WLADY-CAUCASUS. 
67 
rous kindred tribes have not even an idea. The people, called 
Tatars, are remnants of the Huns, whose too-abundant popula¬ 
tion, centuries ago, overwhelmed Europe like a deluge. The 
ancient consequence of this nation may still be traced in the line 
of country they possessed, and which was yet too narrow to con¬ 
tain its people. Their dominion extended over the Crimea, and 
all the territory between the Don and Dnieper; stretching to 
the Black Sea, and looking towards the Caspian. They planted 
cities on the Terek and the Kuban ; and that they were worthy 
of a great people, the ruins of Matschar, near the former river, 
nobly testify. 
As from this point, Wlady-Caucasus, our road would be 
direct through the heart of the mountains, up and down ac¬ 
clivities which would be termed precipices, in the more tameable 
Alps or Appenines of Europe, we here abandoned our piece of 
artillery, as well as the heavy part of the convoy ; and, lightened 
of these two loads, set forth, with a more volant motion, under 
an escort of about forty soldiers, an officer, and a few Cossacks. 
At starting, our good commander of the fort particularly enjoined 
us to keep close together. Indeed, on no account to let any 
one of the party stray away, or lag behind the main body; for 
the path was so beset with lurking banditti, hid in all quarters 
of the rocks, that any straggler might instantly become their 
prize; and his liberty, if not his blood, pay the forfeit of his 
negligence. 
At six o’clock in the morning, we began our march ; taking 
as much military precaution as the nature of our route would 
admit. We crossed the Terek, over a bridge close to the town. 
The river there, at this season of the year, is not usually wide, 
but it was extremely rapid; and, from its course being impeded 
k 2 
