The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-23
IN ASIA MINOR.
The COUNTRY LYING BETWEEN THE TWO
GREAT sEAs-THE SNOWY CAUCASUS RANGE

WAR correspondence Of London Daily News
kUrAIs, Transcaucasa
My experiences in reaching this place throw some
light upon the state OF the country Being informed
reaching Odessa that water passage the east
coast Black Sea available, the last steamer
for Kcrtch even having lett the day previous. and
elucca beng allowed TO show itself outside
the batteries, the only alternative was to enter the
Asiatic theatre OF war-alter detour through
South Russia-by the Pyle caucasce, known nova
days as tho Route Mtaire dc George-and take q
ticket for Elizabethgrad Tho Emperor being at the
camp At Kschened, and hundreds OF people going 10
him, the crush, aggravated by the usual bad ar
engagements OF Russian railways was tremendous, con.
siderable pockei-pickng IAN art lately mported Took
place and many people had TO stand up IN the car
riages during The greater part Of the night
Al Ezabclhgrad, which We reached the follow
ing evening, a delay OF TWO days took place. In
consequence OF an inundaton Of the Dniepcr, which
had flooded the town oil Remenchook carried away tho
railway cmbankment and thrown 400 or !, 800 FAM
lies OF work. TINS Ehzabethgrad is the same town
built IN q hollow Of the steppo ana commanded by
fortress, mentioned by Tott in his memoirs Of cen.
fury ago, when he accompanied the Krm rarars in
their last famous raid uto Russia II was then merely
sort OF suburb 10 the tort, but Is now consii-
erahie town, covering over square mile Get
ting OF the morning OF tne third day we arrived in
TOW hours AZ Remcncnook, whore the Dneiper, naf
y
part OF the town was still under water, with boats ply
ing IN tho streets They lad however, repaired the
walked across and met train on Inc far side, board
Ing which We reached Putowa IN the course OF the
afternoon. This rs now nourisning town, inter-
sperscd with trees, gardens, and y column commend.
ratng the defeat oil Charles AIL
srEPPEs.
Hence with toleraDle rapldiy, over grass covered
steppes TO Karkon, large town. Here there Was
delay Of tour hours and change Of railway; thence
twenty Jour hours over The same or precisely similar
with cattle men Eou-hing WI. eight or len yoke OF
oxen women in shcepsKin coats and long boois or IN
bedg0wns SHOES stockings, STRIPS OF
poushed land, wnitewashed straw hatcned villages,
white churches, WIN green roofs. &c Tho
railway thus brings one late at night past
Taganrog TO Rosten on tho Don, just above the
point OF its emDouchurc INTO the Sea Of Azov Here
the Wladihawkas Six T. ~ train, slowly crossing tho
long railway bridge and embankinent brought US
shortly alter nightia iarly 10 what (Dcore the
grand stampede OF the tribe ASIA TO their
cieut hunting grounds on the northeast frontier Of
shs a. 'hs sn
ting more and more ''m xed' as We approached she
Caucasus We had Russian officers OF diverse grades
Armenians, Iartars Lesghans, Polish Jews, Russian
aud Crcassan ditto Cossack settlers German coonists
M,ngrelans. Georgians, Persans, &c
IN SIGHT OF THE CAUCASUS. .
the railway carriages on this line are constructed
on the American system, with passage through the
centre We had group Of Russian officers ours
all young fellows gong TO the 'front.' with the double
excitement OF commencing lite and campaign before
them Az day6reak we were sin bowling across the
praries, whose rich herbago varegated By flowers
oil different kinds, large crimson anenones, wild
tulips, ranunculases, &C., IN iuli boom. At
CaIcasus' showed distinct against the southern
HORIZON and by afternoon VIC were running along
the base OF the mighty cham, which extendo from the
Black TO the Caspian Sea, Ut rapidly decreasing
distance over country repletc With grazing
ana agricultural capabilities, TIMBER stone. &c, hard
by, aud water power, yet comparatively uninhabited.
