Untitled
Untitled Untitled
160 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS the Russian or German colonists supply their wants, or the hill-men purchase such simple implements or luxuries as they can afford. The local architecture might remind the traveller of nu-al Holland, were it possible to imagine an untidy Holland. As an administrative centre Naltshik has considerable im- portance, for here lives the official, or Nachalnik, who is responsible for the peace of all the Turkish tribes between the Urukh and Elbruz, the men of Balkar and Bezingi, Chegem and Urusbieh. Hither the village chiefs, or Starshinas, come down to render a periodical account of their stewardship, to be instructed as to new forest regulations, or to discuss some moot point of rights THE MOUNT.-ilNS FKOM NALTSHIK of pasturage between their communities. Russian administration of Asiatic mountaineers, as far as a traveller sees it, is in many respects the opposite of our own m India. Contrast, for instance. Captain Younghusband's account of how we bewildered the folk of Gilgit at first by our activity, our demands for labour for public works, our insistance on public order. The Russian civil servant in the Caucasus, as a rule, does little he can help, unless it conduces to his own immediate amusement or advantage. The idea of developing his district, of adding to its natural resources, seldom seems to occur to him. The national talent for doinsf without roads naturally disinclines him to any eff'orts in their construction. I am afraid the national tendency to jobbery comes in also. No other explanation of the dozens of broken and useless
BALKAK AM) BEZIXGI IGl bridges, the roads paid for by distance, wiiich take a fatuously circuitous course, suggests itself to the Western mind, or has been offered to me by Russians themselves. On the other hand, if little is done for the mountain people of the Caucasus, comparatively little is required of them. They have never yet been systematically called on for military ser^'ice, domestic disorders are easily over- looked, taxation is light, and in the mountains almost nominal. The Turkish ti-ibes are not disaffected, l)iit they might easily be persuaded to emigrate to some country whence the pilgrimage to Mecca would be made easier to them, and where thev would feel less cut off from the Mohammedan world. It would be a pity. I trust that we may never hear of this fine race, so well suited to the highlands they inhabit, being driven, through misunderstanding -ndth local officials on matters of administrative detail, to follow their Circassian neighbours in seeking a new home outside Russia, and thus to add a new element of disorder in lands where the nations of Europe, and England in particular, have too long supported that effete and barbarous system Government. of extortion and niisi'ule which is called the Turkish The two main avenues of approach from Naltshik to the great glaciers at the sources of the Cherek are naturally the valleys of that torrent. Its two branches unite some miles above and to the east of the town, in a depression between the outer or cretaceous chain and the northern belt of limestones. To reach Bezingi a short cut over the lower hills is generally used. To Balkar the track strikes at once eastward to the Cherek, through a rolling country, the edge of the steppe, garni.shed with dogroses and wild fruit-trees, and but spansely inhabited. This formed part of the Kabarda, so named after a race said to have come from the Crimea, who made themselves masters of this part of Circassia. The villages are long ranges of simple wooden huts or sheds, and gardens surrounded by wattled fences. They lie in the open country. The hills and woods are the old debatable ground, and no human habitation except a shepherd's hut is met during a long day's journey and till after the great limestone gorges have VOL. I. L
- Page 128 and 129: 110 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 130 and 131: 112 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 132 and 133: lU THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 134 and 135: UG THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASrjS
- Page 136 and 137: 118 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 138 and 139: 120 THE EXi'LORATION UF THE CAUCASU
- Page 140 and 141: 122 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 142 and 143: 124 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 144 and 145: CHAPTER VI THE ADAl KHOKH GROUP Ili
- Page 146 and 147: 128 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 148 and 149: 130 THE EXI'LOKATIUN OF THE CAUCASU
