THE EUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. 457 



cliaracter of the native Georgian and Armenian Cliurclies, 

 and in the evil wrought by Russian proseljtism, which en- 

 deavours to effect wholesale conversions by holding out 

 baits of worldly advantage. Converts thus made abandon 

 their old religion without gaining anything in its place. 

 For the present, the heads of the Greek Church may more 

 profitably employ its energies in sending missionaries to 

 lead their ruffianly co-religionists in the southern valleys to 

 a better mode of life. When Mahommedans have no longer 

 to maintain a guard, to protect their flocks from Christian 

 thieves, there will be more hope of their adopting the re- 

 ligion recommended to their notice. 



I now turn to the relations existing between the Russian 

 Government and the mountain-tribes. Our observations 

 fully confirmed all we had been j^reviously told respecting 

 them. Since the conclusion of the Crimean War, the whole 

 country has been fairly conquered, and the inhabitants have 

 learnt from experience that any rising will be promptly put 

 down and summarily revenged. The European traveller 

 need no longer fear open robbery, except in Suanetia, 

 and in this district it is owing rather to want of will 

 than of power that the Russians leave the village commu- 

 nities to their native misrule. Selfishly speaking, the 

 policy of the Government in abstaining from garrisoning 

 the upper valleys is prudent ; it would gain nothing, and 

 spend much, by acting otherwise. It matters little to 

 Kutais if the inhabitants of two Suanetian villages like to 

 cut one another's throats, and the maintenance of an armed 

 force in the district would, except from a philanthropic point 

 of view, be unprofitable. That such conduct, however, 

 shows a neglect of the first duty of a Government, even 

 Russians must admit, if they believe, with us, that the 

 extension of any organised system of justice, however im- 

 perfect, is a blessing to regions formerly a prey to the mis- 



