VOYAGE AND ARRIVAL 29 



hestan, the very country ranged itself in line with its 

 children. To me, the history of the great struggle is 

 one of the most fascinating records of modern times. 



So often in England we speak of Circassia as though 

 it were another name for Caucasia, and in the minds 

 of a great many a Caucasian is of necessity a Circassian, 

 as a Circassian is a Caucasian. To term all Caucasians 

 Circassians is a most ludicrous mistake, much the same 

 as calling every Britisher an Irishman. Circassia is 

 but one of the variously named districts of the Cau- 

 casus, its people, the Adighe, as they called themselves, 

 one of the many tribes who live in the deep valleys set 

 in the groins of the great mountain chain. 



Farther back than we can follow, this Adighe nation 

 had their own representative little Government, run 

 on fine old feudal lines, their Assembly, or Parliament, 

 presided over by a wild chieftain elected by all the 

 minor chiefs and tribesmen of the community. Strange 

 laws were made, and they enforced them, too ! 



No man was bound to serve in a mere local raid, but 

 everyone old enough to bear arms had to rally round 

 their chieftain when sallying forth against a foreign foe. 

 Chiefs could own no serfs, and the serfs of tribesmen 

 were free to choose another master if the dislike to the 

 one in possession was held by the arbitrators to be 

 warranted by conditions. Clansmen, also, might trans- 

 fer allegiance to a better chief, and tribal honours, 

 therefore, depended on the goodwill of the people. A 

 splendid system of give-and-take, and a great im- 

 provement on the hereditary principle in vogue in so 

 many African communities, where the chieftainship 



