Edward Backhouse Eastwick (1814 – 1883) was a British orientalist, diplomat and Member of Parliament. Born into an Anglo-Indian family, he was educated at Charterhouse and at Merton College, Oxford. He joined the Bombay infantry in 1836, but, in light of his knowledge of multiple languages (including Persian and Sindhi), was later moved to a diplomatic service. In 1845 he was appointed professor of Hindustani at Haileybury College and spent the next fifteen years pursuing an academic career, translating Persian and Indian texts. In 1860 he returned to diplomatic service and became a secretary to the British Legation in Tehran. He travelled widely over the next three years, eventually publishing The Journal of a Diplomate's Three Years' Residence in Persia. In 1866 he became private secretary to the secretary of state for India, the future Marquess of Salisbury, and in 1867, was sent on a government mission to Venezuela, later publishing "Sketches of Life in a South American Republic". From 1868 to 1874 he was Member of the British Parliament. He died at Ventnor, Isle of Wight, on 16 July 1883.
In his journal, Eastwick described how he travelled from Britain to France and then, by sea, to Istanbul before arriving at Poti. His experiences in Poti have been described in an earlier blog post. Now, after two miserable days in Poti, Eastwick prepared to travel to Kutaisi, the largest city in western Georgia.
At 8 a.m. on the 8th of August we embarked in the little steamer, in the hope of getting some way up the river. At eleven o'clock, we ran hard aground at a place called Chiladidi [Chaladidi], "the large forest," and here, after having accomplished twenty versts by water, we prepared to take to the saddle.
We put our things in a long ugly boat without any covering, paid twenty roubles, and commended our kit to the care of my servant Rahim, and to Providence. We ourselves mounted Cossack horses, and, attended by a truculent looking Cossack with a long spear, set off to ride through the forest. The miserable troupe descended from the steamer into a wretched barge with no covering, where ladies and men sate huddled together with nothing to keep off the blazing sun by day, and the pestilential dews at night. I could not but feel sorry for the poor contralto, who was ill and worn out, and had a sick child to attend to in this horrible region of swamp and fever. My sympathies, however, were soon withdrawn nearer home, and I had, metaphorically speaking, quite enough to do to cool my own porridge, which was scalding hot. The fact is, it is impossible to be more than a few minutes on a Cossack saddle, and on a Cossack horse, without wishing for the skin of a rhinoceros. The saddle is, in fact, two pieces of the hardest wood, with a sharp peak in front, and another behind. If you are of a delicate, effeminate nature, you may put an old rag between yourself and the wood, but having by so doing lost your character for manliness, you still must lose your skin.
So mounted, we rode eighteen versts to Prince Micadza [Mikadze], or Michaelson's house. Tired and hungry, my joy was great at arriving, but this feeling was damped at the news that the Prince had not been at this house for a month, that it was empty, and that there was nothing to be had.
M. B_______ inclined to ride further on our tired nags, but I was clearly of opinion that by so doing we should fare worse. We accordingly entered the grounds, and passed through some Indian corn to the house, which was built of wood, something in the Chinese fashion, having but one story, but that raised six feet from the ground, no doubt on account of the damp, and with verandas all round, covered by projecting eaves. Another similar, but smaller, house, and several outhouses stood near. We stepped into the principal room - the other two rooms were bedrooms - and saw two old sofas covered with mouldering chintz [printed multicolored cotton fabric with a glazed finish], two cane settees [sofas], half a dozen chairs, a table, and a mirror. On two pegs hung the coat and shako of the prince proprietor, and before the mirror were suspended his trousers, which were evidently calculated for the fullest possible development of the inner man. The uniform was that of the Cossack regiment of the Guards. There is but one such regiment, though there are a hundred Cossack regiments of cavalry. A very handsome Mingrelian now presented himself as the butler, and, on hearing who we were, declared that the house and all within it, including himself, were absolutely at our disposal. On this we asked for tea, which was brought in about two hours. About three hours after we got a fowl and some wine of the country, pure juice of the grape, not palatable, but not very unwholesome.
At 11 p.m. we lay down on the sofas, pulling over us, faute de mieux [for want of a better alternative], magnificently embroidered counterpanes, thick enough for Russia in the depth of winter, and reposed our heads on vast frouzy pillows, so soft that they immediately closed over our faces, leaving the nose only extant. I had sprinkled Keating's flea-powder most lavishly all about me, and, in spite of the howlings of jackals, was soon asleep.
