remove every weapon frora his sight, and to place at the door of his charaber a basin of water with an egg in it, and a ploughshare beside it, for the purpose of scaring away the approach of any deraon who raight be inclined to molest the patient. If a man is desirous to visit his invalid friend, he must strike three distinct times on the door before entering, and then scatter a little water about the roora. Unlike the couch of the sick in civilized countries, where the strictest silence is enforced, we here find the roora filled with young people arausing theraselves by singing and dancing. This is done partiy with the intention of diverting the attention of the pa tient from his sufferings, and partiy to chase away the evil one, who is supposed to be hover ing in the neighbourhood. To the number three some mystic signification appears to be attached by these people ; it is referred to in the composition of all their nostrums, when any object of importance is about to be carried into execution, or even in the most trifling act. 410 CIRCASSIA. LETTER XXXV. ORIGIN OP THE NAME OF THE CAUCASUS — 'EXTENT OF TER RITORY BELONGING TO THE INDEPENDENT TRIBES OF CIRCASSIA THE CAUCASIAN RACE — THE CIRCASSIANS. — THEIR SUPPOSED ORIGIN NAMES OF THE TRIBES IN CLUDED IN THE CONFEDERATION AMOUNT OF THEIR MILITARY FORCE-^FORM OF GOVERNMENT. Having now concluded my notices on the customs and manners of the Circassians, I shall add a few miscellaneous observations ; for some of which I have been indebted to works pub lished under the authority of the Russian go vernment sorae years since. The Caucasian valhes have been, from time immemorial, the strong hold of a brave people disputing for their independence with the most powerftd nations ; and as this country forras an impenetrable barrier between Europe and Asia, its fate, and every circurastance which influences that fate, must be deeply interesting, not only to the inhabitants of the East, but to those of Europe. The names given to the Caucasian mountains CIRCASSIA. 411 are almost as various as the tribes that inhabit them. The Chaldeans called them Taur-an (mountainous country). According to their ac count, the whole of the Caucasian provinces were governed by Ardsasp, a powerful prince, who styled himself king of the Taurans ; which, however, does not correspond with the tra ditions of the people, nor yet with the state ments of many of the ancient writers. Among others, Arrian and Strabo say that the in habitants of the Caucasus were never cora pletely subjugated under one chief, being in every age composed of predatory hordes, who, under the comraand of their respective chiefs, were accustomed to plunder the inhabitants of the adjoining countries. The Persians described the Caucasus under the name of Seddi Iskender, the barrier of Alex ander; who, they say, here met with his first check in his attempts to subjugate the world. The Georgians call it Koh-Kaf ; the Turks, Kaff- Dagh ; and the majority of the Circassian tribes, Aouz ; and the highest peak of the Alps still retains araong them its original appellation, El berous and Azoua-Thagh (mountain of snow). This iraraense chain gradually ascends frora the Kouban, but more abruptly from the Black Sea to the country of the Ossetinians, forraing a range of stupendous Alps, crowned by the 412 CIRCASSIA. Elberous and the Mkinvari : the forraer is said to be visible at a distance of three hundred wersts: frora thence they descend to the low countries, bordering the Caspian Sea, appearing forraed by nature as a fortification for the de fence of the inhabitants. It is principally on this side that the Russians have extended their erapire in the Caucasus : here they have carried their great mihtary road to Georgia and the other provinces that forraerly belonged to Tur key and Persia : however, it is only through the assistance of a continuous chain of fortresses, and by paying tribute to the chiefs, that they raaintain possession with any degree of security, being even now exposed to the raurderous hos tility of the people, on the slightest provocation. That part of the western Caucasus still inde pendent, known by the narae of the land of the At teghei, lies between 43° 28' and 45° 25', northern latitude, and 37° 10' and 42° 30' eastern longitude; it is bounded on the west by the Black Sea, with an extent of coast frora the Kouban to Mingrelia of nearly two hundred English railes; to the north and north-east it is separated frora the terri tory of the Tcherneraorsky Cossacks by the Kou ban ; and to the south and south-west, frora Min grelia by the highest chain of the Caucasus, down to where the little river Salaraache, or Burzuklu, erapties its water into the Black Sea, CIRCASSIA. 