Here and there are scattered German and Cossack w
lages-colonies as they are caed-lhe inhabitants u
the latter lazy 10 pitch Of azncss Incredible yet tor
them very well oil, possessing vast herus
OF horses and Cattle, plenty to cat. with
family. Enter ono OF these Cossack settlements at
any hour 0 tho day you choose and you ualiy ind
bali the population loatng sleeping, on sun
days aud holidays more less drunk. II situated
rivor there viii be 20 Jerry or ierryDoat, ana you
may haIoa iii you are hoarsc; the terryman prefers
drinking sleeping 10 being at his post and, what Is
more. nobody who hears you VIII bother
to go to the grogshop he uses and commune
as well, II GU the iai side, swim your horse
At seven T. NJ we reached Wladlkavkas, at
Route M,litare Georgia Right and lett OF lnls was
the Lgne Gauchc and Ligne Drote. formerly Tor fifty
Lesgnian and Crcassan mountaineers, sort OF "Dar
ell Iarb, perpetual seat OF line OF Cossack posts
and redoubs, supported BY strong dctachmcnts OF IN
tantry, our northwest frontier IN India a. the
present Jay, only on more exclusive scale.
DIFFICULTY PROGRESS.
Since 1860 II had sunk comparative torpiditv,
but now being situated on the only direct line OF
muncation between RUSSIA and the Asatlc frontier,
IL is reused nto activity. Inquiry made on the follow
ing mornipg showed that anything like speedy and
certain progress was problematca especially to an
outsder-thc road over the Darrell being stil blocked
snow, and the rush OF officers, people
aud others TO the front great that every place
the dgences and post cars was booked Tor three
four days in advance. They refused padmoshnas,
government orders Tor post horses to all OIL
Gals fne only certain resource discovered TO be
the Jour On Indigenous travelling wagon the
affair Strap anu Roderck Random vent by in tho
days OF our i0reiahers which convcnlences, loaded
vo
lover toicraolo road9 10 the Caucasus or
twenty-five 10 thirty miles per diem; but none OF
these were TO leave Tor three or Jour days time, and
they would pro ABLY take eight in the existing
state OF tho to reach Iias couple OF Italians
at the hotel VINO had lately arrived by post reported
that they had paid sixty roubes about three times the
ordinary tarIn), and mad had TO walk three stages
through snow, mud ana avaancnes, and that eleven
men ana twenty i've horses had been buried alive
within the last three months. An officer OF
engineers on special service had had TO wait three
days. aud did not expect to leave till the This
gentleman, originally from the Baltic PROVINCES clever
aud we'll informed, as those 10 the scientific and staff
corps branches oil the Russian service invariably are
was just IRON the Amoor I'm Sberia), whore no mad
spent four years, and gave example in his person Of
the military exodus which Is taking place toward the
FORWARD ny DILIGENCE
There is horse road, rather bride PATH across
the ranges from WiadIkavkas 10 kutias IN Mingrelia
descending TO the valley OF tho Ron at Ont, but
horses were available (unless purchased), anu these
mountain paths, unless you have companion, are
not always safe There were luckily nat dozen
officers route TO that part who, altor three days
detention, had succeeded In getting a diligence,
being accepted with thanks, We got OIL about
O'Clock raiuy morning, and drove up the pass
reacn ng, alter divers delays and difficulties The kas
bek station the lhird from Wadkavkas, about three
! +. NJ. This post house, at the bottom OF deep
valley, commands In hnc weather grand
/ OF the mountain, the highest in tho cham from
/ which u takes It's Nance but, thick mist having
settled down on the upper portion, the ancicnt
CHURCH, built by Queen Thamar. on a spur
1000 ieet above the bottom OF the valley, was all we
could see. At tour A. N. aroused by the ar
rival oil friend Of mine from Ardcr, on the Black
/ sea, about twcnty-iour hours run by steamer In
ordinary times from Poti, TO reach which In The
present conjuucture TO had had to travei
chain from louapsce TO ride many days on horseback
along next TO impassaOlo roads, spending over
200 rou0,cs and cight or ten days ~ achieving u
tourney which week before he could have done
Tor twelve roubles III twenty -four hours. he reported
all travelling along tho seashorc impossible south
ird In consequence OF the ADkna.ians Deing the
brink revolt, aud the Turkish squadron DAILY ex-
pcced Al civilians had lett or were leaving, aud