The sun., 1901-08-11

v the rich country through which the Arpa
Ohai (grain river) flows on Its way to join
tho middle course Of the Arares. now called
the Aras. There Il situated the fortress
and modern town Of Alexandropol, which
Ia inhabited almost exclusively by Arme-
nians. and there are placed. a little further
south, the remains OF the ancient city OF
Ami, the deserted site OF which still testifies
to tho state and splender Of their kings.
The upland plains about Akhalkalaki
on the north are dotted with Armenian
villages while the valley Of the Araxes
on the south from Kagyzman to Erivan.
and especially in the district Of Edgmiatsin,
contains q considerable Armenian popula-
ton. The town and district Of Novo Baya-
net on tho western shore Of Lake Sevan. Is
for the greater part Armenian. On the other
hand. the eastern portion OF the Araxes
Valley. beginning from the town Of Ordubad.
u held In largo numbers by the Tartars.
who run the Armcnians close in the extensive
and important area which Is covered by tho
Government Of Erivan. Mr.. Lynch reminds
us that the Armenian population Of the
Russian provinces has been considerably
augmented by emigration from Turkey
and Persia. II Is computed that no fewer
than ten thousand families from the district
OF Erzerum followed tho Russian army out
Of Turkey In 1920, and numbers Of their
countrymen--it Is said. no fewer than forty
thousand-had already accompanied the
same force from the frontier districts OF
Persia when II retired from Tabriz on the
conclusion Of the peace OF Turkomanchai.
Next to the Armenians, the most numer-
Gus element In tho population Is contributed.
a. we have said by the Tartars, who ex-
tend from the Persian frontier up the Valley
OF the Araxes, and cover with their settle
ments the eastern section OF the plateau
region, and the whole Of the Karabagh
district. The Tartars Of Trans-Caucasia
represent a section OF those warriors OF
Turkish race who. from the time of the
appearance Of the Seljuks down TO the end
OF the eighteenth century, were driven to
this country by political conditions from
the northern provinces Of Persia, that Ii
TO say, from Azerbaijan and from the east
ern shores Of the Caspian Sea. Their
language Ia still the lingua franca OF the
territory between the Caucasus and the
Armenian plateau. Within the area Of
Russian Armenia, they belong almost en-
tirely TO the Shah sect, and besides sharing
the religion OF Persia, they contain an ad-
mixture Of Persian blood. II Is not so long
ago that their seats in Armenia formed
a Persian khanate, and were administered
by Persian sirdars; the rich families that
hourished during that period are still the
owners Of extensive gardens and live on the
proceeds OF their lands. In the humber
walks Of urban life they are distinguished
by their skill In all the methods Of working
mud which are practised In the East; they
are plasterers, wallmakers. expert In tho
construction Of irrigation works; most
OF the little tradesmen, hucksters and
fruitsellers are Tartars. and 80 are many
OF the gardeners and drivers OF carts. In
the country they have passed from the
nomadic stage, and are prosperous ullers
OF tho ground. In the town Of Erivan,
where their numbers equal those Of the
Arrnenians. many Of the most thriving
business houses are In Tartar hands. The
Tartars have availed themselves but little.
however, Of the opportunities Of educa-
ton which the Russian Government has
placed within their reach and Mr.. Lynch
deems II safe TO prophesy that, unless
radical change in this respect be soon
effected. they will be edged out by the Ar
menans, and will diminish in numbers
year by year.
The remaining peoples native to Russian
Armenia upon which our author bestows
q glance. are the Kurds. the Greeks. the
Turks, the Georgians and the Karapapakhs.
The Kurds within Russian territory have
not yet abandoned their nomadic habits;
they are found as far north as the country
about Batum. but their principal pasture
grounds are on the Turkish frontier and In
Karabagh. The total number of Kurds
In Trans-C Cauoas!a Is given as one hundred
thousand The Greeks have several vii
lages, principally In the Government Of
Kars: those which our author saw were
prosperous and the gay dresses and trink-
cts Of the women betokened a somewhat
higher stage OF comfort than that which
is usual In the country considered as a
a whole. These Greeks speak Turkish and
are learning Russian; their versatile genius
enables them to change their nationality
easily. They are excellent miners and road
engineers; the fine chaussee which has re-
Gently been completed up the valley Of the
Toporevan River to Akhalkalaki was con-
structed by Greek workmen. The Georg-
ians, included In the area under review
are found in the valley Of the Kur. In
many places the race has received such a
large admixturc Of Turkish blood that the
inha bitants, although classed as Georgians,
call themselves Turks, and are In reig-
ion Mohammedan. In their Villages Mr.
Lynch found much discomfort with the
existing order. and outward signs Of dis
integration and decay. The Turks proper
are encountered almost exclusively in the
Government OF Kars, which Is also tho seat
Of a hybrid tribe called Karapapakhs
OF Black Caps" so named from tho black
lambskin caps which they wear.
II the social condition Of the country be
considered, no circumstance will be found
more striking than the complete separa-
ton Of one race from another. There Il
an entire absence OF fusion OF the different
elements, although they live side by side
Cases, indeed. exist, both in the Russian and
| In the Turkish provinces of Armenia. where
| from an expectation Of advantage or by
compulsion, the people of particular dis
| trfct have adopted the Mussulman eligion
| during periods OF Mussulman persecution
and have become by intermarriage and
| ,lpsar interCoursa absOrbaI into ,ha