New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-14
TRAVEL IN THE CAUCASUS.
A Ny TENTING GROUND FOR AD-
vENTURoUs TOURIsTs-sOME HINTS
By DOUGLASS FREsHFIELD. THE
ENGLISH EXPLORER.

VENTUROUS TOURISTS-SOME HINTS
By DOUGLASS FREsHFIELD. THE
ENGLISH EXPLORER.
In my opinion says Mr. Freshfeld In THE Satur-
day Review" the Caucasus ought before long 10
succeed or rival Syria as a resort for those who
enjoy the romance Of tent life. Baum or Novor-
ossisk Is in time, nearer England than Beirut OF
Jana, and vladikavka= can be reached overland
II is easy 10 go out by Moscow or the Crimea ana
by Constanilnope. and either journey may
take less than a week The Caucasian summer
climate u.s. II IS true, variable particularly at the
Black Sea end but It is not more so than that Of
Palestine in spring. Hitherto. visitors TO the
Caucasus have belonged TO one OF two classes they
have been either mounaineers ready TO face any
exposure hardshp-and the hardshps OF the
Caucasus are, as one OF its explorers soon found,
very different from those Of trip to Kilimanjaro
or ordinary tourists whom lack OF conveyances
and accommodation has confined 10 the posroads
The latter. though they venture sometimes to
speak with authority. as little Of the char
acteristic scenery OF the range the Anglo-Saxon
pilgrims who crossed the Great St Bernard on
their way 70 Rome in the tenth century ana
sroaned over their suNerings from "the bitter
blasts OF glaciers and the Pennine army OF eviI
spirits saw OF the scenery OF the Alps. No doubt
1t Is novel and striking experience 10 watcn from
the windows OF a saloon carriage the great wall
of Asia rise slowly above the level lines OF the In
terminable steppe. to recognize the twin cupoas
OF Elbruz and the icy spire OF kosrtantau' 10 De
carried at a canter through the Daral Pass Dy
virtue OF Grown Podoroino." TO catch glimpse
OF the stately form OF Kasbek and tho horseshoe
preciplce to which local legend attaches Prone
thsus
But the three days trip Is soon over. and OF the
great glaciers and gorges. the forests and flowers
Of the central chain. OF the sunny lawns and tow
cred hamlets Of Suanetia the pursuer OF the post
road has not had even the most passing vision
These arc reserved for travellers who are ready TO
ride and possess hire tents. For X. as IN
Syria shelter can often be procured In villages or
In Government sheds Cancelaras). II Is under
conditions which tho majority of travellers would
not care to accept. The first requisite therefore,
FOR the development OF pleasure travel In the eau
casus Is the establishment In the towns OF drago-
mans with suitable tents and camp equipment At
present oven II expense be no object. the trouble
Of organizing a camp equipment. sending 1t forward
by sea- passing II under enormous duties through
the Russian Custom House. and then handing IL
over the chance interpreter and scratch staff OF
followers who can be picked UP on arrival at
Kutais or Vladkavkaz. is too great for most OF
those who treat travel as relaxation. But lei
any capitalist or tourist agency set UP In the eau
casus competent dragomans and their plant. and
the problem will be solved. The men must OF
cours. speak Georgian and Turkish as we'll as
itself to local requirements. In a country where
every man and woman rides, horses are easily pro-
durable The Caucasian animals. which spend
their youth in careering in squadrons over the
high mountain pastures. are extraordinarily sure
footed, and will tuck in their hind legs ana
glissade down q snowslope In fashion entertain
Ing TO Witness to any one but the rider. Pro-
visions need cause little anxiety. Mutton Is al
ways at hand the hillr Poultry and eggs can
be had in the villages Flour and Russian loaves
should be carried In order to avoid the need OF
subsistins on the peculiarly indgestible native
bread The conhguration Of the region lends itself
to a riding tour. There besides the Mamison
which Is at times pa.sable for carriages. two or
three snow passes which Caucasian baggage ami
mails make light OF over the central chain There
Is no reason why party with roomy tents should
not travel in comparative luxury through every
valley between Kasbek and Elbruz And what
memories such q journey would furnish to wan
derers rea sonably fortunate in their weather. In
place Of the crowded tourists hotel and tho noisy
common table the liberty to halt at will wherever
Nature provides tempting site. the meal served
on a carpet OF flowers In the checkered shade OF
the forest and lit before It's close by tho stars and
hrehies: the Weakening 10 the crash OF some railing
leftover loosened by the bitter cold before dawn.
when the frost swells 70 bursting the moisture In
the glaciers veins: the glamour Of the SHOWS family
rejecting the first pale light in the sky. The eau
casus is suited for general travellers for lovers OK
the picturesque, whether or net they are painters
as much as the peakhunters II above the snow
level its granite crests its icy hollows. It's hanging
glaciers and futed snowsopes Impress the intruder
with a sublimty beyond that Of the Alps its high
valleys have attractions for OF the most varl-
Gus pursuits or hobbies. The geologist may collect
specimens and correct his predecessors theories,
which, to tell the truth, the outcome OF as yet
inadequate observation. The physical geographer
will find under his eyes curious materials for a
contrast between the features OF the Caucasus and
those OF better-known ranges. For example why
do so many Caucasian glaciers fail 10 III their
valleys and leave n pleasant dell between the
rnoraines and the mountain sides? May not this be
sign that their recent oscillations have been less
than those OF Alpine glaciers and that II IS long
than their present? Such hypothesis might find
support in the absence OF tarns. which are fire.
quenty the marks OF zone from which the ice
has comparatively recently Withdrawn It's protec-
ton. ! give these only az instances Of permissible
and possible speculations. one OF the widest helds
OF research Is that opened by the Mountain OF
Languages" to the clinical student or the investi-
gator OF ancient laws and Institutions. In this
branch OF science Professor Kovalevsky. DR.. Radde
and the philoogists Of Moscow have done some
thing. but much more remains for their successors:
An archaeolOgist would undoubtedly find the old
churches Of Suanetia and their contents worth very
careful study, and there is saying what manu-
scripts may turn in the miscellaneous coll
leotions that still jealousy guarded from the
eyes OF the casual passer-by The botanst may
be referred TO NJ. LEVERS very entertaining book
Tho entomologist may impale many raritles, well
as suffer himself from the less rare varieties.
->----