Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-02-08


much nobility and grace IN their move:
ments.
If the Tchkeresses were united in sim
igle chief, they could otter an insurmoun.
table resistance to all the attacks of the
Russians but they form kind of fede-
raj republic, or rather a feudal govern
ment, and cherish hereditary hatred
against each other. Each pretty tribe
has its prince or chief, It's noble families.
its frcemen, its farmers or peasants, .std
slaves. They convene, in certain emers
gencies, general assemblies, whore each
man has right to speak, and the chiefs
themselves hold their authority only by
their superiority and wisdom, and brave.
ry. The religion of the Tcherkesses is a
strange mixture Of Christianity, Mahoms-
tanism, and paganism. The Christian
faith was brought to them in the fourth
and fifth centuries of our era, by mission
aries from the Byzantine empire, After.
wardsicam pretended Mussleman apos.
tiles. with FIRE and sword. But these bar
barians never adopted entirely either the
one orthe otherof these religions. Their
present belief and practices are founded
upon the ancient idoiatry, A few of them
are disciples of Zoroaster, worshipping
fire and the sun.
Tschetchens arc not so we'll known as
the Tcherkesses Some hardy discove-
rers have penetrated among them, but not
without difficulty and danger. More than
one has paid for his trenity with his life,
Others have been made prisoners, and on,
y recovered their liberty by high ran
somes. The Tchetcbens are suspicious
ami cruel, jealous of their rights, and al
ways ready to take up arms. They arc
mostly attached to Mahometauism, and
animated by an ardent Eanaticism. They
regard the struggle against the Musco-
viles as holy war. Atno price will
they make peace with the adversarieS Of
their nation, and of their faith. 1t is al.
ready long time since the quarrel began
between the Tchetchens and the Czars of
Russia. In the middle of the sixteenth
century, grand duke of Moscow invaded
the eastern part OF Caucasus, and estab-
lished military posts on the borders of
the Caspian Sea. The cZar Peter the
Great came and attacked these intrepid
noun ntaneers, with an army which had
conquered the king of Sweden, Charles
XII. ; but he soon felt the conviction that
he could not conquer tho Tschetchens,
ana after some slight skirmishes, he pru
IDENTIFY resolved to retrace his steps.
The Tschctchens, as have mentioned,
are sustained by their religious enLhusi-
asm. They have among them periodi.
caIly, kind of mystic or prophet. half
priest, hal(-soldier, who pretends to hold
direct communications with God. The
first of these so-called prophets is named
4Hunsovr he appeared in Caucasus about
the year 1899, reused the mounaineers
by his preaching, marched at their head
upon the battle field, and being made
prisoner in 1891, perished in Muscovite
dungeon. The second prophet or mes
senger Of God Vas Hhasy lMolIa6' rcputed
a profound theological among the MussuI-
mans This Khasy- -M0llah attacked
the Muscovites with implacable fury, and
gained bloody triumphs. In the month
OF October 1882, he died heroically in the
breach. The combat was frightful /; all
the priests, who surrounded Khasy Mol
lah, were killed, except a young man,
Shamyl, who struck by two balls and
blow Of the oayonet, escaped and became
the most formidable enemy Of Russia.
Schamyl was born in 1871 in a Tchet-
chen village. He distinguished himself
from infancy by his serious, proud, and
resolute disposition. Although his body
was feeble, he accustomed himself, byI
exercises, to endure the Sc
Yorest privations. He received literary
and theological education.
The K oran and books of the Arabian
doctors were continually in his hands,
He imbibed from them an ancient enthu
siasm. Generally, those who know him
10 not doubt his sincerity
The attitude Of Scamyl. his physiognomy,
his speech, is habituaIly calm and majes.
tic. He has," to use the expression Of
poet of Caucasus. i" lightning in his eyes
and flowers upon his lips" The new pro.
phet is very temperate. He eats little,
drinks only water, aud sleeps but few
hours. One traveller afirms that he has
three wives another that he has but one;
it is delicate point. which VIC cannot
make clear ShamYli is Of middle height;
his hair is white; his eyes, shaded by
thick black eyebrows, are full of FIRE ; his
beard is already whiteEed, but his
"lOiS pStHOH ISb Sbie'StaI' q yOUt'i'ti ShSi'
gy. Poor. moneyless, with no funds to
pay his soldiers, he has, still acquired
over them an irresistible ascendency.
He is surrounded by private guard
OF thousand horsemen, really 10 shed
their blood for him. Schamyl has sue
ceeded in levying some taxes upon the
Caucasian tribes; lie receives the tGnth
part of their harvest and GoCSs. lie dis.
tributes decorations among his soldiers !;
these are silver medals bearing religious
and poetical inscriptions The pInisa-
ments inflicted upon the traiso:, the COW
ard, the robber, or murderer, ara cont.in-