At 1 a.m. I awoke from a dream that I had been buried up to my neck in an ant-hill, and discovered that the ancestral bugs of Prince Micadza had sent a numerous deputation to wait upon me. Such coarse, black-ribbed gentry I had never beheld before. There was no concealment or scuttling away as with the degenerate London bug, but a dogged Russian tenacity of purpose which made me retreat at once to the table, where I lay with a lighted candle on each side, on the watch for any fresh assailant. Meantime, my companion, M. B_____, whose skin was as tough as that of a buffalo, had nevertheless been dislodged by the enemy from his sofa, and had rolled on to the floor, where he formed a most ludicrous object. Two great pillows hung over him like an avalanche. In his contortions he had twisted the ponderous counterpane tight round his waist, where it rose to a huge mass three or four feet high, while his bare legs projected on the floor. He groaned incessantly, and though asleep, drew up his legs continually, and made convulsive movements with them. The fact was, innumerable fleas were fastening on his legs, while legions of bugs, who were bound up with the counterpane, were making the best use of their opportunities. In order to make sure of the cause of his sufferings, I took a candle, when I saw some bugs, of a size to appall any one, jet-black, and ribbed like what the Scotch call a sclater.
At 5 a.m. my companion awoke and dressed, and at 7, as no horses were brought, we set off on foot, to walk to the nearest Cossack station, some two miles off.
Before starting, however, we had another specimen of Mingrelian character. The handsome butler had been so respectful and attentive, that M. B_____, after paying for what we had had, made him an unusually large present. In this liberality I quite agreed, and as we walked along I could not help expatiating on the man's singular comeliness, and said that he was exactly what I should imagine was the father of the human race. "Adam had, I suppose," said I, "just such noble features and hyacinthine curls." Just at that moment M. B_______ discovered that this type of human beauty had been making free with his pockets, and among other things had abstracted his white silk handkerchief. Never had either of us known so dignified a thief.
After walking half a mile or so, a Cossack came clattering up with two led horses, on which we mounted, and soon came to the Rhion [Rioni River], where we overtook the boats in which were the troupe. The contralto showed herself dirty and draggled, and the men were fast sinking to a houseless-poor state, all except the clarionet, who was as clean and brisk as ever.
At the station we tried hard to get a change of horses, as those we had were tired, having been sixty five versts the day before, and having been caught that morning eight versts off from Micadza's house. However, no change was to be had, so we were obliged to proceed twenty-five versts more with the same horses. After riding eight versts, hunger compelled us to dismount and munch a piece of coarse bread. I had a tin case of preserved meat, which the Cossack hacked with his sword till we got out a little. My companion drank copious draughts of the only water procurable, which was muddy, lukewarm, and had an odious taste; I moistened my lips with it.
We then started at a fast trot over some very hard, heavy ground, through a small river and then up a steep bank, and through a wilderness of brushwood close to the edge of the Rhion. The banks were about twenty feet high, and very rotten, so that it was not very safe work. Thus far the forest we passed had been very beautiful, and we came every now and then upon a complete avenue of fine trees, with occasional patches of rich cultivation, whence rose a sweet perfume from some flower or other. We now entered upon a cultivated, but not very picturesque tract.
The most remarkable thing was the beauty of the people. In Mingrelia, an ugly man or woman is a rarity. The boys and girls are lovely, like the best looking of our English peasants.
After riding some distance at best pace, the Cossack came galloping up behind and remonstrated vehemently with M. B______ for knocking up the horses. B____ asked him if he knew to whom he was speaking. He said "No;" but that there was a general order that the horses were not to be pressed. B_____ said he would complain to the Governor-General of Kutais about him, and, after a violent altercation, fell to the rear in one of those fits of abstraction which with him always succeeded any excitement.
After going on this way for some time, I set off again at a gallop, which was stopped by B_____'s horse shying tremendously at a fishing eagle which rose almost from under his feet. I observed another kind of the same species fishing, but it was curious that we saw no game anywhere, though with such splendid cover all about us.
