878 KUBAN. 
cheerful and noify than the Don Cofacs; turbulent in 
their mirth; vehement in converfation; i'omewhat quera- 
lous; and, if not engaged in difpute, are generally laugh¬ 
ing or tinging. The Cofacs of the Don hold this people 
in little eltimation, confidering them as an inferior band 
of plunderers when in actual fervice. But it may- be faid, 
the Tchernomorfkoi entertain the fame fentiments with 
regard to them. Thofe whom we found in the different 
poft-houfes appeared wild as American favages ; having 
their bodies quite naked, excepting a fheep’s fkin calf 
acrofs their fhoulders, with the wool on the outfide. They 
ufually appeared lying among the grafs; while the horfes 
for the polt were grazing around them. Celebrated as 
they juftly are for their lki 11 in horfemanlhip, they yet ac¬ 
knowledge themfelves inferior in this refpeCl to the Cir¬ 
caffians ; whofe light bodies, lightly accoutred, upon the 
fleeted horfes in the world, outdrip them in the chace. 
Yet I know' not a more interefting object than a Cofac of 
the Tchernomorfkoi mounted and equipped for war. It 
is then only he maybe faid to exit!, and in his native ele¬ 
ment; brandifhing his long lance in the air, bending, 
turning, or halting fuddenly when in full fpeed, with fo 
much graceful attitude, and fuch natural dignity, that 
the horfe and the rider feem as one animal. 
“ As we drew near to the Kuban, we had reached the 
laft poft-houfe before arriving at Ekaterinedara, when the 
view of the Caucafian' mountains opened before us, ex¬ 
tending in a craggy and mountainous ridge from eaft to 
weff. Our eyes were fatigued by the uniformity of per¬ 
petual plains; and even the ferene fkies, to which we had 
been accuftomed, were gladly exchanged for the refrefhing 
winds of the hills, the frequent fhowers, and the rolling 
clouds, characterizing mountain-fcenery. Trees alfo be¬ 
gan to appear. The banks of the Kuban were covered 
with woods. The oak, fo long a Itranger, reared his ve¬ 
nerable head. The willow, the bramble, wild rafpberries, 
blooming fhrubs, and thick underwood, covered the 
ground, affording retreat to abundance of wild-boars and 
deer. The laft are often taken young, and kept as tame 
animals in the cottages of the country.” 
The arrival of the travellers in this remote region took 
place, fortunately enough, on the termination of hoffili- 
ties between the Cofacs and the Circaffians. The chiefs 
of the latter, finding refiftance to the Ruffian force una¬ 
vailing, had come to fign a treaty, and to fanClion it by 
taking the oath of peace. Dr. C. and his friend had leave 
to be prefent at the ceremony : “ We drove to the Ruf¬ 
fian head-quarters, and arrived at the grand cavalcade, 
confiding of the Ataman with a numerous effort of Co¬ 
fac officers ; and delegates from all the troops of the Cofac 
army were proceeding to the river-fide, diftant only half 
a mile from the town. I never beheld fo fine a fight. 
The dreffes worn by the officers were more beautiful than 
the mod magnificent theatres difplay, exhibiting every 
variety of colour and of ornament; while their high-bred 
horfes, glittering in embroidered houfings, and prancing 
with flowing manes and tails, feemed conffious of the 
warlike dignity of their riders. Several Cofacs darted by 
us, on the fleeted couriers we had ever feen, to join the 
•van of the cavalcade. We were now, by the Ataman’s 
orders, placed in the van of the proceffion; and, foon ar¬ 
riving upon the high grounds forming the northern bank 
of the Kuban, beheld the encampment of the Turks and 
Circaffians, upon a fmall flat, clofe to the water’s edge. 
