The Shasta courier., 1868-01-18

L
him in all his varied movements. Sufice
that by number of rapid and simultaneou
attacks he made himself master of most O
the Russian forts in the Ruban line-inyade,
the territory of the Kumyks, a tribe il
alliance with Russia, defeated them in de
tail, and bore home an immense amount O
booty-nearly annihilated the army of Grabb
IN the forests of Itchkeri- almost utterl-
destroyed another large army under Woron
zon, and forced from that Fabius of tn
Russians the declaration to the Gar that j
was impossible to subjugate the Circassan
at single blow, that they must be graduall
exhausted, and that time and patience wer
the only requisites for this course of policy
The emperor acquiesced, and Woronzoff a
once sent his light troops to traverse tn
Caucasus, whilst with the rest of his force
he began to build chain of forts around hi
unconquered enemies.
Schamyls last great exploit took place il
1916. At the head of body of horsemeI
be ran the gauntlet between two lines o
forts; crossed two great rivers, thereby
greatly endangering his retreat; and fel
upon the lowlanders of Kabardet-a Circas
sian race subjects to Russia This was ar
act of extraordinary boldness, for he NIGH
have been easily surrounded and annihilated
by his enemies in the plains, owing to hi,
great lnterlority of numbers. Notwtih
standing, his scheme was crowned with the
most complete success. He laid waste the
country, burnt its crops, and recrossed the
Russian lines like lightning, with a large
number of prisoners.
In lSoO Schamyl once more broke through
Russian lines to punish the disobedience of
| deserting tribes. Yet, like Hannibal in the
mountains of Brutti, his efforts grew daily
weaker and weaker, for want of supplies,
until Woronzoff had the triumph of seeing
his policy well nigh successful. Then came
the Crlmean war, during which the Circas-
slams showed their weakness by taking no
part in the struggle. They merely made use
OF 1t as breathing space, well knowing that
its termination would be the signal for re-
newed hostilities against them.
In this they were not mistaken. After q
most desperate resistance, during which a
famine added to the mseries of war, the
Circassians aave been at last compelled to
yield to Russia. Schamyl, with some of his
family, was starved out of fort in which he
had been surprised by his enemies, and,
upon his capture, conveyed in secret to Mos
COW, where he is kept as a State prisoner
He is now nearly seventy years old. TALL
well-proportioned, of stately carriage and
handsome face. with snowy beard that
sweeps his breast be is indeed the very ideal
of a patriarch.
We conclude our sketch of this remarkable
man with a terrible though characteristic
story which is told of him
In 1913 a deputation was sent to Schamyl
by the tribes of the Great and Little Tchet.
CHINA, who were surrounded and hard pos
sessed by the Russians. The deputies, four
IN number, were commissioned to ask for a
reinforcement sufficient to drive the enemy
from their country, or, failing this, that they
might with his authority subject themselves
to the Russian government. Schamyl had
repeatedly sworn that the first person who
talked to him cf submission to the Giaours
should die the death The deputies, aware
of this oath, were far from'intending in per-
son to urge their suit. Accordingly they
determined, if possible, to bring the question
before Schamyl through the medium of the
Khanum, his mother. This woman had at
that time more influence than any one else
over her son. On their arrival at Dargo
their Konak, or international host, intro
duced them to the Khanum. Under the
influence of bribes-to which indeed she
seemed always to have been open-the
mother undertook to break their request to
her son. On the same evening she sought
and gained an interview with Schamyl.
although he was at the time under a heavy
stress of business, being on the point of
sending his Murids with lnfammatory mes
sages to the neutral Caucasian tribes. Their
conversation lasted till midnight. None ever
knew what actually passed between them !;
but when Hassim Mullah, the Konak, went
next morning to learn from the Khanum the
decision of Schamyl, he found her pale and
in tears, My son." she said, trembling,
does not himself dare to give me an
answer. He has therefore gone to the mosque
in order, with prayer and fasting, to learn
Muhammed's will from his own lips."-
Schamyl had, indeed, shut himself up in the
mosque. with the order that all the people of
Dargo should wait in prayer around the
building until he should come out again.
Upon this the whole of the neighboring pop
ulation focked from their homes and sur
rounded the mosque with prayer and lamen-
tation. Three days and nights went by
Many of the suppliants sank exhausted from
want of food and sleep, until at last the
gates unfolded, and Schamyl came forth
with features pale and swollen from fasting.
After whispered message to the nearest
murlQ, ne mOunleu upon the nat rOOI OIL the
mosque, accompanied by several Of his body
guard. Before long the messenger came
back with the Khanum whom he led to the
prophets side. Amidst the dead silence
that ensued he turned to the people and said
in a loud voice " Inhabitants of Dargo,
what | have to announce to you is terrible.
The Tchetchenzes have sent deputation to
me seeking submission to the Giaour. Well
aware of my oath, these messengers applied
to my mother, who weak woman tina. she
was, consented to break their request to me.
My attachm ent for her rendered me so bold
that undertook to ask the will of Muham
mad himself, the favorite of Allah. He has
at length deigned me an answer, but, oh
what terrible one. By his orders, the first
person who breathed to me the villainous
wishes of the Tchetchenzes is to receive a
hundred lashes. This person is my mother"
The poor woman, ON hearing her name thus
mentioned, uttered terrible cry, but
Schamyl was unmoved. The Murids tore
off her vail and bound her to pillar, while
the prophet himself caught up the lash to
infict the punishment. At the fifth blow
the Khanum fell down dead and Sehamyl
threw himself in an agony of sorrow at her
feet. Suddenly, however, he sprang up and
stood erect, and with eyes sparkling with
JOY cried God is God, and Muhammed is
his prophet In answer to my prayer, he
now permits me to undergo the rest of the