GEORGIA. 



OKOBOIX 



IM 



found in gr**t quantity doM to the shores of the Cupiiui. It is 

 drawn from well* dug in the ground. There are many salt Lake* on 

 the peninsula of Apsheron, which furnUh a great quantity of aalt 

 The inhabitant* are generally Mohammedan*; they are more iiulun- 

 trioua than the other Mohammedan*, and are in a comparatively 

 better condition. At Atesch-Dja ia a remarkable temple belonging to 

 the eeot of the Qbebim, the Atesch-perust, or Pire-wonhippen of 

 the Persians. Here are naphtha Kprings, from which the gas escaping 

 U conducted through the five hollow pillan of the temple, and iasues 

 a* a bright flame to the height of 4 feet. Devotee* visit thii temple 

 from the Paujab and other part* of India, as well a* Penis, An 

 active commerce i* carried on by Baku on the Caspian Sea. [BAKU.] 



The province of Kooba border* on that of Baku on the aouth. 

 The western part of the province i* hilly ; but there are extensive 

 plain* of the moot fertile soil along the snores of the Caspian. The 

 climate i* rather cold in the mountain*, but warm in the plain*. The 

 country produce* in abundance every kind of corn, with some rice, 

 cotton, silk, and tobacco. Numerous flock* graze on the rich pastures. 

 The population, amounting to about 90,000, are Mohammedans. 

 Kooba, the capital, and the only town of the province, contain* about 

 650 wretched house*, built in an irregular manner. 



Dtrbemd ha* already been described. [DERBKND.] 



We shall now give a brief sketch of those countries which, having 

 preserved their national rulers, acknowledge the supremacy of Russia, 

 and are dependent on the governor-general of Georgia. 



Mngrdia. This principality, which extends along the banks of 

 the Rion, or Phasia, was well known in antiquity under the name of 

 COLCHIS. Mingrelia lie* between 42 and 43 N. lat, 41 19' and 

 42 19' E. long. It borders north on the Caucasian range, west on 

 Abkhazia and the Black Sea, east on Imiretia, and south on Gooria. It* 

 greatest breadth is 60, and its length about 75 English mile*. The 

 oil, climate, and productions are similar to those of Imiietia. The 

 population U about 100,000, and consists of Mingrelians and Suaneta, 

 with a few Abkhazians, Armenians, and Jews. The Mingrelians 

 speak a dialect of the Georgian language, and profess the Greek 

 religion. They have an archbishop and three bishops, subject to the 

 spiritual supremacy of the catholicos of Georgia. The Suanets, who 

 are a highland tribe professing partly the Mohammedan religion, are 

 divided into three classes princes, nobles, and peasants. The little 

 town of Sennakh ia the chief place of the country, and the residence 

 of the sovereign who U called Dadian. Russia possesses on the coast 

 the fortresses of Redout- Kale and Anaklia. 



The principality of Gooria has long been governed by its own 

 sovereigns, who are descendants of the Georgian dynasty, and were 

 vassals to the Ottoman Porte from the 16th century until 1810, when 

 it* ruler became a vassal of Russia. Gooria lies between 41 40' and 

 42 5' N. lat. ; it is bounded N. by Mingrelia, W. by the Black Sea, 

 E. by Imiretia, and S. by the Turkish possessions. The country is 

 very hilly, and covered with large forest*, containing excellent timber 

 for ship- building. The soil is the most fertile in Georgia; the 

 product* are the same as those of Imiretia and Mingrelia. The popu- 

 lation, which consist* of Georgians, and some Armenians, is about 

 40,000, and is divided into classes of princes, nobles, &c. as in 

 Georgia Proper. The religion is Greek, and the church establish- 

 ment consist* of an archbishop and two bishops, under the spiritual 

 superintendence of the catholicos of Georgia. The most important 

 place i* the Russian fortress of Poti, at the mouth of the river Hiou. 



A notice of Dagbestan ha* already been given. [DAUHESTAX.] 



We add a few particulars about the petty states which acknow- 

 ledge the supremacy of Russia, and are considered as part of that 

 :..i :r. . 



The possession* of the Shamkhal of Tarkoo, which contain about 

 50.000 inhabitants, extend along the Caspian Sea. The Shamkhal, 

 although a vassal of Russia, governs his possessions with unlimited 

 power. Tarkoo, the capital of the Shamkhal's dominions, situated 

 near the Caspian, contain* about 8000 inhabitants. Near it is the 

 fortress Boornaya, which is garrisoned by Russian troops. The 

 supremacy of the Shamkhal is nominally acknowledged by the 

 Lnghian tribe of Acoosha, which is a kind of republic composed of 

 about 10,000 families, who are much addicted to predatory habits, 

 and are ready to enter the service of anybody who will pay them. 

 They never attack the Shamkhal, on whose pastures they are permitted 

 to graze their flocks. Having revolted, they were defeated by the 

 Russian* in 1819, and since that time have remained tranquil. 



