TJIE LESGHIAN MOUi\TAli\S. 265 



reason that the Circassian war lasted as long as it 

 did was, that it was the policy of Russia to keep 

 the Caucasus as a training school for her young 

 officers and raw recruits ; but, though this lias 

 been often repeated by men who were in a position 

 to know something of the matter, I would rather 

 believe that the fiery zeal, tough sinews, and 

 impracticable mountain homes of the Lesghians 

 were the cause, than the calculating cruelty of 

 their enemies. Be that as it may, the Lesghians 

 of to-day such at least as remain of them are 

 an honest race of sturdy mountaineers, who have 

 little love for Russia, and concern themselves in no 

 way with the outside world. Those Avith whom I 

 stayed never travelled, even as far as Goktchai, 

 more than twice a year, and, I daresay, don't 

 know yet that the Czar Alexander II. is dead. l>ut 

 the evil spirit that wrought his shameful murder 

 was never cherished in a Lesghian or Tscherkess 

 bosom, any more than in the breasts of his own 

 Russian moujiks. I have known the common 

 people of Russia for three or four years, and 

 known some of them well : for it was ever my wont 

 to put up in peasants' huts, and share the moujik's 

 black bread when out shooting near his village, 

 and I have never heard anything but love and 

 respect for the Kmpcror from a poor man yet. 

 The moiijik and the Tscherkess of to-day arc not 

 as tongue-tied as some would have us believe ; and 



