ANCIENT CASTLE AT DERIAL. 
71 
in the blackness of night, through strange countries, desart and 
solitary; all, engendered sensations in the breast, more of terror 
than of fear, —• an awe of something unknown. 
Derial was our post for the night. As we drew near it, our 
road was rendered still more obscure, by its leading, for a con¬ 
siderable way, through a subterraneous passage cut in the solid 
rock. It is about a mile from the fort. We emerged on the 
side of the river, at the foot of a very steep precipice ; thence 
crossed the stream on a wooden bridge ; and, additionally 
guarded by a detachment from the fort, reached our quarters in 
safety. Thus closed our first day’s advance into the Caucasus. 
Information having been brought, that a marauding band of 
the natives were occupying a tract we must pass over next day ; 
for the security of the convoy, the officer of the fort sent out 
a party of infantry, early in the morning, to dislodge them. 
Our march being therefore delayed, till news of the success of 
the expedition should arrive, I had time to observe some of 
the country through which we had passed the preceding night. 
The redoubt of the Russian post of Derial stands at the bottom 
of the gigantic chasm of that name, and is overhung by such 
enormous masses of rock as to make its situation terrible. On 
the summit of one of these promontories, impending over the 
left bank of the Terek, are to be seen the remains of a very 
ancient castle. With some difficulty I scrambled up to it, and 
found the ruins consisted of one strong square tower, with thick 
massive walls surrounding it, and encircling a space besides, 
sufficient to garrison several hundred soldiers. This seemed the 
citadel of the pass ; but I observed, that on all the points where 
the rocks might have formed advantageous lodgements for any 
enemy who had been dexterous enough to gain them, the ruins 
