THE PRISONERS OF THE CAUCASUS. TRANSLATED EXPRESSLY FOR THIS WORK FROM THE FRENCH OF XAVIER DE MAISTRE. The Caucasian mountains have for a long time been included in the Russian empire without belonging to it. Their savage inhabitants separated by language and different interests form a great many small states which have little political relation with each other, but are all animated by the same love of independence and depredation. The Tchetchenges inhabit great and little Kabarda, which provinces extending over the face of the deep vallies below are bounded only by the very summit of the Caucasus. The men are welllooking, courageous and intelligent, but robbers, and cruel, and almost continually in a state of war with the troops of the line.* It is in the midst of these dangerous hordes, and in the very centre of this immense chain of mountains, that Russia has established a way of communication with its Asiatic possessions. Redoubts placed at certain distances, command the passage to Georgia, but no traveller dare venture to pass alone the space which separates them. Twice a-week a body of infantry with cannon and a considerable number of Cossacks, furnish an escort for the protection of travellers, and the dispatches of Government. One of these redoubts situated at the opening of the mountains has become a sort of town with a good number of inhabitants. Its situation has given it the name of Wladi-Caucasus.+ It serves for the residence of the commander of the troops which perform the by no means easy duty of which we have just spoken. Major Kascambo, of the regiment of Wologda, a Russian nobleman, of a family originally Greek, was about to proceed to the command of the post of Lars, in the depths of the Caucasus. Impatient to repair to his post, and brave even to rashness, he had the imprudence to undertake this journey escorted only by a squadron of fifty Cossacks under his command, add to this also, the imprudence to speak of his intended journey, and make a boast about it. Those of the Tchetchenges who are near the frontiers and are called peaceable Tchetchenges, are subject to Russia, and have in consequence free access to Mosdoc, but the greater part keep up an intercourse with the mountaineers, and are often participators with them in their marauding excursions. These latter, informed of the journey of Kascambo, and even of the day of his departure, went in a large body to lie in wait for him on his road. At about twenty versts from Mosdoc, at the turn of a small eminence studded with trees and bushes, he was attacked by seven hundred By the line is meant the succession of posts guarded by the Russian troops between the Caspian and the Black Seas, from the embouchure of the Tereck to that of the Cuban. Wladi-Caucasus, comes from the Russian verb, Wladeti, to command, to over-awe. mounted troops. Retreat was impossible, the Cossacks drew up to receive them, and sustained the attack with much firmness, hoping to be seconded by the troops of a redoubt which was not very far off. The inhabitants of the Caucasus, although individually courageous to a degree, are incapable of attacking en masse, and are therefore by no means formidable to an enemy of determined front, but they have good fire-arms, and are expert marksmen. Their great number on this occasion rendered the combat too unequal. After the firing had been kept up some time more than half the Cossacks were either killed or disabled. The rest constructed, with the dead bodies of their companions, a circular rampart, from behind which they continued firing until their ammunition was expended. The Tchetchenges, who always had with them in their expeditions some Russian deserters, whom they make use of as interpreters, caused them to cry out to the Cossacks, "Deliver to us the Major, or you shall be killed to a man.' Kascambo foreseeing the certain destruction of his troop resolved to surrender of his own free will, in order to save the lives of those who remained; he delivered his sword to his Cossacks and advanced alone towards the Tchetchenges, when the firing immediately ceased, their object being only to take him alive in order to obtain a ransom. Scarcely had he surrendered himself to his enemies, when he saw approaching at some distance,the reinforcement that had been sent to his assistance. It was too late, the brigands bore him off without delay. His denchik had remained behind with the mule which carried the Major's baggage. Concealed in a bye road he awaited the result of the combat. When the Cossacks met him and apprised him of the situation of his master, the brave servant immediately resolved to share his lot, and took the road by which the Tchetchenges had retreated, bringing his mule with him, and following the track of the horses. Fearful of missing the way, and just as he was beginning to grow perplexed, he met a straggler of the enemy, who conducted him to the retreat of the Tchetchenges. One may conceive the feelings of the prisoner on 'seeing his denchik come thus spontaneously to partake his unhappy lot. The Tchetchenges immediately divided among themselves the booty which they took from their prisoners leaving to the Major nothing but a guitar, which was among his equipments, and which they gave him back in derision. Ivant (so was the den named) retained possession of it, and refused to throw it away. "Why be discouraged?" said he, "the God of the Russians is great; the interest of the brigands is to preserve you, they will do you no harm." After a halt of some hours the horde were setting about resuming their march, when one of their company, who had just rejoined them, announced that the Russians were continuing to advance, and *The Russian term corresponding to orderly. His name was Ivan Smirnoff, whch name may be translated John the Tender-hearted, contrasting singularly with his character, as will afterwards be manifest. A familiar proverb among the Russian soldiers in the moment of danger. trace that probably the troops of the other redoubts | the sum demanded, or made any delay in the paywould unite in the pursuit. The chiefs held a ment of it, the Tchetchenges had made up their council; they were for concealing their retreat, not