382 TEAVEL, ADVENTUEE, AND SPOET. 



ture so menacing that we feared for the public peace. 

 As we wished to have some more conversation with 

 our new acquaintance, we persuaded all the Circas- 

 sians to leave the room. He then said that it was by 

 no means to be wondered at that he should regret the 

 departure of the Russian s, as their presence always 

 secured a profitable market for corn and vegetables ; 

 for the garrison had orders to buy the produce of the 

 country at exorbitant prices. But this was not the 

 only method resorted to for obtaining the goodwill 

 of the people. Our informant assured us that he 

 received a monthly salary of seven roubles, on condi- 

 tion that he maintained friendly relations with the 

 Russians, and exercised his influence in their behalf 

 among the natives. 



It was therefore most natural that the people of 

 Ubooch, who voluntarily deprived themselves of these 

 advantages for the sake of freedom, and suffered all 

 the inconveniences resulting from a determined hos- 

 tility to Russia, should have felt doubly indignant 

 with the base conduct of these Djikethians, who were 

 ready to sell their independence for a wretched 

 pecuniary advantage, and then boasted of their 

 treachery in their very faces. We were amused at 

 the hesitation which this fine gentleman displayed 

 when we informed him that he might retire, and he 

 contemplated the hostile party who were waiting to 

 receive him outside. We felt very little pity for 

 him, and were not surprised to hear the sounds of 