413 and not far frora Iskuria. At present it is im possible to give any proper definition to the extent of the breadth of Circassia, owing to the eternal encroachraents of Russia, and to the fact that the various tribes, — the Touchtchentsi, Kisti, Ingoussi, Ossetini, Ghoudaraakari, and a portion of the Lesghi, coraprising a population of upwards of two hundred thousand, — have been more or less subdued. The whole of the country inhabited by the Atteghei tribes, with the exception of the low lands on the Kouban, is broken into the raost beautiful valleys, and every where intersected by fertihzing rivers ; but owing to the contiguity of the mountains to the sea, they are, for the most part, unimportant, except the Kouban. The Laba, Ubin, or Aboon, Dewent, or Aphibs, and one or two others, are mere shallow strearas during the summer months. Both the Therek iand the Kouban, the two principal rivers in the Caucasus, have their source at the foot of the Elberous; the former empties its waters into the Caspian Sea, and the latter, after travers ing the land of the Atteghei in two separate branches, unites its waters, forms a splendid river, and separates the Caucasian provinces from the steppe called Kouban Tartary. The endeavour would be vain to attempt deter- 414 CIRCASSIA. mining, with any degree of certainty, the origin of the natives of the Caucasus ; an origin that has puzzled both ancient and raodern geographical writers. They have had, however, the honour of giving their name (Caucasian race), with the exception of the Fins and Laplanders, to the whole of the people of Europe — a people the raost civilized and powerful the world ever beheld ; and, in truth, when conteraplating the inhabitants of the Caucasus, though we raust confess the superiority of their personal appear ance to the great mass of Europeans, the con viction is forced upon us, that we are their descendants, sprung frora one coraraon stock: there is the sarae outline of features, the sarae marked physiognomy, stature, form, &c. While the independent chiefs of the Caucasus, in their relations with their clansmen, scarcely differ in a single point from the hardy mountaineer of Navarre, or the sturdy highlander of Scotland ; they are actuated by the same love of inde pendence, distinguished by the same unconquer able bravery. The Russians, Tartars, and Turks, call the Circassians, Tcherkess, which literally signifies cut the road; evidently derived frora their never perraitting the raarch of a foreign soldier through their territories. The Mingrelians and Geor- CIRCASSIA. 415 gians distinguish them from the other tribes in the Caucasus by the name of Kazakhia ; so that it is not improbable that the heroic bands of roving Cossacks of the raiddle ages, the terror alike of Turkey and Persia, had their origin frora this people. The Circassians call theraselves by no other narae than that of Atteghei, which iraplies a people inhabiting a raountainous country near the sea-coast, Atte being a defile, and Ghei the sea. Strabo and other ancient writers raake no mention whatever of such a people, when de scribing the various independent tribes that inhabited the Circassian coast of the Black Sea during their tirae, denorainating thera Akhei, Zykhes, Kolches, Gelons, Kolikes, Koraxites, Kerkettes, Abazians, &c., unless we adrait Akhei to be a corruption of Atteghei. However, the sarae beauty of form and features distinguish the Circassians, Abazians, Mingrelians, and Geor gians, of the present day, from every other of the tribes that inhabit the Caucasus, and I think there cannot be a doubt that they are of the same comraon origin. Sorae writers have endeavoured to prove, founded on the vague tradition of the Abazians and Circassians, that the western Caucasus was inhabited by the Amazons of old, renowned for 416 CIRCASSIA. their beauty and bravery, and that the present people are their descendants. Most certain it is that the Araazons of these provinces were, at one tirae, very powerful : before Christianity we find thera subduing the predatory hordes on the banks of the Tanais (Don), together with those of the Criraea; and in later days, the faraous Amazon, Ninon of Imraeretia, with her heroic raaidens, carried fire and sword into the heart of the Caucasus, whose inhabitants she corapelled to abjure Paganisra. The Circassians and Abazians, in their tra ditions, say that the country, before their race occupied it, was inhabited by a people so dirai- nutive in stature, that a hare served for a steed, instead of a horse; but from whence they theraselves had originally corae, is involved in the deepest gloora. On the other hand, the Lesghi, Kisti, and other tribes, inhabit ing the Eastern Caucasus, a fine warhke race, and but little inferior in personal appearance to their neighbours in the west, contend that they are descended frora the Arabs. Be this as it raay, it is irapossible to forra any correct idea of the origiti of this people, particularly when we remember that their language is totally different, not only from that of the surrounding nations, but frora every other at present known. CIRCASSIA. 417 So far as I was able to glean frora the confeder ated princes, there are twelve or thirteen tribes who have sworn to raaintain their independence, at every risk, against the dorainion of Russia, and who have adopted the national standard as their Sangiac Sheriff". These tribes are respectively distinguished under the naraes of Khapsoukhi, Abzekhi, Nottakhaitzi, . Khatoukhai, Deraerghoi, Kirkinei, Bzedoukhi, Kherkpeti, Lesghi, Mitz- dzeghi, Osseti, Chipakouai, &c. besides the No gay Tartars, Calraucks, &c. Araong these, they say, two hundred thousand men are always ready to be brought into the field, fully equipped for battle. This force certainly appears dispropor tionately large when corapared with the araount of the population, which the Russians corapute, at raost, to be five hundred thousand faraflies. But then we must remember that every Circas sian male is trained to arras frora his infancy ; and even the woraen frequently