minds to put him to death, to save the expense and only for the sake of securing their prisoner, but anxiety which he caused them. The object of their also in order to divert the enemy from their village, barbarous conduct was to induce him to write the and thus prevent their making reprisals. The more urgently. After this they gave him paper horde dispersed different ways. Ten men and a reed cut according to the Tartar fashion; took foot were selected to conduct the prisoner, whilst a off the irons which bound his hands and neck in body of a hundred horse marched in a different order that he might write more freely, and when the direction to that which Kascambo was to take. letter was written it was delivered to the chiefs They took away from him his iron-soled boots for who undertook its safe transmission to the Comfear of the impressions being identified, and mandant of the line. From this time he was treated obliged him and Ivan to walk bare-footed. Ar- less harshly, and was bound with a single chain rived at the bank of a torrent the little escort only attached to the foot and right hand. His ascended its course along the green sward for the host, or rather his gaoler, was an old man sixty distance of about a half-verst, and then forded it years old, of a gigantic stature and ferocious aspect, at the point where its banks were steepest, among which his disposition by no means belied. Two thorny bushes, taking care to leave no of his sons had been killed in an engagement with of their passage. The Major was so fatigued the Russians-a circumstance which had caused that to bring him to the water's edge it was him to be selected from among all the inhabitants necessary to support him by ligatures. As his of the village for the custody of the prisoner. feet were all bloody they decided on giving him The family of this man, named Ibrahim, was his shoes, in order that he might be able to composed of the widow of one of his sons, about finish the journey that yet remained to be made. thirty-five years of age, and a young child about When they came to the first village, Kascambo, seven or eight, named Mamet: the mother was suffering from grief even more than fatigue, ap- equally barbarous and more capricious still than peared so weak and exhausted that they had fears the old gaoler. Great were the sufferings which for his life, and treated him with more humanity. Kascambo had to endure at her hands; but the caThey gave him a short repose and a horse for his resses and good fellowship of the young Mamet remaining distance; but in order to mislead the became eventually a distraction and even a real Russians as much as possible in their researches after support in his misfortunes. This child took so the prisoner, and to put it out of the power of the great a liking to him that the threats and ill-usage prisoner himself to inform his friends of the place of his grandfather could not prevent him from of his captivity, they carried him from village to coming to play with the prisoner as often as he village, and from valley to valley, using the pre- could find an opportunity. He called Kascambo caution of frequently blindfolding him. He passed by the name of Koniak, which in the language of thus a considerable stream which he thought to be the country signifies a guest and a friend. He the Sonja. They were very attentive to him shared with him stealthily the fruits which he was during these journies, as regarded adequate food and able to procure, and throughout the compulsory rest; but when they reached the far village where fasting of the Major, which they inflicted on he was to be permanently detained, the Tchet- him, the young Mamet touched with compaschenges altered their conduct towards him in every sion took advantage of the momentary absence respect, and made him endure every sort of ill of his relations in the most dexterous manner to treatment. They put fetters on his arms and legs bring him bread, or potatoes roasted in the ashes. and a chain round his neck, to which was attached Some months had elapsed from the sending of a log of oak. The denchik was treated less sethe letter without any event of importance having verely, his fetters were lighter, and admitted of his occurred. During this interval Ivan had managed rendering a few services to his master. In this to ingratiate himself with the old man and his situation and at every new act of ill treatment a daughter-in-law, or at least to render himself man who spoke the Russian language came to see necessary to them. He understood the art of him and counselled him to write to his friends for cookery, as far as scope had been afforded him them to obtain his ransom, which had been fixed in the kitchen of an officer of a detachat ten thousand roubles. The unhappy prisoner ment. He was an excellent hand at making was not in a condition to pay so large a sum, and the Kislitchi, knew how to prepare cucumber entertained no other hope than what might depend with salt, and had excited a taste in his hosts upon the Government, which a few years before for various domestic douceurs which he introhad ransomed a colonel, who like him had fallen duced. To obtain their confidence yet farinto the hands of the brigands. The interpreter ther, he had established himself on the footing promised to furnish him with paper, and to convey of a buffoon with them, setting his wits to work his letter to its destination; but after having ob- every day to find out some new pleasantry for tained Kascan bo's consent he did not re-appear for their amusement. Ibrabim was particularly desome days, and this interval was employed in aug-lighted at seeing him dance the cossack; when any menting the Major's trials. They kept him without food, they took away from him the mat on which he slept, and a Cossack saddle cushion, which served him for a pillow; and when at last the interpreter returned he announced to him in a confidential manner that if they refused at the line inhabitant of the village paid them a visit, they took off Ivan's chains and made him dance, which he did always with a good grace, adding some ridiculous gambade each time. By constantly * A kind of Russian beer made from meal, |