Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-03-29
Wafrhman &c Journal.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1870.
Jonrnel lngs In Enronc...1h.

HrssiA Avn Tnr rAsr


After the difficult journey over the noun
tains, we rested two days at pskoo. Our
headquarters were, as | stated in my last
letter, at the house of Russian captain.
Petin, who put onehalf Of his establishment
at our disposal. was so weary the first
evening that slept from ten o'clock in the
evening till eight o'clock next morning, a
perfectly dreamless sleep. Next day shep-
herds came with goat-skin full Of honey
and with offers of service to conduct us
further over the mountains. Our host bought
the honey aud we retained the services of
the shepherds as guides My husband wished
to explore the lower valley Of the Bzeeb, and
as the journey was much too difficult for me
to undertake, it was arranged that | should
remain at tie house Of Colonel Gamalei, the
commander Of the brigade distributed in
different places in the mountains. Ills head
quarters were at rskoo, where he resided
with his sister, a middle-aged maiden lady.
The number Of soldiers at Pskoo was about
two hundred at that time. During TIE war
with the mOuntaineers there were many
more, and several government buildings were
erected for their accommodation, so that
Pskoo presents the appearance Of a consider
able village As place Of summer resi-
dence it is very agreeable SO far as scenery,
good air and pure water is concerned The
absence Of society would make il tedious for
a long stay, but for week or ten days it
was pleasant enough. When the morning
came for my husbands setting out on his
explorations, the Colonel had uice break
fast ready for ALL
After breakfast the whole assembly OF
guides and attendants were in waiting in
front of the house. Horses were brought
for the Colonel, his sister and myself and
we accompanied the party for a couple OF
miles we then babe good-by to ALL re-
turned with the Colonel and his sister, in a
very gloomy mood Of mind. remembered
he difficult places which we had passed
through. and was fearful lest the rayiues Of
the Bleth might hide still greater danger
,han the passes between pitsounda aud
Pskoo Everything was done to make my
time pas, pleasantly The Colonels sister
proved an agreeable companion. Every day
ac took some little excursion on foot or on
horseback There are waterfalls aud places
with interesting scenery in the nsighbor-
hood, all Of which we visited. Every noun
tain aud valley has some legend connected
with IT, Many Of these have been lost since
the mouutainecrs were obliged to emigrate.
have been able, however, 10 obtain a few,
TWO Of which will give here. The first re-
ates To- the origin Of large mountain of
,and, and a dark and deep rayine not fan
listaut The sand mountain stands quite
alone and seems to lave no relation what
ever with It's surrounding The ravint
is said to have been closed formerly, and IN
place Of the rapid stream which now rushes
along, there was deep lake, The story
runs as follows In ancient times there wa'
princess Of the mountains, Of such wonder
lul aud fascinating beauty, that her famt
filed the whole country. All the heroes
\ aud giants OF the Caucasus came to seek her
hand At length her choice was narrowed
down to two--the most powerful and cele
brated giants in all the lands between the Cas-
plan and the Black Seas. She announced t'
them that she would give each task to per
form. One was to collect and bring Q
mountain Of yellow sand from the sea shore
aud place it at a certain point before hel
castle; the other was to free the lake, anc
let it run into the sen. Whoever should d,
his work first was to have her hand in mar
riace. One set out for the sea shore t,
bring the mountain the other to let loos,
the lake. When the giant Of the mountain
was returning from the sea with his load
and came in view Of the castle he saw tha
the barrier Of the lake had already beer
broken The water was rushing dowI
through the valley. His rival had succeeded
Overcome by disappointment and defeat, h
sank under his burden, and was covered b,
the mountain The natives say that, fron
time to time, in stormy weather, the noun
tain is agitated and the giant heayes any
struggles with it on his breast, but is unabl
to free himself.
The second legend is also about love
The favorite daughter Of powerful chiei
tain fell in love with an unacceptable suitol
Her father was enraged, aud the young pee
pie decided to run away. The iudignan
father pursued them, intending TO kill III
Young man. When nearly oyortaken, th
daughter, horrifed at the idea that her fathe
should become a murderer prayed to aver
the crime. As they saw escape was impo
sible, and stood waiting for their punisl
ment, the maiden weeping and her love
standing erect TO meet every comer the
were both turned to stone. The young girl
tears alone remain unchanged, and to th
dav thev flow out of the rock, reireshin
spring for every passer by. Such is I'll
character Of these mountain legends whie
( explain every freak of nature by some inc
dent of human life.
| heard another story which coutaine
nothing fabulous, but much that was cru
and faithless. Not far from Pskoo on Il
e Bzeeb, there is an enormous rock, near Il
site of former village During the war
Russian soldier was taken captive and kel
for some months in this village In a crevi'
of the rock, couple of hundred feet from Il
ground, bees were discovered. The capti'
was told that he should be freed If he won
= climb up and procure the honey This
endeavored to do, and after working for
couple days, succeeded in obtaining the 60
eted prize. Having let the honey down by
rope, he was deserted by the villagers, &
n ladders, which had assisted him in makil
r a part of the ascent were removed, and
" was left to his fate. For couple of days 4
e poor captive clung to his position, then f
= down aud was crushed to atoms.
e On the ninth day after my husband
'e departure, he returned from his explol
c tions. lie and the whole party were near
1t famished; during the last two days tn
4 had eaten almost nothing, and, broug
y home astonishing appetites. The Colon
a. had rousing good supper prepared, and
most hungry were soon satisfied In
my travels have never met with mo
hoenitaLla noonle than the Russians, al