TO THE FRONTIER OF CIRCASSIA. 
to answer for the rest of their countrymen, 
and for themselves.” 
Ataman. “ Have all those who are not pre- 
sent, as well as these their deputies, taken the 
oath of peace on the other side of the river ?” 
Pasha. “ All of them. Unless I had been 
present upon the occasion myself, and had 
actually witnessed it, I would not venture to 
be responsible for their peaceable behaviour: 
this I now promise to be.” 
Ataman. “ Your Excellency speaks of a re- 
sponsibility, perhaps much greater than you 
imagine. Hitherto, their princes have paid no 
respect to the obligation of an oath ; which has 
been violated as often as it was made. How 
many have engaged to be bound by the oath 
now to be repeated ?” 
Pasha. “ Fifty : and of these, the most pow- 
erful are the princes who have attended me 
upon this occasion.” 
Ataman. “ All our Cossack brethren, whom 
the Circassians have made prisoners, must be 
restored : in failure of this, the war will cer- 
tainly be renewed ; and in compliance with this 
demand, all our prisoners will be given up.” 
Some other conversation past, which we 
were unable to collect, from the rapidity of its 
delivery. As soon as the preliminaries were 