- Page 150 and 151: 132 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 152 and 153: 134 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 154 and 155: 136 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 156 and 157: 138 THE EXPLORATIUX OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 158 and 159: 140 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 160 and 161: 142 THE EXPLOKATJUX OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 162 and 163: 14-t THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASU
- Page 164 and 165: CHAPTER VII THE VALLEY OF THE URUKH
- Page 166 and 167: 148 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 168 and 169: 150 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 170 and 171: 152 THE i;xi'H)i;ati().\ ok the Cau
- Page 172 and 173: 154 THE EXI'LOKATION OF THE CAUCASU
- Page 174 and 175: 156 THE EXPJ.ORATION OF THE CAUCASU
- Page 176 and 177: 1.58 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASU
- Page 180 and 181: 162 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 182 and 183: 1()4 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASU
- Page 184 and 185: 166 THH KXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 186 and 187: 168 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 188 and 189: 170 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 190 and 191: 172 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 192 and 193: 174 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 194 and 195: 176 THE EXIM.OUATIUX OF THE CAUCASU
- Page 196 and 197: 178 THE EXPLOKATIOX UF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 198 and 199: LSO TTTE EXTLOILVTIOX OF TTTE CAUCA
- Page 200 and 201: CHAPTER IX THE PATHS TO SUANETIA Di
- Page 202 and 203: 184 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 204 and 205: 186 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 206 and 207: 188 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 208 and 209: 190 THE EXPLORATION OE THE CAUCASUS
- Page 210 and 211: 192 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 212 and 213: 194 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 214 and 215: im THE FA'PLORATION OF THR CAUCASTT
- Page 216 and 217: 198 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 218 and 219: 200 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 220 and 221: CHAPTER X SUANETIA Kovpii'iSos . .
- Page 222 and 223: 204 THE EXPLORATION OE THE CAUCASUS
- Page 224 and 225: 206 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
- Page 226 and 227: 20.S THE EXTLOKATION OF THE CAUCASU
BALKAK AM) BEZIXGI IGl<br />
bridges, the roads paid for by distance, wiiich take a fatuously<br />
circuitous course, suggests itself to the Western mind, or has been<br />
offered to me by Russians themselves. On the other hand,<br />
if little<br />
is done for the mountain people of the Caucasus, comparatively<br />
little is required of them. They have never yet been systematically<br />
called on for military ser^'ice, domestic disorders are easily over-<br />
looked, taxation is light, and in the mountains almost nominal.<br />
The Turkish ti-ibes are not disaffected, l)iit they might easily be<br />
persuaded to emigrate to some country whence the pilgrimage<br />
to Mecca would be made easier to them, and where thev would<br />
feel less cut off from the Mohammedan world.<br />
It would be a pity.<br />
I trust that we may never hear of this<br />
fine race, so well suited to the highlands they inhabit, being<br />
driven, through misunderstanding -ndth local officials on matters<br />
of administrative detail, to follow their Circassian neighbours in<br />
seeking a new home outside Russia, and thus to add a new element<br />
of disorder in lands where the nations of Europe, and England<br />
in particular, have too long supported that effete and barbarous<br />
system<br />
Government.<br />
of extortion and niisi'ule which is called the Turkish<br />
The two main avenues of approach from Naltshik to the great<br />
glaciers at the sources of the Cherek are naturally the valleys of<br />
that torrent. Its two branches unite some miles above and to<br />
the east of the town, in a depression between the outer or<br />
cretaceous chain and the northern belt of limestones. To reach<br />
Bezingi a short cut over the lower hills is generally<br />
used. To<br />
Balkar the track strikes at once eastward to the Cherek, through<br />
a rolling country, the edge of the steppe, garni.shed with dogroses<br />
and wild fruit-trees, and but spansely inhabited. This<br />
formed part of the Kabarda, so named after a race said to have<br />
come from the Crimea, who made themselves masters of this part of<br />
Circassia. The villages are long ranges of simple wooden huts or<br />
sheds, and gardens surrounded by wattled fences. They lie in the<br />
open country. The hills and woods are the old debatable ground,<br />
and no human habitation except a shepherd's hut is met during<br />
a long day's journey and till after the great limestone gorges have<br />
VOL. I. L