The pacha of Anapa, furrounded by his attendants, was 
feated in his tent, fmoking, with the awning drawn up 
on all tides. As fbon as the preliminaries were conclud¬ 
ed, involving very little diffuffion, for the Circaffians 
feemed willing to accede to any propofition made on the 
part of the Cofacs, the pacha took from his bofom a ma- 
nuffript written upon linen ; the Circadian princes feve- 
rally laid their hands upon it, promifing to the Cofacs the 
undidurbed poffeffion of all the country upon the north¬ 
ern fide of the Kuban. The whole ceremony ended by 
the pacha’s inffribing with a reed the names of the par¬ 
ties concerned in this tranfadlion. The extraordinary ap¬ 
pearance of the Circaffian princes drew our attention en¬ 
tirely to them. Their clothes w'ere ragged ; their necks 
and legs quite bare. Only a few wore upon their feet 
flippers of red leather. Their heads were all {haven, and 
covered upon the crown with fmall fkull-caps, laced with 
filver. In their belts they had large piltols. By their 
tides were fufpended a fabre and a knife. Ball-cartridges, 
fewed fingly, were ranged in rows upon their breads. 
The fleeves of their jackets being worn out at the elbows, 
there appeared through the holes plates of filver or of fleei 
armour, inlaid. This armour was worn next the lkin, 
covering the arms, but concealed by their clothes. A 
coat of mail protected alfo the bread and the red of the 
body. Some of them wore a fort of iron (hirt, made of 
twilled mail, or rings fo clofely interwoven, and fo well, 
adapted to the form, that every part of the body, except 
the face, was covered. The Circaffians ufe the bow with 
great fkill, never making randomfhots, but certain of 
their aim before they let the arrow fly. The Ruffian army 
very much dreaded thofe dedrufitive weapons ; as they 
are ufed by fkilful markfmen, who, like ridemen, ftation 
themfelves in trees, or among rocks, in the paffes of the 
mountains, to ffioot the officers. We then went to exa¬ 
mine more minutely the crowd of Circaffians of a lower 
order, numbers of whom were paffing the Kuban in their 
canoes, and collecting on the Ruffian fide. They came 
to barter wood, honey, and arms, for fait, according to 
their ufual practice in times of peace. Here we faw tome 
of the wilded mountaineers of Caucafus, all of whom 
were completely armed, and all robbers by profeffion. 
The representations made of the natives in the South Seas 
do not picture human nature in a more favage date than 
it appears among the Circaffians. IndruCted from their 
infancy to confider war and plunder not only as a necef- 
fary, but as an honourable, occupation, they bear in their 
countenance a mod driking expreffion of ferocious valour, 
of cunning, fufpicion, and didrud. If, while a Circaf¬ 
fian is danding behind you, a fudden retrofpeCt betrays 
to you his features, his brow lowers, and he feems medi¬ 
tating fome defperate aCt; but the indant he perceives 
that he is obferved, his countenance relaxes into a deceit¬ 
ful fmile, and he affumes the mod obfequious and fub- 
miffive attitude imaginable. Their bodies, efpecially their 
legs, feet, and arms, are for the mod part naked. They 
wear no fhirt, and only a pair of coarfe ragged drawers, 
reaching a little below the knee. 
“ The beauty of features and form, for which the CircaA 
fians have fo long been celebrated, is certainly prevalent 
among them. Their notes are aquiline, their eye-brows 
arched and regular, their mouths fmall, their teeth re¬ 
markably white. They are well thaped, and very aCtive; 
being generally of the middle fize, feldom exceeding five 
feet eight or nine inches. Their women are the mod: 
beautiful perhaps in the world, of enchanting perfection 
of countenance, and very delicate features. Thofe whom 
we faw, the accidental captives of war, carried off with, 
their families, were remarkably handfome. Many of them, 
although differing from ill health, fatigue, and grief, and 
under every poffible circumdance of difadvantage, had 
yet a very intereding appearance. Their hair is generally 
dark or light brown, fometimes approaching to black. 
Their eyes have a fingular animation, peculiar to the 
Circaffian people; this in fome of the men gives an ex- 
prefiion of ferocity. The mod chofen works of the beffc 
painters, reprefenting a HeClor or a Helen, do not difplay 
greater beauty than we beheld even in the prifon at Eka¬ 
terinedara, where wounded Circaffians, male and female, 
loaded with fetters, and huddled together, were pining 
in ficknefs and forrow. 
‘*The cannon upon the heights of Ekaterinedara at that 
time commanded the whole marffiy territory on the Circaffian 
fide; yet it was iinpoffible to venture even a few hundred 
yards, in fearch of plants, on account of the danger that 
might be apprehended from the Circaffians who remained 
3 *» 
