66 
WLADY-CAUCASUS. 
with the blue misty brows of its immediate subject range; and 
they, being yet partially shrouded in the dissolving masses of 
white cloud, derived increased beauty from comparisons with 
the bold and black forms of the lower mountains, nearer the 
plain, whose rude and towering tops, and almost perpendicular 
sides, sublimely carry the astonished eye along the awful pic¬ 
ture ; creating those feelings of terrific admiration, to which 
words can give no name. 
After a ride of twenty-two wersts, we reached the key of the 
celebrated pass into Georgia, where I rejoined my companions. 
Wlady-Caucasus is one of the most important, and strongest 
military posts the Russians possess along the foot of the Cau¬ 
casus. It generally has a whole regiment in garrison ; and is 
the principal depot for supplying the various minor forts of the 
neighbouring stations in the mountains. It stands on some high 
ground on the banks of the Terek, sufficiently elevated to com¬ 
mand the approach to the pass, and not near enough to any 
other height, to be subject to the fire of the natives. The town 
increases rapidly, and so does the population in its vicinity; for 
here, as elsewhere along this frontier, the remark is verified, 
that wherever the Russians erect a fort, hundreds of Tatars 
draw near, and establish themselves in little villages. This volun¬ 
tary proceeding, by bringing them in unsuspicious, and there¬ 
fore amicable contact, with the Europeans, has tended greatly to 
the civilisation of this branch of the Tatar race; and hence, it 
is to be hoped, the influence of humane manners may gradually 
diffuse itself to more distant tribes. These establishments have 
already made considerable progress in domestic habits, and are 
become attentive to certain little comforts, regarded as neces¬ 
saries in ordinary civilised life, but of which their still barba- 
