The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-09 00:00:00

01WAR PASHA IN CIRCASSIA.

SOCCHUM KALEH, OCT. 12.—1 f the interest of the
public in England with respect to the Georgian campaign
is increasing as rapidly as the plot is thickening here,
the proceedings of Omar Pasha's army will soon be as
closely watched as those of Generals Simpson and Polls-
sier, and they will be as well worthy of attention. Not
only are the green hillsides of Souchum becoming every
day more thickly dotted with tents, but a great part of
the army has already commenced moving along the line
of march ; and, as the character of the country through
which they are about to pass is now acquiring a special
interest, I was glad to avail myself of the opportunity
which was afforded to me of accompanying a small re-
connaissance which was made a few days ago to the
Mingrelian frontier. Our party consisted only of Mr.
Longworth, the English commissioner, and his secretary,
Mr, Champoiseau ; Col. Ballard, of the Turkish army,
who has followed its fortunes ever since the siege of
Silistria ; the Commander of the French brig of war La
Vigie, and myself.
The Abasian houses are made generally of wattle, and
thatched with Indian corn. In most of the villages there
aro both Christian and Mussulman inhabitants, but
none of the women cover their faces, or are more shy
than savages generally. The men are afraid of commit-
ting themselves by hospitality to strangers in ' time of
war, and profess sympathy with the invaders. How far
this is genuine it is difficult to judge. The country is
thinly populated, and we only passed two or three vil-
lages before reaching Shemsherrai, the first important
place upon the line of march, about 36 miles from Sou-
chum, and situated upon the sea, three miles from tile
point at which the road strikes into the interior. We
found that it was not safe to proceed by land beyond
this point. A Russian force of 4,000 men are stationed at
Sugdidi, 12 miles distant, and the intermediate country
was completely in the hands of the Russians, and occu-
pied by Mingrelian militia. We heard here that a num-
ber of Cossacks and militia were at Anaklea, and it was
important to discover the truth of the rumour ; we there.
fore embarked on board the Cyclops and La Vigie,
which met us here, and proceeded to the mouth of
the Ingour. Fort Anaklea is a picturesque ruin,
situated upon the left bank of the river, and sur-
rounded by a dense forest. As we saw smoke rising
from behind the fort, it was judged necessary to enter
the river with an armed force in case of an ambuscade.
Seven boats, with a force of about seventy men, under
Lieutenant Ballard, of the Cyclops, and Lieutenant
Vilinorin, of the Vigie, pulled towards the mouth
of the river, which was completely commanded by
the guns of the vessels. We found five feet of water
upon the bar of the Ingour, which is one of the most
considerable streams upon this coast. Upon our party
landing at the fort they came upon the smoking embers
of a fire, which our guide told us was that of the militia;
a perfect stillness, however, prevailed everywhere—not
a human being seemed in the neighbourhood, and the
wood was so thick that we did not anticipate much
warning from the men stationed in the maintop of the
Cyclops to give an alarm. We proceeded up the bank
of the river for some time, and came upon the remains of
the village of Anaklea, of which a few charred logs alone
remain. Having satisfied our curiosity, we were re-
turning to the boats, when two musket shots from the
Cyclops threw our: party into a state of some excitement.
We immediately threw out skirmishers to protect our ens-
barcation, and soon after saw a large group of persons
collected at some distance up the river. As they seemed
to be people of the country, MeSsrs. Longworth and
Champoiseau went up with a flag of truce, with M. De
Vihnorin, our guide, and myself.
One of? the group, putting his white cap upon the
top of his gun, by way of responding to our flag,
came forward to meet the interpreter, and we learned
from him that the immediate neighbourhood of
Anaklea was comparatively free of Russians, that the
nearest large force lay at a distance of nine miles off,
and that they rarely visited Anaklea. The people them-
selves professed themselves in the highest degree friendly,
and we gave them a sovereign to cement the alliaace.
From the accounts of these men the whole Russian force
within a circuit of 15 miles from Anaklea, amounts to
10,006 men. The most important point, and the one at
which the first struggle may be anticipate,), is at the
fortress of Ruchi, about six miles beyond Sugdidi, and
about 60 from Souchoin Keith.

