The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-23

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RUSSIA AND ESoLAAD-TER SrRsNorn AND
WEAxsEss.-The author Of this interesting lit
tie brochure seems to have made himself &C
qusinted. both by study and personal observa-
tion, with all the intricate phases Of the East
ern Question; and although We do not always
agree with the deductions which he draws from
the facts stated, we are not disposed to deny
their general accuracy. he Is evidently an en-
tbusiastic admirer of the Circassian people, and
appears to think that all that s necessary to curb
the pretensions Of Russia on the side ofTurkey. Is
to keep open the communication with the Cau-
casus by sea. and to supply these hardy noun
taineers with such present military stores and
munitions Of war as they are necessarily de-
fcient in. owing to their long previous isola-
ton. The following biographical notice of
Scbamyl, the prophet hero Of Daghestan, will be
read with interest," assSSs
This great man was born in the year 1797, in the
Aoul Of Hmri, and was thirty seven years old when
be became chief Of the Tschetschensians. He dis
tiDguishedat early age for his unyelding temper,
his grave and reserved character, his thirst for
knowledge and his ambition. He is described by
some authorities as naturally of weak consttu-
ton, which be has hardened by exercise and tenn
peYance; but many phases In his life seem to
prove that be has naturally an iron frame. he
used to devote whole days to solitary meditation,
ceeded In inspiring him with love Of the Koran.
Initiated in the doctrine of the Su6s he excited
great enthusiasm in his pupil and prepared him for
great achievements This education took effect aud
from the day when Schamyl stood forth as the sue
cess ~ Hsmsad Bey, all heads bowed before their
~
s,-.myl is not unworthy of being at the head of
apeope and the founder Of a sect which has pro.
nounced him to be Prophet. He is q man Of
middle height of a fair complexion, with auburn
hair end beard; he has gray eyes, decately CHS
elled nose and a small mouth. A marble-lke impas-
sibty, which never forsakes him, even in moments
of the greatest danger pervaces his whole person,
and especially his walk an the immoyeabe carriage
OF his arms He addresses enemies and criminals
without trace OF emotion o. revenge. These
characteristics may originate partly in his convic
ton that ali bis words and actions are Immediately
inspired and directed by God he eats little, drinks
nothing but water though contact with the Rus
slams has poisoned hispeople with love Of brandy;
he only allows himself fe hours sleep, aud passes
all his leisure time in reading the Koran ana In
prayer; but when he speaks, the Daghestan poet,
Bersek Bay, describes him as having " lightning
in bis eyes and flowers on his lips"
He appears to be, like the hero Of Hungary,
perfect master of that Oriental eloquence which is
adapted to rouse masses of Mussumans and NJ ,gyars
though 1t would not probably be relishec by the
cotton and treason spinning $50 siety or the
Q lightened columns Of the Times. g. -
il Is proper to aod that other German writer's pro-
tected and crammed by Muscovite officers circulate
various equiyoca and unavorable statements affect
ing Schsmyl which are entitled to the same sort of
attention that Nicholas paid to Prussia in his gen.
tlemauly conversations with Sir Hamilton Seymour.
In the first years Of his government Schamyl welt
in the little fortified village Of Achulko, where he
had caused stone house with two stories to be
built in the European fashion, by Russian deserters
and prisoners. He was at that time 50 poor that
the soldiers were obliged to procure him the neces
saIies Of life, yet the power Of religious enthusiasm
tons'of gold But the tribes OF the Caucasus. I'M
like Christendom, prefer to serve God rather than
Mammon. Schamyl has only to nod, and his Mu
Mansur, who, fifty years before, inspired the noun
taineers with his own heroic faith and patriotism,
and stimulated them to desperate resistance against
Russia, only arenowned and formidable warrior.
But Schamyl Is not only the Sultan and General of
Tschetschensians, he has also been declared the
prophet Of Daghestan since 1894, where
the war cry since that date has been, Mo-
hammed is the first prophet of Allah and Schamyl
The capture Of Achulko which General Grabbe
had anticipated as the death blow to the influence
Of Schamyl, was the Of raising his consider.
sa n to Df tine ssHs s pitch BY The apparently mira
CINE the bold cheftain the only survivor Of the de-
voted defenders Of that Aoul eappearing among his
reopleat the very moment that they received the In
telfgeBce Ct the total destruction 0fAchuko. They
were fully convinced that he was buried under its
ruins, when he suddenly strobe into their midst.
II was clear that the finger Of God was there, and
the divine mission Of their leader was henccforth
based On an unshakeabe foundation. No victory
could have raised him higher in their eyes than this
defeat.
After the loss Of Achulko Schamyl visited the
CircassiaDs in the Western Caucasus projecting an
alliance and combined operations between them and
their country men in the Eastern Caucasus Though
the Cicassians entertain the same hatred to the
Russians as the other clans, serious mpedments
were found to joint organization Of all the noun
tainecrs owing to jealouses, difference Of idioms,
and the religious Indifference or paganism OF the
Western Caucasans. Thus for the time, thoagh
Schamyl met with hearty welcome, he could not
effect his object. At later date. however, his
daring Eruption into kabarda shook the whole po-
pulaton of the mountains Moreover, on receiving
the intelligence Of The great defeat OF the Russians
by SchaDyl near Dargo, the Circassians were sti-
muated to attack the forts ON tee coast OF the Black
SEA. of which they. captured several. performing
prodges of valor willis. storming them.
When Prince WoroDzof appointed Com
nance Chief in the Caucasus, Schamy was no
longer the Insignificant mountain chieitain his
power had become immense. The Avars, the
Kists, the kumucks, and Numerous other tribes Of
Lesghistan ard DaghestaD, were reused by the
burning eloquence of the Prophet to unite with
their old rivals the Tschetschersians. Though at
the beginning be had only been the leader of small
band OF followers he was now the ruler OF peo
pie. II is evident that to accomplish this the great
mountsin chieftain must have been endowed with a
rare political genius and the strongest religious
COZ vlcticp.
Schnmyl is not only brave and skiful com.
mandsr--events have proved that he Is also saga.
cicus aud cesr-sighted awgiver, otherwise he would
never have succeeded in snbjeotng tie chefains Of
the other tribes, In introducing theocrs,ic monar-
chy IN the Most Of barbarism, in uniting hostile
cisns, in giving to all one common faitE ia accus
toniug Wild irregular cavalry to Systematic tactics
and Ia forming substantial and permanent ilstitu
tons
This work has been accomplished by Schamy
The rev doctdiLe that lie preached rec1nclled thu
sntagonsfic sects Of Omar and Of Ali; hisNctorts
dazzlel the sons OF the mountains and humbcd his
All the tribes that Acknowledged the same faith
we've united b. him in The same civil organization,
and the rarnes Of t petty rritories and claEs be
gan to 6isappear.
The territory, under the rule of schamyl, il at the