38 
CHAP. 
I. 
V. _ v — -/ 
THROUGH KUBAN TAHTARY, 
got the better of all fear, and we followed 
the Ataman's reluctant steps to the place where 
they were assembled. Seeing us advance, they 
hastily snatched up their arms (which they had 
placed against the trees and upon the ground), 
and l’eceived us with an air of evident defiance. 
We endeavoured to convince them that our 
views were pacific ; but matters soon grew more 
and more menacing, as they began talking loud 
and with great rapidity. No one of our party 
understood what they said ; and the Atamans 
uneasiness considerably increasing, we made 
signs for the canoes to draw near the shore, 
and effected our retreat. Thinking to shew 
them some mark of our respect, and of our 
friendly intentions, we took off our hats, and 
bowed to them as we retired. The effect was 
highly amusing : they all roared with loud and 
savage laughter, and, mocking our manner ol 
making obeisance, seemed to invite us to a 
repetition of the ceremony ; and as often as we 
renewed it, they set up fresh peals of laughter. 
The Cossach officers, who accompanied us upon 
this occasion, told us that the Circassians who 
lurk in the immediate vicinity of the Kuban are 
a tribe as wild and lawless as any in the whole 
district of Caucasus ; that their principal object 
is, to seize upon men, and to carry them off, 
for the purpose of selling them as slaves i n 
