Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-05-05

a long winter in terrible captivity, tortured
by frost and hunger, compelled, as a slave
to the severest labour, and often greatly i'll.
treated. Several attempts at flight failed
and at last the chief, in whose hands he
was, confined him in cage half-bured in
the ground, and withal so narrow that il.
inmate could neither stand upright nor lie
at length ..-
Thus immured, a prey to painful mala-
dies, his cloths rotting on his cmaciated
limbs, the unhappy man moaned through
his long and slcepless nights, and gave up
hope of rescue. No tender-hearted Circas-
sian maiden brought TO him, as TO the hero
Of Pushkin's well-known Caucasian poem,
drivrrance and love. Such luck had been
tha! of more than one Russian captive
but poor Turnau, in his state OF filth and
squalor, was no very seductive object. He
might have pined away his life in his cage,
before Baron Rosen, or his paternal ma
jesty the Car, had recalled his fate TO
mind, but for an injury done by his merci-
less master to one of his domestics, who
vowed revenge. Watching his opportu-
nifty, this servant, one day that the rest of
the household were absent, murdered his
lord, released the prisoner, tied him with
thongs upon his saddle, upon which the
baron, covered with sores and exhausted by
illness, was unable TO support himself, and
galloped with him towards the frontier.-
In one day they rode eighty reysts (about
fifty-four English miles,l outstripped pur-
suers, and reached Fort Ardler. The ac-
counts given by Baron Turnau of the land
of his captivity could be but slight be had
seen little beyond his place of confinement.
What he did relate was not very encourage
ing 10 Russian invasion. He depicted the
country as one mass of rock and precipice,
partially clothed with vast tracts Of aborigi-
nal forest, broken by deep ravines and
mountain torrents, and surmounted BY the
huge icc-clad pinnacles of the lofticst Cau-
casian ridge. The villages, some of which
nestle in the deep rccesses OF the woods,
whilst others are perched upon steep crars
and on the brink OF giddy precipices, are
universally of most difficult access.
DR.. Wagner describes many of the Cir
cassian Chiefs as perfect models of manly
beauty.
In illustrating Circassian hatred for the
Russians, it is stated that few years ago,
slav,-ship Sprang leak out at sea, Just as
Russian steamer passed in the distance
The Turkish slave dealer, who prefrrr d
even the chill blasts OF Siberia to a grave in
deep water, made 81 gnals of distress, an
the steamer came up in time to rescue the
ship and its living cargo from dcstrutt tion.
- hot E ID,
in every Circassian heart, that the spirit OF
the girls revoited at the thought of becom-
ing the hepmates of gray-coated soldiers.
They had bid adieu to their native noun
tains with little emotion, but as the Russian
ship approached, they set up terrible and
despairing screams. Some sprang head
long into the sea : others drove their knives
was pr, f, rable to the brida-bed of de-
tested Muscovi.e. The survivors were ta-
ken TO Anapa, cnd marri d to Cossacks or
given TO officers as servants.
Nearly every Austrian CT Turkish steam
boat that makes, in tie winter months, the
voyage from Trebizond to Constantinop'e,
has number of Ciroassian girls on board.
DR.. Wagner made the passage, in an Aus
trian steamer, with several dozens OF these
willing slaves, chiefly mere children,
twelve or thirteen years old, with interest
ing countenances and dark wild eyes, but
very pale and thin-with the exception of
two, who were some years older, far better
dressed, and carefully veiled. To this IA
vored pair, the slave-dealer paid particular
attention, and frequently brought them
coffee. DR.. Wagner got into conversation
with this man, who was richly dressed in
iurs and silks, and who, despite his vile pro-
fs,ion, had the manners of gentleman.
The two coif'e-lrinkers were daughters of
noblemen, he said, with fine ROSY cheeks.
and in better condition than the others.
consequently worth more money at Con-
stantinople. For the handsomest, he hoped
to obtain $4,000 piastres, and for the other
20,000-about f250 and fl70. The herd
OF young creatures he spoke of with con-
tempt, and should think himself lucky to
get 200 piasircs for them all round. He
further informed the doctor that, although
the slave trade was more dangerous and
difficult since the Russian occupation of the
Caucasian coast, it was also far more profit
able. Formerly, when Greek and Armenian
women were brought in crowds to the Con-
stantinople market, the most beautiful Cir
cassians were not worth more than 10000
piasters; but now rosy, well-fed, fifteen
year-old slave, is hardly to be had under
10000 piasters.
Our author gives a very glowing descrp-
tion of the endurance and physical strength
of the Russians, but he remarks that the
grenadier stature and the immobiity under
fre-almirable qualities on a plain, and
against regular troops-avail little in the
Caucasus. The burly Russian pants and
parspires up the hills, which the light
footel chamois-like Circassians and Tshet-
shens ascend at run. The mountaineers
understand their advantages, and decline
sanding still on the plain to be charged by
line OF bayonets. They dance round the
heavy Russian, who, with his well-siuffad
knapsack and long greatcoat, can barely
turn on his heel fast enough to face them.
They catch him out skirmishiny, and slaugh-