140 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



could not scramble on foot. Sure-footed and agile as 

 the chamois, they gallop down the most precipitous 

 descents, springing from rock to rock in a manner 

 incredible to those who have not witnessed with their 

 own eyes how the nature of the horse adapts itself to 

 the localities in which he is bred. 



As the tribes' of the Caucasus are often at war 

 with each other, Russia succeeds occasionally in pro- 

 curing a hollow show of submission from some of 

 them. The Emperor has even a regiment of Cir- 

 cassian cavalry, all the members of which are princes 

 or nobles, and may be considered in the light of 

 hostages. Even under the yoke of foreign service* 

 these men retain their fiery independent spirit, and 

 the imperial despot himself finds it necessary to treat 

 them with much indulgence ; for there is an indomit- 

 able obstinacy about them, with which it is consi- 

 dered most politic not to meddle. They mix very 

 little with the Russians, but live exclusively in their 

 own circle, exciting an amusing degree of awe on the 

 the tame population which surrounds them. The 

 Russian, in all his pride of uniform, whether he 

 be officer, soldier, or policeman, has a salutary dread 

 of interfering with this fierce race, so sensitive to 

 msult, and so prompt to revenge it. In the street, 

 whenever you see the crowd carefully making way, 