I was now completely knocked up by the great heat and by thirst and hunger, and could hardly reach the station. When I did, I lay down on a dirty plank in front of the hut, which was too dirty to enter, and presently a heavy shower came on which wet me to the skin. There was a tolerable house, but that was occupied by the Princess Despeni and the widow of her brother, Prince Malaki of Gouriel [Gurieli], who, like ourselves, were en route for Marand. They sent us some cold meat and some very good wine, made at Gouriel, which was served to us in a vast gilt spoon. I drank some wine, but could not eat. Presently the Princess came to see B____. The appearance of herself and her retinue reminded one of the times of Ivanhoe. The Princess was a very handsome woman, about thirty-five, dressed in a black gown with a very long skirt, a tight jacket of black silk, and an odd sort of riding hat. She had many bracelets and jewels, and her train was held up rather ludicrously by a pretty girl about thirteen. There were about thirty retainers wearing the curious Mingrelian hat, which is much the same as that of the Cossacks and Circassians. Some of them had a sort of cap with a very long peak, which can be shifted so as to keep off the sun from the top of the head, or the side or back of it. The principal men were over six feet high, and very good-looking, with dark-brown curly hair, like handsome English yeomen in figure and complexion. One of them carried the huge golden spoon stuck into his girdle, I suppose as a badge of office.
Soon after the whole party started for Marand. The Princess was mounted on a well shaped gray, covered with a net of silver wire. The widow, who was elderly, alone rode en cavalier. All the females of the party seemed quite at home on horseback.
At 5 p.m. we mounted and rode eleven versts to Marand. All the way we skirted beautiful hills, covered with trees and verdure, ana abounding in streams. I was mounted on an ill-shapen horse, with an ugly, filthy saddle, but not so excruciating as those ordinarily used by Cossacks. On reaching Marand, we had to cross the river, about 200 yards broad and a yard deep, and very muddy and filthy. The ferry-boat was filthier than the river, and crowded with horses. We observed a small steamer unfinished and the paddles unpainted. After crossing we walked a hundred yards to the rest-house, a dirty, wretched place, where no supplies were to be had. I was shown a room, eight feet square, full of flies, fleas, and filth, and here, on a filthy sofa, I lay down exhausted. The rest of the house was occupied by the Princess Despeni, who kindly sent me some delicious tea. Presently B_____ came to say he had engaged a better room at the end of the village. I managed to crawl there, sick and weary, and found a better room certainly,—one, in fact, nearly as good as a Banyan's shop in the poorer order of hamlets in India. The water stood in it in pools. Here, however, I managed to get some sleep, in spite of the merriment of some jolly Mingrelians, who sang with stentorian voices, until B_____ lost his temper, and threatened them with eternal perdition, and with that — of which they seemed to be even more alarmed—the police.
We got up on the morning of the 10th of August in improved spirits, and it being market-day at Marand, we went out to reconnoitre. The pretty peasant girls kept coming in till 10 a.m. with their eggs and chickens. It was exactly an English fair of the old, old time. There were the dames, so smart and shrewish; the maidens, simple and yet roguish; quacks selling their infallible recipes; farmers haggling over their bargains; and rough clowns, ragged and burly, jostling their way through the crowd, with small respect for toes or petticoats. Only - except my own and B 's - there was not an ugly face to be seen; in respect to beauty it might have been a fair of the Olympians, masquerading in rustic guise. It was a sight to daze a painter, and to furnish him with models for his life.
B_____, like most plain men, is a passionate admirer of beauty. He was in his glory. Seeing a pretty girl, who was anxious to buy some rouge, and could offer nothing but four apples in exchange, he said to the marchande, "Give her the pot. I'll pay for it." The happy little peasant, to the astonishment of the bystanders, secured her prize, and in the excess of her delight, kissed the hand of the donor. Immediately a crowd were attracted to the spot by the unheard-of generosity of the stranger. Hereupon B_____, spying another beautiful girl, about fourteen or fifteen years old, asked her if she, too, would like a present. "Choose," he said, "anything you see; I will pay for it." The maiden looked wistfully round on all the gay bottles. and gewgaws, but shrank back afraid to declare her choice. "Choose!" cried all about her. "Of what are you afraid? Has not the stranger already made Melanie happy? He will not disappoint you." At last the blushing girl managed to pick out a bottle of lavender water, which was opened and handed to her friends, who were in astonishment at the fragrance and at the marvellous liberality of the donor. In short, B____ went on repeating his generosity, and at the expense of a few roubles made a dozen beauties happy, the plainest of whom would have turned the heads of all the exquisites in the brightest salon at Paris.
At 2 p.m. the Princess Despeni left, and we went to see her mount and bid her adieu. We then dined with the agent of the Poti company, who gave us fresh caviar, most delicious; a Russian soup called borzeh [borsch], not bad; also some Curaçao [liqueur]. I then despatched my kit to Teflis, and paid eighty roubles, something more than 13l., for the carriage. We were ourselves to travel light, with just a portmanteau.
