26 
COUNT PLATOFF. 
where I was met by the Attaman’s secretary (the only person in 
his establishment who could speak French) I mentioned my 
name to him, and the good gentleman’s joyous surprise was no 
unpleasant token of his chief’s welcome. He told me His Ex¬ 
cellency had, only the day before, received intimation from St. 
Petersburg, that I was proceeding to Persia by a route so distant 
from Tcherkask that he must abandon all hope of seeing me. 
I did not delay being conducted to the Attaman’s presence ; and 
words cannot express the hospitable greeting of the kind old 
man. He embraced me, and repeatedly congratulated himself 
on the events, whatever they might have been, which had 
induced me to change my route to that of his territory. When 
he could spare me to proceed, he said, he would pledge himself 
that I should have every facility in his power to bring me to 
Tiflis in safety. The police-officer of Tcherkask being in the 
room, was ordered to provide me suitable quarters in the town ; 
but the Attaman’s table was to be mine, and he commanded an 
equipage to be placed entirely at my disposal. I urged that my 
stay must be short; but he would not hear of my leaving him 
till I had shared with him the honour of a visit he was then 
expecting from his Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Michael. 
Anxious as I was to lose no time in crossing the Caucasus, I 
could not withstand persuasions flowing from a heart so kindly 
to myself, and grateful to my country. He expressed, in the 
most enthusiastic language, his sense of the attentions bestowed 
on him by all ranks of persons during his stay in England in the 
year 1814; he said, that, independent of private respect for indi¬ 
viduals, he must always consider himself fortunate when cir¬ 
cumstances brought any Englishman into the Donskoy country, 
to whom he might evince his gratitude. “ But, with regard to 
