nis 



OKOROIA. 



QBOBOLL 



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Th government of these countries U concentrated in the penon of 

 the governor-general, who resides at Tiflin, and who U at the same 

 time commander of a considerable military force called the Caucasian 

 corpe. The governor-general determines all the civil and military 

 affair* of these province*, and directs the minor diplomatic relations 

 with the neighbouring countries. 



Until within the last few yean the several provinces and tribes 

 were governed by certain customary laws, besides which there was 

 a general code for Georgia known as the laws of King Vakhtang, 

 which was recognised and administered by the Russian authorities ; 

 but in 1837 a commission was sent to Georgia with instructions to 

 thoroughly examine the country and the condition of its inhabitant*, 

 and to draw up a project for its government The commission com- 

 pleted its labours, and the new civil administration waa inaugurated 

 in January, 1841. The main object of this project was to remove 

 the influence of the military power from the civil department, and to 

 separate the political department from that of justice and finance ; and 

 in order to assimilate a* much as possible the political condition of 

 Transcaucasia to that of the rest of Russia, the laws and institutions 

 in force in that country, the names of the magistrates, their functions 

 and routine of business, were extended to Transcaucasia, with only 

 such modifications as the condition of the country and its inhabitants 

 required. 



One of the most important alterations was the abolition of the old 

 oppressive and vexatious system of dues and imposts, and the substi- 

 tution for it of a new system of taxation, consisting of, for the 

 country communes, a tithe on the previous valuation of the aggregate 

 landed property of the community, or in its place, where from local 

 circumstances the tithe is inapplicable, a tax on the number of chim- 

 neys of from three to five rubles ; both these a monuments being valid 

 for 15 yean : and for the town communex, a fixed tax laid upon 

 every trade, its amount being in proportion to the number of work- 

 men employed ; and a tax on commerce proportional in amount to the 

 class of business. There is also a minor tax on each workman, the 

 receipt for which serves for his passport The reforms were doubtless 

 well-intentioned, but it is to be feared that the very general corruption 

 of the officials has deprived them of pretty nearly all the bem-ticial 

 effect which they might have produced if properly carried into practice, 

 It is certain that the inhabitants complain bitterly of the oppression 

 they endure, and there is but too much reason to believe that their 

 complaints are well founded. 



The Transcaucaiiian provinces are divided into the Christian and 

 Mohammedan. The Christian comprise the ancient czardoms of 

 Georgia Proper, Imiretia, Gooria, and the vassal countries Mingrelia, 

 Abasia or Abkhazia, and Suanetia, in which the Greek religion pre- 

 vails, together with the Armenian provinces. Among the Mohamme- 

 dan are classed the khanats of Karabagh, Chamaka, Noukha, Derbend, 

 Lenkoran, inhabited by Mohammedans of the Sheeah sect, anciently 

 under the dominion of Persia, and the former Turkish pashalicn of 

 Akhaliz and Alkaltaliti, inhabited by Sunnite Mohammedans. Many 

 of the highland tribes are however only nominally vassals of Russia 

 and are in frequent revolt against her. 



We proceed to notice the principal provinces : 



(/toryia Proper consists of the former kingdoms of Kakhet and 

 Kartli, which were united under the domination of Prince Heraclins 11. 

 in the iMh century. It contains, according to official returns, about 

 25,000 square miles, with a population of about 500,000. The prin- 

 cipal town is TirLts, the ancient metropolis of Georgia, the chief seat 

 of the commerce of the country, and at present the seat of govern- 

 ment for all the Caucasian provinces of Russia. It is situated in 

 41* 40' N. lat, and 45 16' E. long., and extends along both banks of 

 the river Kur for about Ij English mile. A notice of it will be 

 found under its title. The inhabitants of the country parts have the 

 reputation of being exceedingly attached to their religion and country, 

 honest, simple-hearted, laborious, and brave. These honourable 

 qualities are tinged with an admixture of vanity, irascibility, and 

 some other defects common to less civilised nations. The townsmen 

 are indolent, avaricious, and untrustworthy. The language of Georgia 

 bean a great resemblance to the Armenian ; but besides the Arme- 

 nian, which constitutes its basis, the Georgian is full of Greek, Latin, 

 Fenian, Arabic, Turkish, and other foreign words. Georgia was 

 converted to Christianity by Armenian missionaries, who introduced 

 into the churches of this country the worship in the Armenian tongue, 

 which however wan not understood by the people. In 410 a learned 

 Armenian named Mearop invented an alphabet for the Georgians, and 

 soon afterwards the Bible and other religious books were translated 

 into the Georgian language. A new and more simple kind of letters, 

 used for ordinary writings, was invented about the 10th century. 

 The new alphabet is called by the Georgians Mkhedroolee, or the 

 Military one, and the old one KhooUoora, or the Ecclesiastical. The 

 population of Georgia is divided into the following clauses : 1st, 

 the bedebuli, or sovereign nobles ; 2nd, the Tavadia (literally heads), 

 who constitute the higher nobility ; 3rd, the Asuauri, or nobles ; 4th, 

 the Mokalaks, or citinos (from Kalakh, a town); and 5th, the Glekhs, 

 or peasant*. The Russian government in taking po Mission of Georgia 

 gave to the Tavadia the title of princes, and to the Asnanri that of 

 nobles. Both these daises have in Kiiaia the same privileges as the 

 nobles of that country, and have the Mine right to pones* serf*. Before 



the Russian dominion was established, the Tavadia were divided into 

 three classes, distinguished by the *um of money pa: ir<l"r 



of an individual belonging to their body. Thus the sum paid : 

 assassination of a Tavadi of the first class was double of what was 

 paid for one of the second : and the penalty for the murder of a 

 Tavadi of the second class was double of that for one of the third 

 class. The Asuauri were likewise divided into three classes, which 

 stood in the *ame relation to each other a* those of the Tavadis. The 

 Mokalaks, or citizens, live in the town*, chiefly at Tiflis, and are gene- 

 rally engaged in trade. The peasants are serf* in Georgia, and belong 

 .itli.T to the crown, the church, or to the princes and nobles. 



