\r- 



( A VAN. 



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are found, ami silver and copper mine* are worked DMT Tifli*. Iron 

 bound* in many places, and U worked by the native* in a rude war. 



The chain of the Caucasus is composed chiefly of secondary rock*, 

 interspersed with thon of volcanic origin. There are no active vol- 

 canoes however, but earthquake* happen sometimes. Naphtha or 

 petroleum occur* in no part of the globe in Mich abundance a* on 

 the peaiiwula of Apaberon [BAKU] ; but it U not limited to this part 

 of the Caucasus : it occur* lu **veral plaoe* on it* southern side, and 

 on the north, on the island of Taman, formed by the two branches 

 of the Kuban. The mud-volcanoes of the Cauouu* aeetn to be 

 connected with the naphtha, for they occur only in the neighbour- 

 hood of it, especially on the island of Taman, and between Baku and 

 Nawagi, when they are conical hill* of earth, without any signs of 

 vegetation on them. From a small crater on their summit issues 

 the thick mud, with which a quantity of naphtha is mixed. Some- 

 times the** eruptions are attended with flames, and followed by a 

 gushing out of column* of water. On the north Ride of the Caucasus 

 there U a great number of hot, warm, and sulphuric spring*. Salt 

 lakes abound on the peninsula of Apsheron. 



The intercourse between the countries south and north of the 

 Caucasus is carried on by two road*. The most eastern runs along 

 the shores of the Caspian Sea, sometimes close to it, and sometimes 

 traversing the plains which lie between the sea and the eastern 

 extremity of the mountain*. This road unites Baku with Derbent, 

 and the latter town with Kizlar, or Kisliar, on the Terek. Though 

 thi* road does not pass over high mountain ridges, it is not much 

 frequented, a circumstance which may bo attributed to the difficulty 

 of crossing the numerous riven* which in spring and summer after 

 the melting of the snow cover a considerable part of the plains with 

 water. Its insecurity against the attacks of the Caucasian freebooters 

 is another strong reason for its being disused for commercial 

 purposes. The inundations also make the plains along the Caspian 

 for the greatest part of the year very unhealthy. 



The most frequented road, and the only one practicable for 

 carriages, U that which traverses the Caucasus nearly in its centre, 

 beginning on the south at Tiflis, on the banks of the Eur, anil 

 terminating on the Terek at St Ekaterinograd, whence it branches off 

 eastward through Hodzok to Kizlar, and westward through 

 Gheorghievnk and Stavropol to the mouth of the Kuban. The road on 

 leaving Tiflis runs along the Kur, through a plain ; it then ascends 

 the valley of the small river Arakui, or Aragbor, which grows 

 narrower as the road advances northward. Near its upper extremity 

 U the small fortress of Passanaur, erected for the protection of 

 travellers against the Caucasian mountaineers. Between this fortress 

 and another, Kazib g, lies the highest part of the pass, which is more 

 than 8000 feet above the sea ; and on each side of it mountains rise 

 several thousand feet higher, the summit of Mount Kasbek being at 

 a fhort distance from it to the westward. In other places the road 

 run* on the edge of an abyss, which descends as far under it as the 

 mountains rise above it This pass preserves the same character as 

 far as the fortress of Dariel (from which it has received the name of 

 the Pott of Dariel), and even to that of Vladikaukas, where the 

 valley of the Terek may be considered to begin. The part farther 

 south U hardly more than a mere ravine. The difficulties 

 encountered on this road by the traveller are often increased by the 

 fall of avalanches, or the sudden swelling of the torrents which 

 descend from the high mountains. 



Both these roads were known to the ancients. That which passes 

 the town of Derbent was called 1'orta Albanica, from Albania, the 

 name of the country watered by the lower course of the Kur. It was 

 sometimes also called Caipttt PyUr. The Pass of Dariel was called 

 by the ancient* Portte Caucasia, and sometimes Sarmatica: Pyla. 



There is probably no country on the globe, of so small an extent, 

 which contains such a number of different nations as the valleys of 

 the Caucasus. The native* speak at least seven different languages ; 

 bat the Tartar is understood by most of the tribes, except the 

 Strabo states that in his time at least seventy language* 

 Yen on the Caucasus. The Abhasians, who with their 

 tribe* are in powession of the southern declivity of the 

 the Black Sea and Mount Elbruz, differ from the 

 tribe* of the Caucasus in features, and in thir peaceful dis- 

 position, which ha* made them willingly submit to the Russians, 

 with the exception of two tribe* the Oubikhs and the Tchigate* 

 who form the confederation of the Chapsouk* ; these have frequently 

 repulsed the Russian*, and seized their forts. The Abhasians were 

 partially converted to Christianity in the time of Justinian ; they 

 an now chiefly pagan*, and pay particular veneration to the oak. 

 They an the moet ancient inhabitants of the Caucasus. The 

 northern aide of the range, with it* numerous valleys, is occupied 

 by the Circassians, or Tcherkesses, among whom the tribe of Adighe 

 hold* the first rank, a* being the purest in race. The Adighe are 

 pagans, with the exception of the chiefs, who profess Islamism. 

 Anapa is their chief town. Blood-feuds are indulged in among these 

 and all the Caucasian people* to an extent and with a ferocity 

 unknown even in Corsica : there an families at feud from time 

 immemorial. The Circassians are said to number 700,000. The 

 centre of the range, on both side* of the Pas* of Dariel, i* in 

 possession of the Ossete*, who ire said to be descendant* of the 



Alanu The Leaghiaos, or Loaghis, the most powerful of the 

 Caucasian mountaineers, occupy the greatest portion of the range 

 east of the Pass of Dariel, and approach the peninsula of Apnheron. 

