TO THE FRONTIER OF CIRCASSIA. 
39 
Persia. The cannon upon the heights of Ehate- 
rinedara at this time commanded the whole 
marshy territory on the Circassian side ; yet it 
was impossible to venture, even a few hundred 
yards, in search of plants, owing to the danger 
that might be apprehended from numbers 
skulking in ambush among the woods near 
the river. The hasty survey we had made 
disclosed to us a plain covered with wild 
raspberry-trees, blackberry bushes, and a few 
large willows by the water's edge. Farther, 
towards the south, appeared woods of consi- 
derable extent, full of the finest oaks. Beyond 
these woods appeared the chain of Caucasian 
mountains, and territories which had been the 
theatre of war. The mountains rose like the 
Alpine barrier. Some of them seemed to be 
very lofty ; and their sides retained patches of 
snow toward the middle of July ; but, upon the 
whole, they seemed less lofty than the Alps. 
The passes through Caucasus must be difficult 
and intricate, as the mountains stand close to 
each other, and their summits are rugged and ir- 
regular. Those nearest to Ekaterinedara were not 
less than twenty-six English miles distant, and 
yet they appeared very visible to the naked eye. 
When we returned to the Russian side, the 
Circassians who had crossed the river were 
CHAP. 
I. 
I I 
