170 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



They are expert in riding to an extraordinary degree, and sometimes have 

 horse races. {Fiff. 6.) 



The Caucasians, that is to say, the nations which have inhabited the Cau- 

 casus since the historical era, form three great divisions, according to their 

 languages, viz., the Lesghi^ or East Caucasians ; the Mizdshegi, or Kistes, 

 Middle Caucasians ; and the Circassian and Abasian tribes, or West Cauca- 

 sians. Many other nations, as, for example, the Ossetes, Georgians, and 

 Bassians (the last of Turkish origin), settled in the Caucasus and its southern 

 borders only in later times. 



T/ie Lesghi, Lesghians, or Lesghines, are the inhabitants of the eastern 

 part of the Caucasian range, lying bet\yeen the Koisu, the Alasane Rivers, 

 and the plains on the shores of the Caspian Sea, and which is called by the 

 Turkish and other Asiatic people, Daghestan, i. e. •' hilly country," or Les- 

 ghistan, i. e. land of the Lesghi. The Lesghi are divided into numerous small 

 tribes of people, most of whom have lived in the Caucasus for a very long time, 

 as even Strabo and Plutarch speak of them ; they appear to have mixed since 

 with other stocks. Klaproth conjectures that the Avari, a Lesghian tribe in- 

 habiting the Chundsah, might perhaps have descended from the ancient Avari, 

 who were the second branch of the Huns. Like all Caucasians, the Lesschi 

 are savage, cruel, rapacious, and always ready to serve any one who will pay 

 them. Their daring courage often borders on foolhardiness. Their weapons 

 are gun, sword, and dagger, which are used with great dexterity ; they are, 

 however, good archers also {pi. 15, jig. 18). They are as good footmen as 

 horsemen, and bear the fatigues of a compaign with great patience, provided 

 their pay is only regular. Their bravery is so great, that their participation 

 has decided many battles. Most of the Lesghi are Mohammedans of the sect 

 of the Sunnites ; among a few stocks, however, faint traces of Christianity are 

 still found. The most powerful stocks are the Kasi-Kumucs, Avari, Akoo- 

 shahs, and Koulitshi. 



The Mizdshei^i or Kistes. to the west and north-west of the Leso-hi, are 

 still more decided robbers than the latter, and the Russians have as yet failed 

 to subjugate them. The most barbarous of them are the Tshetshentzes, the 

 ' stock inhabiting the country watered by the Gicha, Earthan, Argun, and the 

 Dsahlk Rivers. To the west of them live the Karabulak ; and the western- 

 most stock are the Ingoushes, who are less rapacious, and almost entirely sub- 

 jected to the Russians. 



The Circassia7is and Abasians of our day inhabit the country extending 

 from the Upper Kuban to the Black Sea. 



The Abasians {pi. 10, fig. 24) appear never to have left the coasts of the 

 Black Sea and the western part of the mountain range. They call them- 

 selves Absne, or Abene : they are termed, however, by the Russians and 

 Turks Abasa, and by the Georgians Abchassi, from which Europeans have 

 made Abases, Abasians, Afjases, Abgasetes, (fee. They resemble the Cir- 

 cassians in manners, dress, and ceremonies, their languages being also 

 related to each other. The Abasians are agriculturists, but live chiefly by 

 cattle breeding. Their large and handsome breed of horses is renowned. 

 Their possessions extended in former times to a much greater distance than 

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