ZERGIFSKOY. 
43 
reasons, I generally retired for the night to my carriage, pre¬ 
ferring the endurance of a little extraordinary cold, rather than 
expose myself to all the filth of one of these abominable abodes 
of uncleanness. Stavropol is about three hundred and thirty 
wersts from New Tcherkask ; and here the great road comes in 
from the western line of the Caucasus, as well as from the Crimea, 
and the Turkish possessions on the eastern coast of the Black 
Sea. 
Early in the morning we descended the northern side of the 
town into a plain, keeping, for a considerable way, along the 
foot of some high, well-wooded ground; after which we 
ascended again over a succession of lands, until we reached the 
village and post of Zergifskoy, a place situated on the slope of 
a considerable hill, conspicuous even as far as Stavrapol, from its 
being composed of whitish sand, which, from that distance, has 
the appearance of snow. Here two Cossacks were given me 
lor an escort ; but how different were they, both in person 
and costume, from my friends of the Don ! Their stature was 
low, their visages rugged, and their garb of the wildest and 
most savage fashion. These people belong to the foot of the 
Caucasus ; and, as I proceeded further, I found most of the 
inhabitants habited in a similar manner. A small cloth cap, 
bound with sheepskin or fur, fits almost close to their head; while 
a short vest covers their body, and, falling as far as the knee, 
meets a pair of loose trowsers, which, stuffed into boots, com¬ 
pletes the uncouth but picturesque habiliment. Their arms are, 
a musket slung across the shoulder, protected from the damp by 
a hairy case; a straight sword fastened to the left side by the 
belt round their waist; a dagger of great breadth, and also a 
large knife, pendant from the same. On the right and left of 
g 2 
