Connecticut western news., 1875-04-09
THE RUSSIAN ROBBERS.
A Wonderful Story of . Wonderful Breed of

A Wonderful Story of Wonderful Breed of
 Horses.
 The noblest breed of horses in Rus sia, says Appleto1a's Journal, is found among the Tcherkess Ca Caucasian tribe) of Great and Little Kabardah. Brought up in the wild steppe, amid dangers and nightly alarms, its apprehensive sagacity becomes early developed in high de- gree. It is 8 fine animal, with 8 strong spine, powerful croup and thigh, and great width of shoulder and cnest; the kneecaps are broad, the hoof as if form ed of iron, head and neck tolerably light; everything seems combined to render them trusty, indefaGgable ser wants to man. The Tchetchents, the most ferocious and determined brigands of the Caucasus (now fortunately only in small nr1mbers), used to buy their horses in the Kabardah. They pick out, the most promising one-year-olds, take them home, where they are, so to say, received into the bosom of the family. They receive their food when the latter sits down to meal, and they often sleep in the same room. The young children will play with them, talk to them, and crawl all day long over and about them; what wonder if the horse becomes almost as wise as it's master :! The young boys will sometimes mount him and gallop over the prairies, but no adult thinks of bestriding him before he has finished his sixth year. His bones have then become firmly developed, his sinews and feet are steel, his wind is in- Yincible.; He knows, his masters voice and look-nay, he has even some, notion of his character. His nerves have from his birth been finely tuned to the sound of danger or mysterious enterprise. / It knows when it's brigand master is on an expedition of risk and unlawful daring. "A whispered word sends him down info the high steppe-weed, or brushes situ- ated near the road at a place where the latter is difficult, where convenient ditch is at hand to receivea carriage and its human freight. In breathless silence both wait, for what may turn up. The ears of the Pchetchentsian Black Bess slyly move to every wait of the light wind, and before the man can hear the slightest sound he sees by the demeanor of his steed that business will soon be at hand |f ~'--"i if -is>-i. -i
 Hark faint sound of the postal-ben (fastened toethe pole of the vehicle) strikes his ear, he feels,for his gun, his pistol, his razor-edged sword, the large dagger, and breathlessly awaits the ap- proachs of the travellers. Not a single thought bestowing on the probable num- Der or quality of the foe, he stands over his horse, which slowly gathers his feet up beneath him. At last the moment for action has arrived The carriage is just at the right distance from the ditch or other accidental difficulty of the road "a soft touch, and horse and man are up. With the bound of atiger the horse pounces upon the leaders, attacking them with hoof and tooth. Simultane- ously the; rider has fired at the driver ]; and with terror, the post-horses have jumped off the road, precipitating the carriage in the hole, and before it's in mates have time to feel for their revol- vers, they are eased of at least part of their property, and may thank God they have not broken neck or limb in the fall Before they recover from their fright, the Tchetchent is already several miles on his gallop home. He has a sharp ride before him, and he, as well as his cunning ,quadruped, knows it full we'll; for tomorrow there will be an in quiry about where Muhamed, Arsslan Bey, or Moussa, was that night. With calm smile, our brigand friend replies to the Russian Grado-N -Natchalnik's ques- tions:
 ' Where should Ihave been but here? The robbery was committed near the Akhenskay Stanitzi, one hundred and fifty versts (eighty miles away) from here, and what2 at nine o'clock, you say. Why, I was here at twelve, as can prove, and I could not ride that dis tance in three hours" <.
 The officer, up to Tchetchent's tricks, and anything but satisfied, turns to the steed to discover from her appearance the effects of so severe 8 ride; but the nag is quietly eating his corn, and look ing as contented and playful as if he knew his masters safety depended on his brave bearing.