 They are a warlike people, the terror of all their neighbour* and 

 the most determined enemies of Russia. Their nunibvr is about 

 400,000. The Tchechene* inhabit the country between the lower 

 Terek and the Kuma. They number only about 25,000, but an 

 in a state of almost constant revolt against Russia. The exten- 

 sive -mountain tract bordering on the uurth of Mount Tersh 

 1s inhabited by the numerous tribes of the Kisti, or Miueghe*. 

 The country about the sources of the Terek, to the cast of Mount 

 Elbrus, is called Kabardah, and U nubject to Russia. In the plain* 

 south of the Caucasus live the Mingrelians, Imeritiaus, and Georgians. 

 AJI these nations differ in their language. As great perfection of 

 form and an ancient origin have been attributed to the inhabitant* 

 of this region, the highest rank in ethnological classification ha* been 

 termed the Caucasian race. 



Besides these aboriginal tribes, many others of foreign origin are 

 met with in the valleys of the range. The most numerous are the 

 Tartars. There an also Cossaks and Magyars, and on the south of 

 the Caucasus, about Tiflis, there an several German colonies. 



The Greeks became vaguely acquainted with the name and j. 

 of the Caucasus at an early period, as the expedition of Jason and 

 the mythology of Prometheus evidently show. Herodotus (i. 203) 

 describes the general position of the Caucasus with sufficient accuracy. 

 The detailed description in the llth book of Strabo evidently shows 

 that in his time the country to the south of the Caucasus wns well 

 known. This was owing to the expedition of Pompey, who, in his 

 war with Mithridates, advanced to the very foot of the great range, 

 and got possession of both banks of the Cyrus and Araxcs. 



(Rcinegg, Backreibung da Kaukasiw, Petersburg, 1796-7; Koch, 

 Karle da Kautatuchen lethmiui, Berliu, 1S50 ; Jlrite nock den Kaula- 

 sitchen Jtlhmtut, Stuttgardt, 1843; Ivan Golovin, The Caucattu, 

 London, 1854 ; Pallas; Klaproth; Bibersteiu; Eugeluardt, &c.) 



CAUDEBEC. (SEINK-lNlfclllKl'RE.] 

 CAUX. [SEINE-lNFfeBlECBE.] 



CAVA1LLON. [VAUCLUSE.] 



CAVAN, an inland county of the province of Ulster, Ireland, 

 bounded N. and N.R by Fermanagh and Monoghan, S.E. and S. by 

 Meath, an angle of Westmeath and Longford, and W. by Leitrim, is 

 situated between 53 46' and 54" 18' N. lat, 6 32' and 8 3' W. long. 

 Its length from south-east to north-west is 51 miles, its breadth from 

 north to south 28 miles ; the area is 746 square miles, or 477,360 

 acres, of which 375.473 are arable, 71,918 uncultivated, 7325 in 

 plantations, 502 in towns, and 22,142 under water. The population 

 in 1851 was 174,071. 



Surface, Hydrography, Communication* Cavan is the southern- 

 most county of Ulster. Stretching across the narrowest portion of 

 Ireland, it extends on the east to within 18 miles of the Irish Sea at 

 Dundalk, and on the west to within 20 miles of the Atlantic at Sligo 

 Bay. The county is in form an irregular oval. It rises into mouu- 

 taitw of considerable height at its north-western extremity, but 

 the greater part of its surface, although high and very irregular, pre- 

 sents no elevations of any consequence. Cuilcagh, the highest point 

 of the north-western chain (2188 feet), forms with the remainder of 

 the Ballynageeragh Mountains the southern boundary of the basin of 

 Lough Erne, the chief feeders of which lake flow from this county. 

 From Lough Dawnagh on the south, where Cavan joins the county of 

 Longford, the river Erne flows northward through Lough Oughter 

 and Belturbet to the borders of Fermanagh, where, after nearly 

 bisecting the county of Cavan, it enters Upper Lough Erne at the 

 same point with the Woodford, a considerable stream which also 

 crosses the county a little farther north from a small lake on the 

 borders of Leitrim. The Erne between Lough Oughter and Upper 

 Lough Krne receives the waters of the Annalee, which, rising from 

 two lake* on the borders of Monaghan, runs nearly west through the 

 fiat country between Cootehill at its source and Butler's Bridge near 

 its confluence. Ixmgh Sheelin and Lough Kamor, or Virginia Water, 

 are also two considerable lakes in this county : the first discharges it* 

 waters through Westmeath by the Inny, a feeder of the Shannon ; 

 the second through Meath by the Black water, a tributary of the Boy ne. 

 The chief line* of road are in the direction of the greatest length and 

 breadth of the county, from Navan in Meath on the south-east to 

 IMturbet and Florence Court on the borders of Fermanagh on the 

 north-west, and from Killcahondra on the couth-west to Cootehill on 

 the north-east ; the point of intersection is at Cavan, the assize town, 

 situated very nearly in the centre of the county. The line of navi- 

 gation of the Ulster Canal connect* Belturbet with Lough Erne and 

 Lough Ncagh. 



Geology, Mineralogy, dec. In geological distribution Cavan belongs 

 to the clay-slate and grauwacke district Indurated schist constitutes 

 the surface rock throughout the whole of the county, except when it 

 is overlaid by tabular uuuwcs of millstone grit in the mountainous 

 district on the north-west and in the low ground containing the lakes 

 of Upper Lough Erne, which in occupied by an extension of the lime- 

 atone central plain. A patch of granite about seven miles square 

 occurs in the eastern part of the county, and assists in explaining the 

 broken character of the bills in that district, the presumption being 



