194 Scientific Reviews. 



have been already furnished to us by Pallas and Gmelin. Men 

 appeared to him like obelisks, shrubs like huts, and laden camels 

 like mountains. 



Our traveller compared the vocabulary of the Tcherkese language 

 given by Pallas with the pronunciation of a native prince, and found 

 it incorrect. Klaproth has given a better vocabulary in the second 

 volume of his journey to the Caucasus. It appears that the lan- 

 guage of this nation, so celebrated for the fairness of its vi^omen, 

 (commonly called Circassians,) is like the warbling of birds. The 

 placid sky and fine evenings invite the inhabitants of these verdant 

 and fragrant Steps to revelry. Like the Bedouin Arabs they pass 

 their nights in the enjoyment of tales and poetry ; and though we 

 must not seek for a faithful painting of national manners in their 

 tales of love, yet our traveller asserts, that he never heard so many 

 amatory songs in Madrid or Cadiz, and those continued for so many 

 nights. The Troubadour Tartar accompanies himself on a guitar 

 with two cords. The instrument reaches past his left ear : his head 

 hangs down over his right shoulder ; and his eyes are fixed on the 

 earth, where he seems to seek for thoughts or reminiscences. 



The politics of the Caucasus are more versatile than those of South- 

 ern America; nor can one ever judge by the results of one year what 

 will occur in the next. Republics which are under the protection of 

 a prince, make new alliances ; others render themselves entirely 

 independent ; conspiracies are formed and dissipated ; and yet the 

 whole is influenced by an apparent justice, which only wants a 

 Grotius or a Puffendorf, in the opinion of our author, to render 

 such fine materials effectual. 



We have given some notices of the manners of the Ingouches in 

 our geographical collections. The Count Potocki obtained his prin- 

 cipal notions from hearsay, which, on the plan of Herodotus, he al- 

 ways carefully separates from what he himself observes. There is 

 a curious relation between some of the customs of the Ingouches 

 and those of some pagan nations of central Africa. Thus, that in 

 the sandy deserts of this latter country, a rock or stone may become 

 an object of veneration is not surprising ; but it is curious that, in 

 a country not at all deprived of stones and rocky eminences, a people 

 should deviate from the manners of neighbouring tribes, give to 

 their sacred rocks the name of Jerda, and offer sacrifice before 

 them. The Ingouch also have fetiches, sometimes of silver. They 

 call them Tsououm. They address themselves to the fetiches for 

 rain, for children, &c. ; and they further take for themselves the 

 name of a cow, a pig, or a dog. 



Count Potocki did not visit the mountains of Caucasus ; but 

 speaks of them, as seen from the ramparts of Mosdok, in the same 

 raptures as other travellers who have visited the same country. 

 The Arabs were not accustomed to make journies to the glacier of 

 Grindelwald or of Chamouni. They knew only the hills of Par- 

 nassus and Olympus ; and it is not astonishing that such as came 

 to Phasis, or Dioscourias, should have been struck with the subli- 