The other vassal princes of Russia in those part* are the Ootamey, 

 or prince of the Karakaydana, who rules over a population of about 

 70,000; and the Cadee of Tabaaieran, having a population of about 



Letykitlan, or the country of the I/eight*. The Lesghis inhabit a 



Country situated between Dagbestan, Georgia, the Caucavux, nn.l the 

 provinces acquired from Peraia. Klaproth is of opinion that the 

 tribe of Avars, which is the most important among the Leaghis, i* 

 descended from the ancient Avars, who were a branch of the Huns. 

 There is a great admixture amongst the Lesghis of Arabian blood, 

 from the colonies which were settled there in the 9th century by the 

 kalifs of Baghdad. Like all the Caucasian trilws, the Leaghi* are of 

 a savage character, and given to robbery. They are exceedingly 

 brave, and capable of enduring the greatest hardships. They are 

 most accomplished horsemen, but fight equally well on foot ; aud are 

 always ready to sell their servioec to the highest bidder. The 

 majority of the Lesghian tribes profess the Mohammedan religion of 

 the Sunnite sect. 



The highland tribes of the Mitsdjegi, or Kistes, are divided into 

 four branches 1, the Kiates Proper; 2, the Ingooshes; 3, the Kara- 

 boolaks; 4, the Chechenzeo. The amount of their population ia 

 very uncertain. 



The Osaetea, who inhabit a large tract of the Caucasus, and con- 

 stitute a population of about 33,000 families, are entirely distinct in 

 language and physical constitution from the other Caucasian tribes, 

 and appear to bear a remarkable affinity to the ancient Germans. A 

 great part of this nation, occupying the southern slope of the Caucasus, 

 was reduced to subjection by the mouarchs of Georgia, They profess 

 the Christian religion of the Greek Church ; and although they have 

 preserved their own language they resemble in many respects the 

 inhabitants of Georgia, of which their country now forms a district. 

 The Oasetes who inhabit the northern slope of the Caucasus have 

 preserved their independence, although they are nominally subject to 

 Russia. They were early converted to the Christian religion, which 

 however they have abandoned ; and, except some obscure tradition* 

 aud superstitious observances, and a great veneration for the ruins of 

 ancient churches, they have scarcely any religion whatever. The 

 Oasetes are a laborious and sober people. They are chiefly occupied 

 in hunting and in rearing flocks, the produce of which they exchange 

 for different objects of necessity. 



The Abases, or Abkhoses, occupy Abasia Proper, which extend* 

 from Mingrelia along the shores of the Block Sea, a distance of nearly 

 70 English miles, and contains a population of about 50,000, under 

 the nominal dominion of a prince who acknowledges the supremacy 

 of Russia. The Abosiau population is not however confined to that 

 little district. It is intermingled with the Circassians all over the 

 country that extends along the coast of the Black Sea as far a* the 

 banks of the Kooban. Their number may be about 150,000. 



The great aud little Kabardahs are inhabited by Circassians who 

 have submitted to Russia. Their population is composed of about 

 15,000 families. 



Hutory. The countries on the eastern shores of the Black Sea 

 appear, from the history of the expedition of the Argonauts, to have 

 been known to the early Greeks, and several Greek colonies, such a* 

 Dioscurios and others, were established here at on early epoch. The 

 Romans became acquainted with the Caucasian regions during their 

 wars with Mitbridates and with the kings of Armenia, Towards 

 the end of the 14th century they were invaded by Tamerlane, when 

 they suffered even more than under Gengia Khan. After the death 

 of Tamerlane the kings of Georgia expelled the Mohammedans aud 

 resumed their power; but the unfortunate division of the country 

 which Alexander I., king of Georgia, made among his three sons in 

 1424, plunged it again into a miserable condition. From the 16th 

 century the czars of Moscow have endeavoured to establish their 

 influence in the Caucasian regions, and by degrees the chiefs became 

 subject to them. In 1810 the chief, or sovereign, of Imiretia made an 

 unsuccessful attempt to shake off his yoke ; but he was obliged to 

 flee to Turkey, and his principality was converted into a province of 

 Russia. Several other petty states fell successively under the some 

 power, whose conquests were extended during her last wars with 

 Persia and Turkey, and confirmed by the treaty of Turkmanchay in 

 1828 with Persia, and that of Adrionople in \S'2 { J with Turkey. Since 

 that time Russia has been chiefly occupied in endeavouring to sub- 

 jugate the semi-independent highland tribes, to consolidate her power, 

 and to assimilate the education, laws, and government to that of the 

 rest of the Russian empire. In this the Russian government appeared 

 to be steadily working out its purpose, but the events of the war now 

 in progress has already produced some, aud may produce many more, 

 changes in the condition of this country. 



(Sir Robert Ker Porter, Trarelt in Georgia; Klaproth, Rtitt in den 

 Caucana tout Gturgit; Eichwald, Keac in den Kaukanu; (Jamba, 

 Yuymje dam la Htutic Mfridianaie ; Baron von Haxthausen, Trantcau- 

 catia, Sketchet of the Nation* and Jiacei between the Black Sea and the 

 Caspian, Loud., 1854.) 



END OP VOLUME II. 



AD ivAira, raumas, WIUTBTUAM, 