fight in the ranks. In addition to the natives, thousands of raen frora the neighbouring provinces, Georgia, Mingrelia, Imraeretia, and those on the Caspian Sea, have this year joined the standard of the Circassians, together with hundreds of Poles : the latter are so popular, that raany of their national songs have been translated into the VOL. II. ^ ^ 418 CIRCASSIA. Circassian language, and are now sung with as rauch enthusiasm as their own war songs. The whole of these tribes are under the autho rity of princes and nobles who acknowledge the same lineage, distinguished by the name of At teghei : their possessions were, at one time, it appears, very considerable, coraprehending nearly the whole of the Caucasian provinces, Kouban Tartary, and part of the Criraea. Their forra of governraent, at present, raay be said to be a species of aristocratical repubhc, coraposed of three classes, — chiefs, nobles, and clansraen. Araong which, distinction of rank is recognised only so far as regards public affairs, the raost perfect equality characterizing their raanner of living and doraestic habits. The chiefs called Khanouks, Usdens, Khans, Pchis, &c., who generally exercise the principal authority, are considered, by their respective clans, more as superior magistrates than petty monarchs whose despotism knows no other limits than their own caprice ; for, should they act oppressively, or infringe the ancient laws and usages of their fathers, they are deposed ; which was the case with two or three of the Khapsoukhe princes a few years since. The second class comprehends the nobles. CIRCASSIA. 419 called Vourks, who frequently not only becorae powerful, frora the nuraerous alliances they con tract, but succeed to the dignity of chief, in the event of the incapacity or treachery of the princes ; or on the extinction of their race. The third are the freed raen, belonging to the prince and his nobles. The only valuable privi lege enjoyed by the chief is, that in the division of the spoil taken from an enemy, he is entitled to retain one-half for himself and his family ; he is also privileged to impose some trifling tax, in the forra of custora-house duties, or harbour dues, should he be in possession of a port. To this we raay add, that, araong some of the tribes, the inferior nobles and clansmen are obliged to follow their chief to battle. Should a noble, however, refuse to obey the suraraons to defend his country, or to furnish the chief with the quota of soldiers required, these acts are consi dered tantaraount to rebelhon against his autho rity, and the relationship is instantly dissolved. This is an event that very seldom occurs ; for, according to the ancient usages of several of the Atteghei tribes, the vassal is, in that case, obliged to restore every present that either he or his ancestors had received from the chief, or his progenitors, from time iraraeraorial ; and as these, in the course of successive generations. 420 CIRCASSIA. amount to a valuable consideration, their restora tion would, undoubtedly, bring down ruin upon the delinquent. The dignity of a chief, or noble, is hereditary ; and, should the raale-hne fail in the former, the title descends to the female. In this case, the princess is united by the elders to one of her own nobles, who may be considered worthy of such an honour, from his alliances and courage ; especially the latter, the first of all virtues in the estiraation of a Circassian. Without the raost distinguished courage, a prince entirely loses his infiuence : the brave raan, whether chief, noble, or clansraan, being always the raost highly respected by his corapatriots. Generally speaking, when any of the tribes would elect a chief to lead thera to battle, or an elder to ad rainister justice, the preference is not awarded to rank ; heroic bravery in the one, and wisdora and moral conduct in the other, being the only qualifications necessary. The clansman, so far as regards private pro perty, is independent either of chief or noble : he possesses his own lands, which are often raost abundantly stocked with flocks and herds. If he is in any way discontented with the conduct of his chief or noble, who is distinguished by the title of Konak, he is at hberty to place hiraself CIRCASSIA. 421 under the protection of another. However, as the influence of a chief or noble is increased by the number of his followers, acts of tyranny are nearly unknown. Should a Circassian freeman, or noble, be detected in a crime, the chief of the tribe has power to punish the offender. The penalty, however, is left to be adjudged by an assembly of the elders, called Iflokothles, over which he generally presides. Indeed, of late years, among sorae of the tribes, I understand that the power of the elders, in judicial cases, has becorae para- raount to that of the chiefs, who are, notwith standing their rank, frequently brought before the bar of justice. In addition to the three classes I have speci fied, we raay nuraber a fourth, — slaves, including prisoners taken in battle, or those strangers who have oraitted, on entering the country, to place themselves under the protection of a Konak. These being considered beyond the pale of the law, raay be seized by either chief or noble, and detained in slavery, or even put to death as spies. Not, however, that this stern ultimatum, as far as I was able to learn, is ever adopted, provided