Taking the Vigle in tow, we riturned to Shemsherrai
the same evening. It is a considerable place, at present
only partly inhabited. The Greek and Russian popu-
lation have shiit up their shops and decamped, and the
Turkish merchants have it all their own way. Prince
Michael has a handsome house here, built of wood in
the Russian style. It is his principal residence. At a
distance of three hours in the mountains are his game
preserves, where he strictly prohibits any one from
pcaching his wild boar, wild sheep, and deer.
The limits of Prince Michael's jurisdiction in this
direction are 'not very clearly defined. He claims
Samuraschan, a province lying betvieen Ahasia and
Mingrslia, on the frontier of which Shemsherrai is
situated, and the people of .Anaklea professed to owe
him allegiance, but it is very certain that his powers of
protection do not extend beyond Shemsherrai. As we
rode out of the town, on our way back to Souchum, we
found that there was an addition to our party, and we
were soon after enlightened upon the subject by the
arrival of an Abasian, who pronounced himself to be the
slave of a Turk in Shemsherrai. Ile epoke to one of
our servants, who was a Pole, and informed him that
he and six of his unfortunate compatriots were at that
moment slaves to Turks in Shetneherral. We assured
him that his freedom would be obtained, but insisted
upon his returning ; for the masters of Of. other slaves,
finding we had liberated one, would have secreted the
others ; they are now thrown completely off their guard,
and Omar Pasha has since assured me of his intention to
liberate them.

The v road generally follows the seacoast, crossing
the mouths of innumerable rivers, the bridges over
which are almost invariably destroyed. We slept
at a large village upon the other side of the Kodor,
in a magnificent situation ; the lofty elm trees being
completely hidden by masses of wild vine, Here we
were hospitably received, a comfortable hut was
placed at our disposal, soft coverlet sand pillows were
arranged upon w,eoden stretchers, and we passed a most
civilised night. The staple food of the country is pasta,
or Indian corn bread, almost exactly sitnila,r to that of
the States, and quite as good. The cheese is eat-
eatable, but very salt, and boiled pumpkin is popular.
Fruit is abundant ; so that for a wild country the living
is upon the whole above the average. When we were
within a few miles of Souchum we met three squadrons
of cavalry, the avant garde of the army which is now
moving into Mingrelia ; our information about tha road
was therefore very acceptable, and I was rather asto-
nished at the rapidity with which Omar Pasha is hurry-
ing on his campaign. In spite of his energy, however,
the number of bridges which must be constrt;cted along
the first 40 miles of his march will necessarily retard
the progress of his army, and ten days or fortnight
must elapse before he finds himself in face with the
enemy. Meantime troops are disembarking with their
usual rapidity ; the Great Britain has disgorged 1,800
men in an incredibly short time, and returned for
more. She brought Colonel Sirumonds from Balak-
lava. There have been 20,000 men landed within the
last fortnight. The Duke of Newcastle has also arrived
in the Highflyer. from Anapa and Soudjak. On their
way the Highflyer picked up the Naib, who was
coming to pay Omar Pasha a visit. He declares his ex-
pedition against the Russians to have been eminently
successful, which is somewhat at variance with the re-
port of the Karachi, men, to which I alluded is my last
letter. At all events, Omar Pasha evidently his a high
opinion of his power and influence in the county, as he
has appointed him Civil Governor of all the provinces of
Circassia, from the country of Schamyl to the Provinces
of Tchapsugh and Natquoltcb, which are presekt under
the jurisdiction of Sener Pasha. The terms of lie buoy-
ourouldi are almost identical with those of Prince
Michael ; the object of the appointment is in both cases
the same.