We had now got over the worst portion of the whole journey between England and Tehran, viz., the part between leaving the Black Sea steamer and arriving at Marand. The distance, it is true, is not great, only about sixty miles, but in those sixty miles many a constitution has succumbed. Poti itself is one of the most unhealthy places in the world, and the Rhion and its banks, as far as Marand, where the higher ground commences, are not much better. Ministers and personages of high rank will, of course, find all difficulties smoothed for them; but for ordinary mortals it is not expedient to attempt the journey in July or August. There is then not sufficient water in the river for a steamer to ascend, and the voyage by boats and the journey by land are not to be thought of for any but very robust persons. The excitement of travelling and the anxiety to get on kept off fever for the time, in my case; but I have no doubt I laid, in the short expedition just described, the seeds of an illness, which, it will be seen, soon after nearly cost me my life.
At 7 a.m. on the morning of the 11th of August, our curricle [a light, open, two-wheeled carriage pulled by two horses side by side] was at the door of our hut, with three horses, and the bells ringing merrily over the shaft horse. This horse is generally a good trotter, while those on the right and left are inferior, and canter and caper to keep up with his trot. We walked down to the agent's and shook hands with him. He seemed pleased, and, with the usual Russian hospitality, gave me an invitation, if I returned that way. We also waited on the colonel commanding the station, an old veteran with a sprightly daughter. We were now off, and I found the jolting less than I had expected. Our cart was open and spring-less, and we went at a good rate over the fields, and by a side road, the proper road being under repair. Many pretty villages we passed, out of which ran pretty peasants peering at us with their modest eyes. "This country," I said to myself, " will one day be a magazine of grain, a storehouse of nations." As it was, we did not fail to remark various rich crops, such as sugar-cane and Indian corn, and we took note of the productive quality of the soil, black, friable, and stoneless.
At 10 a.m. we reach the first station, a small village, eighteen versts from Marand. B____ told me that the post was let, and sub-let, to the great disadvantage of the Government, which pays 1,200 roubles yearly for every three horses. The contractors sublet the right of furnishing the horses for 800 roubles, and so it goes on till the actual fournisseur of the horses gets only 300 roubles. Whenever Prince Bariatinski, the Viceroy, wants to travel, the contractors send out and offer any terms for first-rate horses, which are driven ventre à terre [at full speed], and sweep through the country like a hurricane, and the Prince is pleased, and congratulates himself at the admirable way in which the post-office regulations are carried out, while the ordinary traveller is only too lucky if he can reach his destination without wearing out his own shoe-leather.
Our next stage was other eighteen versts to Kutais, a town of moderate size, capital of Imeritia, and not unlike an Indian cantonment. Some nice villas are perched on hills, and the Rhion rushes brawling through the town, plainly hinting that navigation is here no longer practicable. Above Kutais, in fact, it is but a mountain stream. We drove past the post station, a miserable place in the centre of the lowest part of the town, to the hotel, the site of which is, at least, fifty feet higher, and where there is a ball-room in which 200 people might meet. We had a wretched dinner of stale caviar, indifferent soup, the interior of some animal, a tongue smothered in rancid butter, bad cucumbers, and worse wine. Here B_______ had left his dormeuse, a carriage of the olden time, towering high, with imperials at top, a rumble behind, and a seat for a servant beside the coachman in front. This monster vehicle required at least four horses to draw it.
We left Kutais at 3.30 p.m., and reached Simonette, eighteen versts, at 5.45 pm. This station is beautifully situated on an eminence, with the river in front and noble hills beyond. The hills, indeed, after Kutais, swell into mountains over 2,000 feet high. B______ told me they had not been explored. They are thickly wooded, and, to judge from appearances, must be full of game, and must also present some good spots for sanitaria. As far as Kutais we had been going in a north-easterly direction from Constantinople, and away from Tehran. Now we turned south, and were going with an easterly sweep to Teflis. At 6.30 p.m. we went on again, making haste to cross, before dark, a river about five versts off, which, from its depth, would have been an ugly impediment in the dark. We reached Kuiril, the fourth station from Marand and about sixteen versts from Simonette, at 9 p.m., and passed the night as well as the usual pests would let us. As we occupied the room which is kept locked, and opened only for generals or diplomates, fancy told us what would have been our plight in the outer apartments.
