The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-02

BEHIND TIE ANTIQUE cIfADEI.
the Govcrnor-G encral and of tho military
commander, tho Museum, md o whole
array Of public offices, as we'll as the
Court House. which last I had tho good
fortune TO visit in company with his Ex-
collenoy tho Chiot Judge. We happened upon O
very interesting scene in tho Court House, and
q very unusual one. even In Russia. Tho proc
lamation of tho nav Gar announcing his acccs-
sion to the throne, contained rs usual. n clause
providing for q certain reduction in the
sentences of all criminals already con-
demned by the courts; and wo entered tho
court room at Tifis just as the members of the
court, with the exception OF the President, were
taking their seats to apply this act of grace In
the cases OF perhaps twenty mon who had re-
Gently been tried and had not yet taken their
departure for their places Of punishment. I did
not count the number Of the Judges upon tho
bench, but 1 should say that there were four or
flvo of them, all dressed In q kind of semi.mili.
tary uniform such as I had never seen worn by
Judges elsewhere. The criminals were made
to stand up in limo on tho left hand
OF tho court. The clerk called their names.
and each individual was identified. Then
the imperial decroe was read. and the amount
of reduction in punishment was written down
for each, after which they were removed from
the court room under guard. They were not an
attractive set Of characters, though they were
mostly young men, and tho proceedings did not
seem to have much interest for them. / asked
tho Chief Judge what was the nature of their Of
fences, and ho said that they were brigands or
highwaymen. Tho proceeding was grave
enough. but 1t lacked tho formality and the
solemnity which II might have worn in the court
rooms of some other European countries.
The Museum is a very attractive establish
ment. with collections Of animals. birds, plants,
minerals, primitive human habitations. and
everything available to illustrate the natural
history Of tho Caucasus, and the modes of
life prevailing among tho earlier inhabitants of
tho country, as well US those of the present day.
1t Is under tho learned direction of DIR. Dc
Radde. and its ARRANGEMENT and classification
are practical and instructive. The establish.
ment 1lls the three floors OF n large building, and
also extends into an adjoining garden. where it
occupies a great deal Of space. Nobody should
leave the city without seeing it.
In Tiflis, as in every other Oriental or
semi0riental town. the most interesting loung-
Ing place is tho bazaar. As a mart for Oriental
carpets, embroiderics, silks. gauzes, and SO on,
Tiflis Is as good as any other place. and perhaps
better than most-better, l might almost shy,
than Constantinoplc itself. All sorts Of Eastern
rugs, cheap, dear, commonplace, and of high
art, are to BIO found there in abundance.
But, strange to say. it takes perseverance and
determination to get at them. ! never saw
traders who seemed SO Indifferent to the
chances of selling; and would advise my friends
who may go there to get some important banker,
or wholesale dealer or other commercial mag.
nate. to go with them to the bazaar and over
awe the dealers SO that they will bring
out their best wares. This is especially
the case with carpets and embroideries.
II you are looking for silver goods. or
weapons. or Caucasian hats, you may find
merchants who Will exhibit their whole stock,
and allow you to choose what you want without
attempting to make you buy the less salable
articles; but among the undisguiscd old Orien.
tails. Hindoos, for example, il is not easy to get q
sight OF the best in the shop, and not easy to buy
1t after 1t has been shown. They will ask you
twice tho genuine price and stick to IT as IL their
salvation depended on 1t; and when they como
down to bedrock. they show that they are doing
you a favor which only n life of peace and
humility ever afterward on your part can Justify.
However. the dealers in Oriental merchandise
arc numerous and their stores very extensive,
and you can loiter and chatter and bargain in
them day after day with perpetual amusement
and the agreeable conviction that you arc not
80 much cheated after oil. Ono delightful old
Persian hadji, who thought he spoke French,
and from whom after several visits I bought
some little traps, embraced me as we parted,
sxclaiming cffusively: Oh, mon cher amant'"
and Gm sorry I may mover see him again.
What TiflIs seems to lack is means of amuse-
mcnt. II there is a theatre there. I did not find
it out. and the only substitute seemed to DO the
occasional advertisements Of two or throe con-
cert gardens. We went to ono of these ono
evening. The garden was very largo and par.
TALLY Lighted, consisting mainly Of alleyways
opened among clumps OF trees and shrubbcry;
and the public was not numerous. We heard a
concertof Armenian instrumental music with at
%tcntion, but its prevailing sentiment was rather
sad and its technical PROJECTIONS were limited.
Tho time to move on having come. VIC went
to the Office OF tho postal establishment to mako
arrangements for the journey northward. Not
merely tho transportation OF the mails, but also
the carrying OF passengers over the Georgian
military road. is In tho hands of tho Govern.
mont, and we went to tho of1co duly fortified
with Qualifications of introduction It was
situated beside I'm immense yard WITH an OK.
trnordlnary array W carriages OF different
kinds. Stating to the official in charge
the number of our party and tho timo when VIC
desired to start. no advised us to examine tho
carriages and select those wo might pre-
for. Accordingly We chose for our principal We.
hlclo what thcy call q kareta. 1t Is n big and
heavy conveyance swung upon leather straps
puNai ~ w 'sDSe " ttllt SOllCO.u lnDTUuxn-
braces, and requiring six horses to draw 1t.
In front Is tho drivers seat, wido enough 70
hold two or three persons. Behind and above,
under q projecting hood. there Is a scat with
room for three passengers. Back of this. and still
higher on tho top, Is the place for luggage.
and the size Of this can DO estimated when / gay
that the baggage of our whole party. seven to ten
heavy trunks, was firmly packed thcro and fas.
tened so that It could not move. Underneath. in
the centre of tho vehicis. Is u coupe, with glass
windows on each side. IN which three persons
can DO transported; and behind the body OF tho
coach Is n coat for a single individual, ap-
parently intended for n guard. With tho pas
scngcrs, the luggage, the driver, and the guido.
whose duty Is to supervise the expedition and to
sec 20 getting fresh horses whenever they
may BIO necessary, tho wnolo outfit, horses. car
riago. and contents, must have weighed about
eight tons, and 1t turned out that q very comfort
able mode of travelling 1t was. In addition to