Invested with authority from so high a source, and in
a manner calculated to impress the natives of the .lountry
who witnessed the ceremony, he goes back to his Go-
vernment under the most favourable auspices, rad there
can be no doubt that in adopting this course Omar
Pasha has done more towards utilizing the Cireeeeians
than could have been effected by the most elaborate and
judicious treatment of the individual and petty chiefs.
These will new be afraid to resist the will of the Naib,
who, owing everything to Omar Pasha, will be a useful
instrument in his hands. The great diflicuty in
dealing with the Circassians lies in the fact that
they are determined to be subjects of the Porte, ie spite
of the Porte itself ; indeed, it has always (publicly at
least) disclaimed the idea of appropriating territory in
this direction ; and it is evident that it is no less the in-
terest of Turkey than of the allied Powers to abstain
from any such addition to the Ottoman dirninions No
treaty of peace with Russia which de the
forbearance upon _
forbearance of these mountain tribes would be worth a
rush, and we should be continually broiled with teesia
if we attempted to preserve " the independence aeel in.
tegrity of the Ottoman empire"
upon the Kuban ;while
a frontier composed of such materials would e h
e an end-
less source of annoyance to the Porte. It is probable
that Omar Pasha sees this as well as many of the more
intelligent Turks, and has constituted the Nail as a
supremo anthority, with the expectation that thoallied
Powers will render him ultimately independent. At
present no man whose power was not derived from ti e
one venerated source could acquire any influence among
these bigoted mountaineers. It is in his acute perception
of these leading features of the internal policy o Cir-
eaK,ia that Omer Pasha has proved himself a skilful
diplomatist ; and perhaps it may be questioned how far
it was a wise measure to form a commission inde-
pendent of him to settle all political and civil questions
in the theatre of his present operations. Seel' a com-
mission has nevertheless been formed, and it will cell for
the utmost discretion on the part of the gentlemen com-
posing it in the exercise of their functions ; the political
complications in Mingrelia and Georgia and the other
Transcaucasian provinces are infinite, and offers of
assistance upon certain conditions have been and cer-
tainly will again be made. Orner Pasha will want to
promise everything, so as not to compromise the safety
of his army. The Civil Commissioners will promise
nothing, so as not to compromise their Governments.
They will both be perfectly justified in their separate
lines of conduct. how far the great cause which each
have at heart will be benefitted by the result it is for
others to determine, and I have no doubt that Omer
w r
w
Pasha, on the one hand, and Messrs. Long 6
Chanipoiseau and Emin Buy, on the other, illth do all
in their power to avoid what appears to be .almost the
inevitable consequences of the position in which they are
placed with reference to ono another.
OCT. 13.

This morning our slumbers were disturbed by the
thunder of ea,onon, an'l w .9f177 hin 51,e birl,n,ir
(itched out with flogs. We found the cause of these re-
joicings to be the arrival of despatches from Kars, an-
nouncing the total defeat of the Russian army inTeliting

that city, with an enormous loss, the particulars of
which have, doubtless, reached you. Looking out of
my window, I saw Omer Pacha informing his army of
the fact, which ,they received with loud cheers. It was
an inspiriting sight, after having exhorted his soldiers to
march to the entire annihilation of the army which their
comrades have almost destroyed, to see his Highness,
upon a prancing charger, lead his battalions to the war.
5,000 men, with two batteries of artillery, followed him
along the Kutais road. The moment was well chosen,
and the music of their bands harmonised well with the
booming of the heavy guns, which were still celebrating
the victory. The troops were in good heart, and have
perfect confidence in their General and in the successful
issue of the campaign in which they are engaged. It is
much to be regretted that its importance does not yet
seem to have been recognised in England, when the at-
tention of the Government cannot be diverted from the
Crimea. If, instead of sending the Contingent to
Kertch, it had been put under Omer Pacba's orders, its
services would be made more available, and a good
moral effect would be produced among the Turkish
troops, who are already beginning to recognise the
merits of English officers. A t present, if Omer Pacha
succeeds, his triumph will not be the less complete that
it has been won in spite of the obstacles thrown in his
way by the Allied Powers.