the stranger delivers hiraself up on the first summons, " Saboure-si-O'Voke !" "Surren der, or I will shoot you!" the Circassian 422 CIRCASSIA. wisely preferring the more profitable mode of making them slaves : they are generally em ployed in husbandry, and in tending flocks and herds; the honour of going to war being reserved for the freemen. When the nuraber of slaves or prisoners ex ceeds the deraand at horae, they are sold to the Turks or Persians ; and, as the Circassians uni- forraly treat thera, frora raotives of interest, with great kindness, we cannot but rejoice at this interested huraanity, which induces thera to pre serve the lives of those prisoners who raay fall into their hands, instead of sacriflcing them, as is sometiraes done, even by civilized nations, in cold-blood. Slaves becorae free, either by raarriage with a Circassian, or adoption. The ceremony, in the latter instance, is singular enough, the slave being obliged to suck the breast of a woman, in the presence of the elders ; after which he enjoys all the rights of the natives, and is through life regarded by his foster-parents with the kindest affection. The Circassians, prior to the compact of union with the neighbouring tribes, were accustomed to contract engagements among themselves, for the purpose of raaintaining a certain equihbriura of power, capable of resisting the elevation of CIRCASSIA. 423 any chief who raight atterapt to assurae sove reign authority over all. The soleran assurances given by their deputies, on these occasions, to the general asserably of the chiefs and elders, were held most sacred ; and any chief, or other, who became a perturbateur of the public peace, was condemned to a heavy fine, according to the enormity of the offence, or sold as a slave, being regarded as a perjured raan, and unworthy of inhabiting his native soil. But since the confederation of the Atteghei with the other Caucasian tribes, and the adop tion of the Sangiac Sheriff as the national stand ard, a coraplete change has been wrought in the raoral character, and a powerful impetus given to the raoral energy of the people. No prince, chief, or tribe, can now carry war into the terri tories of the other without the consent of the general assembly of elders. Hence their ancient feuds, so paralyzing to national strength, are completely extinguished, their predatory habits against each other restrained, and the whole force of the people concentrated against the common eneray, Russia ; and, whether Attegh6i, Lesghi, Turk, Turcoraan, Calrauck, or Tartar, each tribe now raarches to battle under the same common standard, animated by the sarae war- cry — Death or independence! 424 CIRCASSIA. There is one singular trait in the character of the Circassians — a strong repugnance to houses built with stone, which they regard as intended for no other purpose than to hold them in sub jection. They relate a legend to the effect, that in olden times, a brave band of warriors, clothed in steel armour, from a distant country, took refuge among thera when pursued by an eneray, to whom they accorded the rights of hospitality, and equal privileges, and from their great skill and bravery in war, soon elevated themselves to the rank of chieftains, built strong castles, and imposed the yoke of vassalage, in the raost tyrannical raanner, upon their depend ants ; who, in process of tirae, irritated and in dignant, revolted against their authority, derao- lished their castles, and either destroyed or forced their tyrants to seek refuge in the moun tains. Might not these chieftains be a remnant of the Crusaders ? But to return to my subject. In many points the state of the inhabitants of the Caucasus, and their relationship to their chiefs, resemble that of the highland clans of Scotland in olden time : tyranny is unknown araong thera ; and they live frora generation to generation, under the pro tection of their respective chiefs, whose lands they cultivate in tirae of peace, and defend in CIRCASSIA. 425 time of war. Thus, we have the singular spec tacle of a people denominated barbarians, pre serving unchanged, their hberty, custoras, and usages, from time iraraeraorial; and, although divided into so raany different tribes, sorae dwelhng in the secluded valley, others on the raountain-top, forming so many separate repub lics, no individual chief ever succeeded in unit ing the whole under his authority. I must now reluctantly conclude my letters on Circassia; although perfectly conscious that want of tirae has obliged rae to orait raany particulars relative to this interesting country, which it is ray intention to add in a third volurae, should these be found deserving of public attention ; when I shall also transrait you the results of ray tour through the other Caucasian provinces, Mingrelia, Gouriel, &c. on my return to Constantinople. Farewell ! THE END. LONDON : PKINIFD nv JAMES MOYES, CISTLK S1REIT LKICKSTEK SQUARE. CAPTAIN MARRY AT'S NEW WORK, &c. Juit published by HENRY COLBURN, 13 GREAT BIARLBOROUGH STREET. I. SNARLEY YOW; or, THE DOG-FIEND. By the Author of " Peter Simple," " Jacob Faithful," &c. In three vols, post 8vo. II. NARRATIVE OF A VOYAGE OF OBSERVATION AMONG THE COLONIES OF WESTERN AFRICA, IN THE FLAG-SHIP THALIA; AND OF A CAMPAIGN IN KAFFIRLAND, On the Staff of the Commander-in-chief, in 1835. By J. E. 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