The other towns of Georgia are, Signakh or Syknnk, the chief place 

 of the district of that name, with about 3000 inhabitants, who are 

 regarded as the bravest of the Georgians ; Telav, a well-built town in 

 the Oriental style, with more than 8000 inhabitants; De- 

 fied place, with about 1500 inhabitants; Goree, a commercial town, 

 with about 3500 inhabitants ; and Klizabethpol, or Ganjah, formerly 

 the capital of a Khanat, and the residence of a vassal pn: 

 bethpol u a large town, which contains even now, in iU dilapidated 

 state, above 6000 inhabitants, and several fine mosques and 

 public buildings. The town is fortified, and has been frequently 

 exposed to the calamities of a siege and capture. All the towns 

 enumerated are capitals of districts, which are called after tin m. In 

 the vicinity of Goree are the singular ruiun of the rock-town of Uplas 

 Zichi, which consist of a number of dwellings which as well as nume- 

 rous roads are carved out of the solid rock : the works are of nt. . 

 antiquity, but the natives generally assign them to Queen, Thaiuara, 

 though another tradition accounts for the name by ascribing the 

 entire work to Uplas, a grandson of Noah. There is another of these 

 troglodyte towns at Vardsie near Zeda Tmogui on the Kur, which, 

 like that of Uplas Zichi, contains what is called a palace, as well as 

 some other caves, evidently of a superior character; and smaller 

 collections of similar caverns are found at two or three other places. 



Imiretia, borders north on the main ridge of the Caucasus, aud is 

 separated on the east by a branch of it from Georgia Proper ; on the 

 south it borders on Akhalzik ; and on the west on Mingrelia, Its area 

 is about 000 square miles; tin- population about insists 



chiefly of Imiretians aud a few Armenians. Being sheltered from the 

 northern winds by the Caucasus, its climate is mild, and iu many 

 parts the trees blossom and produce fruit twice a year. The large 

 forests with which the country is overgrown prevent the free circula- 

 tion of air, and engender a kind of malaria. The soil is exciv 

 fertile, and the climate favourable to the cultivation of all the products 

 of warm countries. The Imiretiaus speak a dialect of the Georgian 

 language, and are politically divided into the same classes as the 

 Georgians. Their manners and customs are also the some. Th 

 lower classes are very laborious, and remarkable for their jii. 

 strength. Many of them go to Tiflis to gain a livelihood by their 

 labour. Kootais, on the Rion, the metropolis, aud the only town of 

 Imiretia, was formerly the residence of its kings, and is uow the seat 

 of the provincial government It is the capital of the district of the 

 same name, as well as that of the whole country. The place is divided 

 into the old and new town, the former of which is of great antiquity, 

 and contains a church built in a splendid stylo of Byzantine aiv 

 ture. The new town is constructed iu the European manner, and it* 

 streets are planted with nut, fig, and other trees. The nun, 

 inhabitants, exclusive of the Russian garrison, is about 2500. Iu the 

 neighbourhood of Kootais is the monastery of Ghelat, which is sur- 

 rounded by mountains containing sulphur springs, naohtha wells, aud 

 also a kind of black amber. 



AkhalzUc, or Aklutiiz. By the treaty of Adrianople Turkey ceded to 

 Russia a port of the paahalio of Akhalzik which now forms the 

 Russian province of that name. On the north it borders on Gooria, 

 Imiretia, and Mingrelia ; on the east, on Georgia ; on the south, on t lu> 

 pashalic of Kan ; on the south-west, on the port of Akhalzik which 

 has remained under the Turkish domination. The area is above loon 

 square miles ; the population is about 70,000, and consists of Armenians, 

 Georgians, Greeks, Kurds, Turks, Jews, and Gipsies. The c<> 

 is generally hilly, but very fertile, aud the climate is healthy. Tin' 

 mountains contain numerous mineral springs, many of win, ! 

 medicinal properties. The country is divided into ten aaudjaks, or 

 districts, nome of which are governed by Russian officers, and other* 

 ves called sandjak-begs. The principal town i* Akhalzik, the 

 capital of the province, a fortress supposed to have been built by the 

 <<lrln.it, ,1 '.hi cen Thamar. It contains 14,0111) inhabitants. 



The Armenian Province* are composed of the khanat* of Krivan 

 and Nakhichevan, ceded to Russia by Persia iu 1828. The area is 

 about 7000 square miles, a great part of which in hilly, beside* the 

 mountain of Ararat There are however many plain* with :i 

 fertile soil. The products of Krivan are the same as those of Georgia, 

 but with the addition of a kind of cochineal, called by 

 red worms. The population is about 140,000, of whom 00,000 are 

 Mohammedans, and the rest Armenians. The Armenians are princi- 

 pally engaged in agriculture aud gardening. They grow wheat, 

 barley, maize, millet, and a little flax ; and pay considerable attention 

 to the cultivation of the vine. The Tatars inhabit large villages, 

 and are chiefly engaged in breeding horses, cattle, and sheep. Besides 

 the town of EIUVAN the most remarkable place* of the province are, 



