Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-04-14
COLT In THE CAUCASUS.

we mud the following interesting anec-
dOte, illustrating The value Of a recent
American invention, in an English pa
per of the 18th February: r-c,54re --
In Dagnestan a Young Lesghian chief
being severely wounded during one of the
frequent raHias of the Russians, took
refuge in a ruined sskli.' in order to ap-
piy bandages to his wounds. While thus
emnloyed he was discovered by a party
Of twelve dismounted dragons. who i'm
mediately gave chase on his taking fight.
Being feet of foot. Cor short time he
outran them, during which time such OF
them as had their carbines loaded fired at
him Intellectually. Having crossed Que
of the flexible bridges, common in that
country, and which was over a rapid tor
rent at the foot of q mountain, the fugi-
tiye, finding himself unable TO proceed
much further, and having time TO put his
arms in order, stood at hay under a pro-
iecting rock. With yells of delight and
uplifted SabreS, the Russians approached
the bridge. The foremost nearing him
cried, 4" Yield, dog" Not while have
twelve lives at my girdlc," cried the uu-
daunted mountainecr. The Russians
in the rear laughed loudly at the boast
but he in advance fell dead, pierced
through and through by bullet, nearly
at the feet Of the Lesghian. The second
soldier stumbled over his dead comrade.
and as he rose received a shot which
caused him TO fall severely wounded.
The next seeing the same weapon, which
had twice been discharged, still pointed,
rushed on but, to the surprise of the
Russians, third shot was fired at him:
untouched, however, he was about to cut
down the Lesgman, when fourth
discharge scattered his brains on
the rocky parapct, and his lifeless
body tumbled into the torrent beneath.
Three of the Russians had now fallen.
what devil of pistol is this, that
speaks SO often 2" cried the survivors to
each other. The Lesghian still stood
firm, merely folding his pelisse of sleeps
skin round his left arm, ready to receive
blow, precaution not UNDECIDED, since
now two Russians, abreast, were on the
point of assailing hlm. Certain Of their
prey, these advanced more cautiously
than their predecessors. This time two
deliberate shots brought them down right
and left; each fell pierced near the region
of the heart. The remaining soldiers
were amazed. The Lesghian, faint with
TIE loss of blood, and feeling his strength
fast ebbing, now drew forth another pis-
tol, movement unobserved by the enc
my, and rapidly fired three shots at the
group of Russians, some fifty wards dis
tant at the other other end of the bridge.
Owing to his sight being now dim, only
one shot took effect, wounding one of the
dragons in the shoulder. LET us fly,"
they cried; 50 it is the evil spirit of the
mountains; he would kill our whole ar
my" Accordingly they precipitately
fed, Just as the Lesghian sank down ex-
hausted at the foot of the rock. At
distance they ventured to look back. 1T
hath vanished in the midst" cried the
superstitious Muscovites.
The Lesghian chief was succored by
some of his own people, and ere long re-
covered from his hurt, as did the wound
ed Russian. At his bridal feast. some
four months after, the pistols, which were
a pair of Colts revolvers, and were gift
from an American traveller, Capt. X.
to the youthful hero of the Caucasus.
were handed round amid the general ben
edictions of the party. The bride is said
even to have kissed them, saying :" All,
my Dehemet, were all the brave Circas-
slams armed like thee. there would not be
50 many fearful maidens and bercayed
widows in Daghestan.
Tho P,,cciap ,n,,ca,cx c~1..
by kind treatment to his position, has
had the cruel horse-hairf removed from
his heel, and has often cleansed and
loaded those identical specimens of the
fatal weapons, destined TO effect such a
revolution in the warfare Of the world.
The story Of the 4" devils pistol" was
long told among the simple Russian SOL
dlery,t when conversing on their weary
march, as the winding column assembled
some interminabe mountain, or when
the grcatful Samovar (kettle) gave prom
ise of tea at the close of their days Jour-
ncy. Now, the partial introduction of
the arm among the officers has in some
degree dissipated the telling effect of the
story, but many still devoutly believe
that the young Lesghian chcit was no
other than the Prince of Darkness himself
out ton tngexpedition for theexpress
purpose of bagging Russian soldiers.
TGe ''sakli' Is ;le habItatIon nj the eastern eau
Cssus. Ii IS constructed IF unhewn stones, con
neeied with clay instead OF mortar.
"A tutt of horse hair commonly inserted by IN.
Creassians IN the heels Of their prisoners in order
10 create such degree ui lsmencss as 20 prevent
their cscap:. .--- ..-|
The simplicity OF many of the Russian soldiers
almost touching in It's childishDess. II is against
thc Car that We are making war, not against these
unfortunate beings.
SIZE OF LONDON. = London extends
over an area Of 1902 acres or l22
square miles, and the number of it's in
habitants, rapidly increasing, was two
millions three hundred and sixty-two
thousand. two hundred and eighty-six,
q ,362 ,2s6) on the day of the last census.
A conception Of this vast mass of people
may be formed by the fact that, if tie
metropolis was surrounded by a wall.
having north gate, a south rate an east