At 7 a.m. of Sunday, the 12th August, we started and passed along the bank of the Rhion, through a beautiful mountainous country, resembling Saxon Switzerland. Scarce a habitation was to be seen, until we got near the end of the stage. We then saw two or three houses perched in a most picturesque fashion on the top of lofty hills. The river is here a brawling stream, seemingly well adapted for trout, but, though I gazed intently into it, I could see no fish.
At 10.30 a.m. we reached the station, which is called Belog, and is twenty-two versts from Kuiril. As it offered little inducement to stop, we went on forthwith, and passed through very similar scenery to Molette, eighteen versts. From this we had the longest and most difficult stage of all, thirty versts, to Suram. About twenty versts of the road had been very well made, but it appeared to me that it was too high, being carried along the side of the mountain, half-way up. This causes it to wind very much, and renders it frightfully dangerous in places with spirited horses. There is but a breadth of a yard between the traveller and a precipice of some hundred feet. It would surely have been better to have kept the mid valley, where the work would have been easier, safer, and less expensive.
We passed several gangs of soldiers, engaged in making the road, and at one place, where it was steep, there was a carriole with three horses, and five soldiers. The horses would not go on, and two of the soldiers beat them cruelly with pieces of wood as thick as a man's leg. One of them then struck the middle horse on the leg, and stabbed it with his club in the belly. The animal plunged violently, but would not or could not go on. Had the soldiers got out of the vehicle and pushed, while some one tugged at the horses' heads, no doubt they would have proceeded. B____ shouted to them not to act like cowards, but they paid no attention.
About eight or nine versts from Suram the road descends from the hills into the plain in which Teflis is situated. Here by perpetual turns and winding the journey is rendered many times longer than it would be as the crow flies. Luckily the whole is one unbroken descent, and though over fresh metal unbeaten down, we made rapid progress. The scenery was very beautiful, but I was too tired to enjoy it.
On reaching the village of Suram, which is versts from the station, we discovered that the box of the fore wheels of the carriage was in a state of ignition, and almost burned through. We were, therefore, obliged to leave the dormeuse, and mount on the top of our luggage, which was piled on a carriole, where we held on with great difficulty, and were shaken to pieces. Previously, however, to our ascending to this undignified seat, we took tea with a lieutenant of Engineers, whose house was close by. He told me that Suram was very unhealthy, and that the year before, out of 3,000 soldiers employed on the road, 1,000 were constantly ill with fever. He said the sickness was owing to there being always a cold wind and a bright intensely hot sun. The men threw off their clothes, and were immediately struck down with fever. I asked him the height of the neighboring hills, but, though an engineer officer, he could give me no information about them.
The post-house at Suram, which is the last under the management of the Poti company, is a detestable one. It is a wood hovel, surrounded by a wall six feet high. Every kind of filth abounds. There are people in charge of the place, but they make no attempt to cleanse it. I passed a miserable night on a wooden bed, with a cloak for bedding. In the former stations the mosquitoes had been outdone by the fleas; here the fleas were less venomous than the mosquitoes.
I rose at 6 a.m. on the 13th, dirty, weary, and miserable. Means of ablution there were none. Though I had kept the windows shut and had had a thick cloak over me, I felt the cold very much during the night, which shows how high Suram must be above the sea. B____ called me out to see a sous-officier, who had gone from [St.] Petersburg to Burjan [Borjomi], 3,000 versts, in eight days, carrying despatches. The man did not look tired, and was on his way back.
At 10 a.m. the dormeuse arrived from the village of Suram, repaired. B_____ now pressed me to go to Burjan [Borjomi] to see Prince [Alexander[ Bariatinski [the viceroy of the Caucasus]. He said that he himself must go, and that it would not be courteous in me, when the Viceroy was so near, to pass without paying him a visit. On consideration I thought it best to assent, so we started, and at 2.30 p.m. reached Burjan [Borjomi], a delightful summer retreat from Teflis, twenty-seven versts from Suram, situated in a defile of the mountains, and on the river Kur, or Cyrus, which falls into the Caspian, and is here a rapid muddy stream about seventy yards across. The road is all the way a succession of steep, and in some places almost frightful ascents and descents, where the breaking of an axle, the recalcitrance of the horses, or any other mischance, would precipitate the traveller into the river from a height of from sixty to two hundred feet. B_____ sat very quietly, only remarking occasionally, "Dieu nous conserve si les chevaux s'arretent!" {Lord saves us if the horses stop]. At one place, however, he was not so cool, and earnestly recommended that we should get out saying, "What is the use of risking it? I do not mind being killed for my country, but I do not want to lose my life for no good." He told me that a General Davanoff had been killed somewhere near, having been pitched over a precipice in his carriage, which was dashed to pieces.
