The New York herald., 1870-07-29
NEW YORK HERALD FRIDAY JULY 29 lS7u-TRpLE SHEET.

some time We gained the summit Of Mount Pc
renga. whence one of the main feeders OF the
river Ri0n takes its rise, and had an admirable
the high plateau Of the South Caucasus, which
stretched before us towards Tiais. The best de-
scripton aud by far the shortest OF the route to
Tiis from Poti would be to say that from Pot you
assembly slow degrees the valley OF the kion 10
| Mount Perenga and then descend by q much more
| gentle descent the valley Of the koor. or the an
| ccnt Cyrus; but by this mode should have to
extrade much other interesting matter.
SOLDIERS DOING PENANcE.
| In the Pass Of Suram which is not a very
| wide chasm split Of two high mountains, was a
| regiment Of soldiers doing penance-that is, they
had been sent hither to work on the railroad for
misbehavior and are for the time reduced to the
level of ordinary navvies, at which work they are
compelled to labor for several months with only
the pay Of Russian soldiers. Can any practical
American, no matter how philanthropic he may
be, discover fault with this disposition Of crimi
labor they had performed, though at the sams
time ] was not blind TO the sad, sombre faces OF
the soldiers. 1t was wise nay humane dls-
position, which sent them TO the Pass of Suram
rather than to the terrible cline and ragged re-
giOn of Siberia. 1t was good policy also; tor ny
his the Russian government saves many thou
81 Ads of roubles The time has gone by when
Russia drilled her soldiers to railway making; she
only tasks criminals In that way now.
CASTLES.
Suram itself is the next post beyond the Mount
Pcrenga. II is a considerable town. very quiet
and has decided unc0mmuhicativ look about it
which may be owing, perhaps, to the lowness and
squat fern Of the houses. 1t has castle leaning
over the slope and spreading over the cove OF a
beetling rock which stands close to the town.
Gor il also famous for castle which is like a
"rock upon rock" superbly cresting lofty
round hill in the town. The Cyrus spreads itself
over an immense ground just above the town, then
having reunited all its branches aud struggling
arteries just below, sweeps grandiy, under an old
Georgian bridge, towards Tinis, four stages dis
tant. This district is Georgia. Inertia is passed
when the traveller the spine of the Perenga
Mountain.
MIsKBprKA.
This town, celebrated in former times as having
been the residence of the kings of Georgia was
reached by our gailoplng trains just at nightiall
There are two monastsrics OF the Greek period at
this place. at one of which the kings of Georgia
were wont to be crowned and there the bishops
are consecrated.
Perenga Mountain is a lofty barrier between
forest scenery and gray nakcdness. On the wcst
side Of Perenga flourish the most splendid ash and
elm trees aud uxuriant vegetation. The cabins
of the people ali built OF wood like our West
ern cabius. On the east Of Perenga you may
cast your eye In vain for trees, save those which
some shadeoving Tartar has planted by his
house or where a small plantation and petty
grove tell of an abundance OF water. And from
the eastern slope ofPerenga to hiskbetka you con
tinually watch the verdure fade before stcirlity
and gray rocks and white clay hills.
AT REST.
As the station of Miskbetka is but one stage
from Tihis, we could not restrain our mpatence,
80 we called for our fresh teams and taranta and
continued our journey in the darkness. 1t was
good. road, know, for the wheels hissed and
grinded smoothly. We were conscious Of tall
bluffs on either side of us, of a roaring, rapid
river being to our left finally we saw lights
fckering in the far distance. far below us, to
which we were constantly directed, and which
came out brighter and brighter az we approached.
We rolled at last through the wide streets of Tdis,
lit up with petroleum lamps, and halted before
the wide portals Of the courtyard of the Hotel
d'Europe.
Tired with the drive OF 160 miles, which we had
made in two days, my fellow traveller and myself
bid mutual good night and turned to bed