222 
from the first, consists of rocks, bearing 
large projecting trees, and having its 
sides covered here and there with 
withered grass and moss; the third 
region, which already rises above the 
clouds, is enveloped in a covering of 
snow; and the fourth appears covered 
with a crust of perpetual ice. From 
the midst of this majestic range, the 
gigantic Elberuss (Katsbek or Shat 
mountain) raises its royal head, and 
all the mountains around seem to bow 
down before it. No painter, no poet 
has yet dared to attempt a sketch of 
these immense mountains; nor could 
pen or pencil at all approach the rea- 
lity; and yet there is, perhaps, no 
place in the world where a mind of a 
truly poetical turn might find more 
and grander objects of inspiration. 
The mineral springs of this region 
most generally. known are, 1, hot 
springs, of 38° (quere, Reaumur?); 2. 
sulphurous acid springs, of 25°; 3, the 
hot springs at Warwazij, of 32°; 4. on 
the iron mountain, twelve wersts from 
the latter, chalybeat hot springs, of 32° ; 
5. forty wersts from the first, cold acid 
springs; 6. twelve wersts from these, 
acid chalybeat springs. 
Before arriving at the region of these 
springs, to the right of Georgiewshk, are 
the auls (villages) of some tribes of 
peaceable Cherkesses, kept peaceable by 
the strong rule of General Yermaloff, 
the terror of all the predatory tribes 
that inhabit the mountain fastnesses. 
But along the road. are some Scotch 
and German colonies, where invalids, 
visiting the springs, may be provided 
with excellent white and brown 
bread, butter, milk, potatoes, and va- 
rious other kinds of provisions. We 
paid for four rooms, opposite the 
springs, ten roubles daily—the use of 
the baths included. I drank some 
mineral acid water, which is sold at 
thirty-five copeks a bottle ; and took a 
bath, on Mount Mashnek, in a cistern 
cut in the rock, capable of contain- 
ing six persons. The heat of the water, 
which flows in on one side and out of 
the other, was 25°. After half an 
hour’s bathing I found myself greatly re- 
freshed, and felt a keen appetite. There 
is a flight of about one hundred steps 
leading upon this hill, but which is 
rather fatiguing for invalids. A new 
path, made by the orders of General 
Yermaloff, is ‘much more convenient. 
This gentleman has also caused the 
establishment of separate baths for 
tadies, in a neat house, built on the 
Journey to the Mineral Springs of Mount Caucasus, §c. (Oct. 1, 
top of the hill. Every convenience may 
be had here; and, compared with the 
prices at St. Petersburgh, the articles 
are not very dear. They are now lay- 
ing out a very beautiful garden there, 
and Iam convinced, that if the cares 
of government for this place are con- 
tinued for a few years longer, the Euro- 
pean nations will leave their own water- 
ing-places, and come to seek the resto- 
ration of kealth on Mount Mashnek. 
About eighty houses are already built ; 
the colonists are enriching themselves, 
since our troops are now so well sta- 
tioned, that there is no longer any, 
danger from the attacks of the hostile 
tribes. 
The road from Georgiewsk to Staw- 
ropol leads, at first, through a steep 
covered with dry grass (this was in 
the month of August), then through. 
meadows and corn-fields. Stawropol 
is a very regularly built town, and much 
more beautiful than Georgiewsk ; but 
I found the provisions scarce. There 
are two churches here, one of stone 
and the other of wood, From here we 
went through the village of Bogojaw- 
lensk to Protshnoi Okop, both inhabited 
by Cossacs, who seem to have a great 
abundance of cattle. From this place 
to the Caucasian fortress we were 
escorted by a party of Choperski-Cos- 
sacs—as beautiful a set of men as can 
be imagined. Throughout our journey. 
we found these men civil, and. clean 
and neat in every thing; the Cossac 
villages, all along the Kuban line, are 
well built, and the fields kept in good 
order; the grass was almost every 
where dry, owing to an extraordinary 
drought which had prevailed for some 
time: otherwise, I was told, the grass 
grows man high, which enables the Cos- 
sacs to keep a great quantity of cattle. 
The line along the Kuban seemed to 
me in better order than that of Mount 
Caucasus; and the Cherkesses, and 
Kabardinski, who inhabit the opposite 
shores of the river, are kept in awe 
by it. 
About twelve wersts beyond the for- 
tress the road begins to be even, and 
extends, in that manner, for 700 wersts. 
The Kuban rolling its waves along its 
gloomy banks, covered with forests and 
high withered grass, was on our left; 
but the traveller is cheered by the sight 
of the beauty, order and abundance 
that prevails in the Choperski-Cossac 
villages through which he passes, and 
each of which has its church, built of 
stone. t 
We 