The road winds along the proper left bank of the river. On each side are hills from 600 to 2,000 feet high, covered with woods. Clusters of pines and cypresses at the very top of some of the hills add much to the beauty of the scene. The station is at the Suram side of the town. Passing this, and crossing a bridge over the Kur, we drove, turning to the left, to the hotel, a low building of stone, which holds, perhaps, a hundred beds. There are many neat villas before reaching it, and a pretty little church on the top of an eminence. After a good dinner - the first worthy of the name for many days - and an excellent bottle of Bordeaux, I lay down to sleep, and B_____ went to see Prince Bariatinski. At 5.30 he returned, and said the prince had invited me to tea at 8 p.m.
At 7 p.m. we walked some three hundred yards farther up the defile to a spot where are eaux minerales [mineral waters]. The band of the Etat Major, the prince's own, was playing exquisitely, and about a dozen ladies and gentlemen were lounging about in a sort of gallery listening to the music. To the right, over a bridge, was the prince's house, and one for his suite. At eight o'clock the prince came from his own house and walked with me to that of his suite, where the tea-table was spread with rather a substantial repast. There were two arm-chairs, one on each side of the prince's seat. He gave that on his right to me and on his left sate the beautiful Madame Davidoff, nee Princess [Elisabeth] Orbeliani. This lady, who is a sparkling brunette, and seemed about eighteen, is the wife of Colonel [Vladimir] Davidoff, one of the Viceroy's aide-de-camps.
As I was seated so close I had a good opportunity of studying the appearance of the conqueror of Schamyl [Imam Shamil, an Avar political and religious leader, who led anti-Russian resistance in
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| Alexander Baryatinski |
North Caucasus until 1859]. Prince Bariatinski is about six feet two inches high, very well made, and with a noble carriage, which accords well with his high rank. He appeared to be about forty, had brown hair of a nuance intermSdiaire, a high massive forehead, but one which shelves upward, that is, is narrower at the top of the head than at the brows, rather small gray eyes, and a somewhat stern and commanding expression. He was then the second personage in rank in Russia, being the only fieldmarshal, Viceroy of Caucasia, Grand Cordon of St. George, and at the head of an army of two hundred thousand men. B____ told me that the courier who had come from Petersburg in eight days, had brought important despatches about the recent massacres in Turkey, and the current of the prince's thoughts seemed to be in that direction. In the midst of a conversation about other things, he said, "What did you think of Constantinople? Is it not a fine city?" I said I had heard much of it, but the reality exceeded what had been told me. He turned away and mused for a little. I asked about the antiquities of Caucasia, and he said there was an old Turkish building at Poti, and that they were said to be the remains of Greek architecture, but he did not much believe it. The most remarkable thing, he said, was a church not far from Burjan [Borjomi], a cathedral, in which St. Chrysostom had been detained, and which appeared quite new. Talking of la chasse [hunting], he said game was abundant at Burjan, and among other wild animals there were bears, and one bear, in fact, in the hill close by.
I rose early on the 14th, and enjoyed the luxury of a bath. We then took a walk, and at noon called on Madame Davidoff, who said that, according to Armenian histories, her family name, Orbeliani, was originally Mangan belian, and that according to the same authority the family came originally from China, and settled in Georgia in the third or fourth century A.D. She showed me the engraved title page of an address presented to Prince Bariatinski. Its subject was the surrender of Schamyl, who is advancing to the prince, seated in the newly-conquered fortress. Another engraving shows the assault, up a very scarped rock. Men are being thrown headlong from the walls into the abyss. I asked how many soldiers the prince had. Madame Davidoff, who did not at all see the gist of the question, said about 80,000; while her husband, with more prudence, replied he did not know. I then spent some hours in reading Gille's Travels in Caucasia, and at 4.30 P.m. we mounted Cossack horses, and rode, first along the beautiful defile beyond the prince's house, and then up the side of the mountain, along the brow of which we passed, looking down on Burjan from a sheer precipice of 2,000 feet, so perpendicular that I could have dropped a stone down on the band as they played. The scenery reminded me very much of that at Mahableshwar, in the Bombay Presidency.
