TO THE FRONTIER OF CIRCASSIA. 
then imagine what the astonishment of the 
Pasha was, when, being induced by curiosity 
to ask the Ataman from what country we came, 
he was informed we were English gentlemen, 
travelling for amusement among the very people 
whose appearance gave him so much uneasiness, 
and whom nothing but the most urgent necessity 
could have caused him to visit. He seemed to 
regain all his composure by this intelligence, 
speaking very highly of our countrymen, and 
saying, that the obligations England had con- 
ferred upon Turkey would never be forgotten. 
We took this opportunity to inquire respecting 
the state of the countries bordering the south 
coast of the Black Sea. He described them as 
full of difficulty and danger for travellers; 
that many districts were infested by merciless 
robbers ; and that a journey to Constantinople by 
land, from Anapa, would at least require three 
months ; whereas by water, from the same 
place, it might be accomplished in four or five 
days. Indeed, the inhabitants of Taganrog 
have performed the voyage within that period, 
including the additional passage of the Sea of 
Azof and the Straits of Taman. 
As soon as the ceremony ended, the Pasha 
embarked with his suite, in a canoe so narrow, 
that two persons could not sit abreast. With 
S3 
CHAP. 
i. 
