THE TCHETCHINZI. 
61 
renown for his bravery ; honoured by his own people, and a 
terror to all others who hear his name. At present this latter 
emulation particularly points to the Russians. The Tchetchinzi 
regard them as their most formidable enemy; and to attack and 
weaken their power by every open and covert way, in large 
parties and in small, by the destruction of convoys, the cutting 
off of detachments, and the surprisal of posts, to molest them in 
all, or in any of these ways, is the constant object of Tchetchinzi 
vigilance; and few are the soldiers here, who have not had some 
skirmish with the tribe. Besides the many chiefs, whom their 
valour has raised to distinction over their numerous brethren, 
the whole nation looks up to one, pre-eminent above the rest. 
His is a kind of hereditary claim ; for he is always chosen from 
a family that has for ages been revered as the most ancient in all 
the tribes ; in short, most likely, the great paternal house. He 
is their prince, and he alone commands or directs when the 
whole force is called upon to revenge any public insult. He has 
no jurisdiction whatever, in the civil way ; nor can his mandate 
in any case, inflict punishment on one of the people. The 
various families have a sort of common law amongst themselves; 
certain usages of custom, which maintain property and peace 
with each other. Whenever this mutual confidence is violated, 
a certain number of elders take cognisance of the transaction, 
and pronounce judgment. Such occasions, however, seldom 
occur; but when they do, the offender, according to their only 
idea of satisfactory justice, is instantly put to death; his dwell¬ 
ing erased, and whatever he may have possessed, given to the 
party injured. 
As the Mahometan was the last religion attempted to be 
introduced amongst these people, they suppose themselves to 
