Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-01-09
NJ ISC E L L A NY.
CIRCASSIA.

A correspondent of the journal Of Commerce
gives the following interesting sketch Of Cir,as-
STA and its inhabitants
Clrcassa, including the Caucasus. compre-
bends several distinct territories or States. as
Osseia, Abasia, lmiretta Alngrea and Daghes.
tan, while some include Georgia, once an Inde.
pendent kingdom, under the same general name.
The population is estimated al 1000, 900, which
is divided into seventeen different tribes, which
again are subdivided into upwards Of one hun
dred and twenty independent clans TIE strong
est and most prominent tribes are the Tcherkess
who occupy the northwestern portion of the Cau-
casian range, and are divided into fifteen differ
ent clans. The name of the country, Circas-ia
is said to be derived from that of his tribe 1cher-
keSS, which is Tartar, and signifies highway
man or robber, the justice of whose application
the history of this mountain race has fully just-
he'd from the earliest age The Ab1sidnS. EN-.
bracing eleven clans, and numbering 10000
souls, are located south east of the former
On the extreme nights ofthe Caucasus amidst
region of barren rocks and eternal SHOWS are
found the Ossetes and the Sesghs, formidable
and bold robbers, who are the scourge and ter
ror of the adjacent territories. An almost i'm
passabIe range near the Black Sea is inhabited
by the Suanes, race almost wild and savage
a large district occupied by a numerous popua-
ton, Mingrelia is another considerable Terri
tory, being part Of ancient Colchis, and en-
tending along the Black Sea about one hundred
and Fifty miles by forty or fifty inland. Imireta,
a part OF ancient Iberia, is about eighty miles
long, and bounded 10y Mngrelia on the West
Georgia is situated between the Black and Cas-
plan Seas, North Of Armenia and South of Cir
cassa, having a territory of twenty thousand
square miles, and population of nearly four
hundred thousand souls. Besides these, there
are various little tribes and clans of the greater
tribes, scattered through all the corners Of this
mountainous region Their habitations. pcrched
on the submits Of the highest cliffs, and On the
edge OF the steepest precipices, have most fear
:ul a'pect; while the hal.wild tribes, secured
from foreign invasion by the poverty of their
country, and the INN cnse and entangcd forests
which surround them, turn their hands upon one
another, butchering their rivals, burning their
villages, and subsising in good degree by plum
der.
The Circassans, but still more the Georgians,
as is stated by DR.. Ro-en, are distinguished for
the symmetry OF their form and the beauty of
Their features, while they do but little in cult
waiting tie soil, live in the most filthy, ill-con-
structed and insufficient novels, subsist upon the
coarsest food, and sell their own daughters for
the trade in slaves has been interdjcted BY The
Porte. it is still carried on, though less openly,
and Circasslan girls are bought and sold for the
Turkish harems as before. Nor do the fema les
OBJECT as they expect an i'm )rovement IN their
condition, since they may live at their ease, and
even become the wives of Pashas or the Grand
Slgnor The common price is from Sl5O to
$500, though Turk has been known to nav
even $500 III case of rare beauty. In general
al the Circasslan tribes profess the Mahome tan
religion, which they hold, however, very loose
ly, while a small part has embraced the doctrines
and forms of the Russian or Greek church
Without schools and without books, they have
no measure of education and scarcely any of
them possess among themselves, or have mbbed
from the Russians, the smallest tincture of liter.
ature.
The females, however graceful, are without
any mental culture, their Time being directed to
embrolder e, weaving, and making garments.
IL is hardly possible 10 find one who can read or
write. The buys are sometimes taught TO read
the Koran, the Alnssnlman Bible, by the priests
IN the mosques. They have no written laws,
and thu reiore usually all their affairs are regu-
lated in council, like our Indian tribes, the mo !.
venerable, or the most distinguished by his mil
itary exploits, taking the lead The government
is ieudal, the chiefs of the tribes being called
PStecS, and the mos, exact Difference required
as IN the clans of the Scottish Highlands, 10 ali
tn claims of rank and precedence. The chiefs
and mobiles keep free table, and are served by
the mobiles and their serfs
1t is said there are no less than THRU differ
cnt languages spoken by these various tribes
and clans, scattered over territory with an ay
erage breadth of 200 miles, with length of $780,"