Butte record., 1854-01-21
scaAaa-L TIE LEADER oFTHE cZEcAssIAys.

! 1t Is almost CERTAIN tlat the OlrcaS-
slams will take an active part in any war
accepted by Turkey against Russia, and
it Is as certain that in such an el mt We
shall he@r of daring exploits on the part
oi Schamil, their brave chief. We have
every reason to believe that Schamil has
succeeded in bringing about defensive
union between all the tribes of the eau
casus. and that he possesses their unre-
stricted confidence. Some accounts rep
resent him as being almost an idol, and
the people as imagining him to have a
charmed life. Their enthusiasm, indeed
may well have been stirred by his past
career.
The first time we hear of Schamil is in
1892 In that year devout Mussul-
man, Kasi-M Mollah.. held chief command
! in the bands Of Lesghians, Tchetchentzes,
and other tribes Of the eastern chain, and
the steppes abutiing on the caspian and
traversed by the Koisu Kasi-Mollah's
reputation for sanctity was greater than
;hat which he acquired for the higher
military qualities, although dashing
leader, and individually one OF the bra
vest Of the brave. He was brought to
bay in 1882 by General Roseu, at place
called Gumri Encircled on all sides,
almost the last scrap Of food devoured,
nothing remained in the opin,, on Of kasi-
Mollah and about thirty of his most zeal
Gus disciples, but to hew for themselves
path through the Russian bayonets, to
freedom or 70 Paradise-either alterna-
tive a welcome one. This resolution
tinally taken, they suddenly emerged from
the fastness they could no longer hold,
and burst upon the Russian troops with
the shock of an avalanche, and the fu-
rious discordant yells Gf troop of mad
men. For one or two brief moments It
seemed that they must escape, SO far
through the beleaguering Cree Of their
foes did they cleave their desperate way
before the mountaineering ranks re-
closed around them, aud they fell by two
aud three, wildly fighting to the last,
riddled by mu-ket-balls and bayonet-
ts.abs.
Kais-Mollah "died with his hand or
his beard, and = last prayer murmerine
from his lips" aud his pupils parished
with him, all save one, aud he the bra
vest and fiercest of them all, who broke
through the encircling bayonats, dashed
at headlong speed past the more distant
lines Of ruunng-ire unharmed-reined
suddenly up IS he reached tn angle of
mountain gorge, into which he knew
none dared To follow, shook his red
scimitar, and hurled defiant execration
in the face Of hir bafHed foes, and the
next moment, with IN exulting shout OF
Allah. Il Allah!" disappeared in the
dark mountain pass. This fortunate
horseman was Schamil, the future Iaan
preacher,) the prophet-soldirr of the
Caucasus, whose escape, as just described
many OF his followers to this day firmly
believe was due to the direct interposi-
ton Of the angel Gabriel.
Schamil, who is one of the dark-eyed,
dartly Tartar race of Tchetchentzes,
was born at Tsehirskel, place of about
1900 inhabitants and after his escape
from Gumri, he employed several years
IN perambulating the mountains OF the
Lesghian chain, paeaching wherever he
went with fervid eloquence upon tn.
sacred duty, deyolved by God upon all
true believers, to extripate the intrusive
infdel, and the paradisal rewards which
death in so high and holy cause must
intallibly insure. This prophet call, as
it was deemed, to battle from the cupo-
las and miuarets of the sublime and tow
ering Alps, gradually kindled the latent
ianaticism of the mountaineers to fame
which soon communicated itself TO the
dwellers in the cities and steppes of
Daghistan, and the adjacent valleys and
plains.
The story of Schamil's miraculous
escape from General Rosen, by favor OF
the archangel Gabriel, was repeated from
mouth to mouth with endless variations
and addltions-hls daring skill, and sue
cess as soldier, confirmed the illusions
of credulous bigotry and he gradually
drew around his standard and, and to his
sway, the multitude of rugged warriors
whose swords have inscribed so many
victories upon the backs of the russ an
armies, and to this hour presented an in
uincible front TO their dismayed and
practically discomGtted adversaries.