56 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



with in Astrakhan, which borders on the Caucasian 

 northern frontier. 



The nomadic Kurdish tribes wander after the grass 

 in the region of the Ararats and Alagoz. Armenians 

 are peculiar now to no particular district, but still have 

 their greatest stronghold in the district of Erivan. 

 There you see the simple peasant ; his brother of the 

 wily trading instincts, the persevering monopolist, you 

 must look for in the towns. 



For the first time in all history these peoples are 

 ruled by one Power, for although many conquerors have 

 claimed through the ages absolute suzerainty over the 

 whole Caucasian region and the adjacent steppes, the 

 control exercised, particularly as regards the indepen- 

 dent mountain tribes, existed largely in the fond imagi- 

 nations of the pro tern, nominal " Government." 



When Russia occupied the country in 1801 Batoum 

 and Kars belonged to Turkey, the eastern provinces to 

 Persia, whilst Georgia, Mingrelia, and Imeretia repre- 

 sented a single State which had been in existence with 

 a consecutive history from the dawn of the Christian 

 era. 



