The record-union., 1895-06-01
HEBREW MOUNTAINEERS.
Strange Tribe of People in the
Daghestan Hills.
Traditions of the Peculiar People
and Some Idea of Their
Customs.

At the foot of that magnificent chain Of
mountains. the Caucasus. and on it's
rugged flanks. dwell and prosper several
races of people speaking different dia-
lects: and although that interesting re-
glon has from time to time been carefully
explored, il still offers TO the enterprising
traveller opportunity for new and
instructive discovery. So it happened
that Professor Hahn of Tifiis, in his
peregrinations through the higher
regions of the Caucasus, unexpectedly
encountered an important tribe OF
Israelites, of whose existence, habits
and customs only vague rumors had
previously been heard. 1t appears there
is no historic record of the exact date at
which these Hebrews settled there. 1t Is
surmised that during the early centuries
of the Christian era they had already
found their way there in numbers. They
are now united on the plateaus of Dagh-
estan, having built their villages at the
extremities of intricate passes and on the
rocky slopes of the hlllsides. They num-
Der about 10000 souls, disseminated
among some fifty localities. Their
language. which still retains some ele-
menLs of the Hebrew tongue, is princi-
various Iranian dialects.
According TO their oral tradition, these
Hebrew mountainous are The descend
ants in direct line of the Israelites that
the Kings OF Assyria and Babylon drove
out OF Palestine after the destruction OF
their temple. They are careful to insist
on this incident being fact, not only tor
the purpose OF establishing the anthem
ITCHY OF their origin, but also for the pur-
pose of making it clear TO the Russian
Government that the blood OF the Savior
can not be on their hands, inasmuch as
their ancestors had departed from Pales-
tine long before the death OF Christ. Dur
ing their sojourn among the Modes and
Persian5 a colorlng OF the ancient rellg-
ion OF these people Uttered into theirs;
but it has not had the effect OF turning
them from the worship of Jehovah, or
stayed them from adhering to the tenets
OF the creed of Moses.
These Hebrew mountaineers have
bright, expressive eyes, wide toreheads,
strongly accenuated. but not curved
noses; they are well-proportioned and
tall, and, with their erect, proud car
riage, bear little or no resem blance to the
Jews of Europe. The women are tall and
slender, without being thin; they have
large eyes, black hair, small mouths and
rather long, well-shaped noses; their
complexion is pure cream color; they
are most handsome creatures.
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
Their dwellings, are all built of stone
and on the same pattern, and all have
terraces on the roofs. They are one-story
high and contain three rooms each. The
largest, which is seldom unoccupied, is
the spare room reserved for the friend or
chance visitor. 1t ls sort of sanctuary,
whose walls are ornamented with lngeni-
Gus incrustations and where the best fur
niture Is placed; the CEDAR God wardrobe
deliberately sculptured and reaching
TO the ceiling, the finely and delica1ely
damascened weapons ranged along the
walls, and the rare and quaint porcelain
vases filed with freshly gathered flowers.
The second largest room Is reserved for
the head of the family. and, although less
picturesQuely furnished than the spare
room, 1t is still comfortably disposed.
The third is the women's room. 1t is,
says the chronicler, generally untidy and
eucumbered with heterogeneous articles
OF feminine attire.
The social and religious life of these
primitive people is based on the adati-
that is to say, on the habits and customs
OF ancestors and on oral tradition, The
adati commands that one should love
ones neighbor and his children equally
as ones own blood relations, and should
not fail to help them in their distress. In
the case of these Hebrew mountaineers
this is no empty command, as there are
numerous instances in proof Hospital
ity is a sacred duty in their eyes, aud
they practice it with unmistakable disin-
terestedness. The stranger who knocks
at their door. whoever he may be. and
whatsoever his nationality or religion, is
sure to be welcome, and even more, for
no sooner has he crossed the threshold of
the dwelling than he may command for
his personal use any and every comfort
1t can offer.
The Hebrew mountainous grow rye,