THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 133 



The Emperor has even a regiment of Circassian 

 cavalry, all the members of which are princes or no- 

 bles, 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 indomitable obsti- 

 nacy about them, with which it is considered 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 tame popu- 

 lation 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 insult, and so prompt 

 to revenge it. In the street, whenever you see the 

 crowd carefully making way, you may be sure there 

 is either a general, a policeman, or a Circassian com- 

 ing. 



Every shot from the rifles of these wild riders tells ; 

 and though their pistols are but indifferent, yet at full 

 gallop they seldom miss their aim at a piece of paper 

 lying on the ground. Some of the more dexterous 

 hit with equal certainty a silver ruble piece, or strike 

 the earth so close to it as to make it fly into the air. 

 With the rifle they practise the Parthian mode of 

 warfare, shooting behind them as they fly; and, in 

 order to be able to turn round more readily, and place 



