RELIEVED FROM ITS APPREHENSIONS. 
55 
tack of these brigands, who come down in hordes to the plunder 
of a caravan. That effected, they can be out of sight in the 
turnino' of a hill; and a few minutes carries them from all dan- 
ger, into depths or mountain-shelters, where no foot but those 
of their own practised mountaineers can reach, or pursue them. 
We had stood prepared a considerable time, waiting the nearer 
approach of the horsemen, to ascertain exactly what they were, 
before we should open our means of defence offensively against 
them ; when at about the distance of five hundred yards the troop 
halted. Our commanding officer and myself accompanied by 
ten or twelve Cossacks, then rode out towards them; they dis¬ 
patched an answering body to meet us ; and, when within pistol 
shot, one of this advance, held up a letter, calling out, “ they 
came from General del Pozzo.” This was verified immediately, 
by the man riding up alone, and delivering the paper to our 
officer. We were soon after joined by the whole troop, to the 
no small joy of our friends behind, who saw the amicable ren¬ 
counter ; and they speedily, one after the other, trotted out of 
the line of defence, to understand more clearly who and what 
they were, who had caused them all such unnecessary alarm. 
The letter which had been brought, was to hasten our convoy 
commander, and his military companions, in the fulfilment of 
their present duty; that they might assist in reinforcing the 
garrison of a lately erected fort in another pass of the mountains ; 
the object of which was to prevent, if possible, the ruinous in¬ 
cursions of the Tchetchinzi tribe into the lower country. This 
tribe, which is very fierce and rapacious, inhabits that district of 
the mountains whence flows the River Soondscha. 
The weather, thanks to kind Providence, continued fine ; 
for its changes are often of tremendous consequence in these 
