The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-21 00:00:00

OIRCASSIA.

We find the following in a Constantinople letter
of the 10th :—Two gentlemen who left the Turkish
capital for the exploration of Circassia, and to com-
mence a friendly intercourse with the separate
tribes, have returned, after four months' absence.
When the necessity of prolonged warfare became
apparent, it was thought advisable to learn some-
thing of the internal state of the Caucasian races,
their willingness or capacity for combined action, and
the nature of the barrier which they could oppose to
Russia. The disorganised s tate of the Karsarmy, and
the danger of an unfortunate Asiatic campaign,
was another reason for endeavouring to weaken the
Russian force on the Georgian frontier, and to pre-
vent the reinforcements which annually arrive
through the passes. About the time when the roads
became clear of snow the two travellers left for the
eastern coast of the Black Sea, and visited all the
forts from Anapa to Batoum. But the principal
result of the expedition is, that the country be-
tween the Caucasus and the Kuban has been entered
for the first time by Englishmen. The country of the
Abadzaks, which extends along the north-eastern
slope of the chain, is inhabited by a. race ready to join
in any scheme of opposition to Russia. Mr. Sarrell
states that he and his companion werehospitably re-
ceived, but were everywhere asked if they had the
authority of the Naib to travel through the country.
This Naib is the lieutenant or deputy of Schamyl,
and though a Daghestanee and no Circassian, has
obtained entire influence over the minds of these
heretofore sundered races. He is named Emin Bey,
and lately visited Constantinople with a numerous
train, where he received assurances from the Porte
that the rights and independence of the tribes should
be respected in the event of the supremacy being
taken from Russia, and restored to the Sultan.
Emin Bey has been in the Western Caucasus from
seven to nine years, and during that time he has
caused an entire change in the feelings, the opinions,
and the religious tenets of the people. The deputy
of Schamyl was struck with the idea of regenerat-
ing Mahommedanism in regions where it had been
corrupted, and he determined also to propagate it
where Paganism still reigned, but was rapidly de-
clining into the absence of all religion at all. He
has succeeded in his plans, and has united the Cau-
casian races on the basis of Islamism. The task
was most difficult, for these mountain tribes, the
detritus thrown up into the creeks and valleys of
the Caucasus by successive tides of migration, differ
from each other in language, features, religious
rites, and civil institutions. Emin Bey, acting
always under the authority and. with the advan-
tage of Schamyl's name, has visited them al],
burned their idols with the audacity of the prophet
himself, built mosques and schools, convinced the
divided races that their only hope of safety is in
union, and the only bond of union is the faith of
Mahomet ; the consequence has been an extent
of conversion which has had no parallel since
the first days of Christianity and Islamism, and of
which old religions have hardly been thought ca-
pable. Emin Bey has few opportunities of com-
municating with Schamyl ; yet once or twice a
year he sends an account of his progress and re-
ceives in turn instructions for the future. Of
course his liberty of judgment is very great, and
for the success of his plans he is indebted only to
himself, and to the fear which Russian aggression
has inspired. Schamyl himself, though now an old
man, is still active, and has of late carried on the
war with' greater skill than ever. It is indeed
mainly owing to him that the wretched Mushir of
Kars and his neglected army have not been to-
tally destroyed. Although the accounts published
in England respecting this warrior are most
absurd, it is still true that he is able to effect much
by the alarms which he occasions to the Russian
army, his power of stopping supplies, and mate-
rially impeding reinforcements. That he can march
50,000 men to attack Wrangel and Andronikoff is
of course impossible. His men are almost useless
out of their own mountains, and when engaged in
a kind of fighting to which they are unaccustomed.
That they are unable to remain long together
and prosecute marches and strategical evolutions
will be readily believed by any one who has seen
thediffieulties of moving European troops with all
the aid of Commissary-Generals and contract
victuallers. His men flock to him at a signal, and
will keep the field or rather the hill-side for about
a fortnight, after which they return home. He
would, therefore, be powerless for aggression, but
that a spur of the mountains which he holds runs
down to within 45 miles of Tiflis ; and he can at any
time threaten the capital of a disaffected province
with a surprise which might lead to important
changes. Any one reading the accounts of this
campaign would be inclined to believe that the
proximity of the Daghestan chief to • Tiflis was a
fabrication, reflecting little credit on the fertility of
Perote invention, so often has it been repeated,
and the place declared on the point of falling
into the hands of the mountaineers. To be at five
hours' march from Tiflis appears at first sight to
be the normal state of Schamyl ; and many people
have been iu consequence inclined to ridicule him
and his cause. But the fact is, that the knowledge
that he can come down at any time to the edge of
his territory, and that within 48 hours after Tiflis
may be burned and the enemy back again in the
mountains with their booty, compels the Russians
to watch their rear continually, and prevents any
forward movement, which would weaken their
power of defending the country which remains
behind.