The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06
Manners and Customs i'm the
Little Caucasus
A Primitive but Wa,-f from the
TraveL.W of

CY0T IS only short journey from the
l@3I civilized cities of southeastern
SA Russia into the rugged wilds
IGMRI of Caucasus, that mountainous
boundary between the Orient and
the Occident, where the manners and Gus
toms of medieval times still prevail, and a
mans daily life is still chock full of thrill
ing adventure and stirring romance Now
that parts of the Caucasus are linked by
railroad with European Russia, it is possible
TO pass in few hours from twentieth cen
tury civilization to an environment that
might have been compounded out of the
days of Robin Hood and the Thousand and
One Nights"
Though they are nowadays polced by the
Cossacks, the brave and hardy mountain
tribes of the Caucasus are still the freest
of all Russia's subjects. After more than
century of war with them, Russia has
found it best to drive them into loose
rein and wink at a good deal of their brig
andage and internecine warfare.
There many old men now living among
the tribes in Daghestan who took part in
the wonderful fight maintained against the
Cars hordes by Prince Schamyl from 1884
20 1883. They speak with pride of the fire.
quent victories they won over Russian
forces which outnumbered them by ten TO
one. Naturally, they do not dwell with
equal insistence upon their defeats. Listen
ing to these stories told around the camp
fire, the young men become possessed of a
spirit of unrest; and that is why tribal
fights, small instructions against the Rus
slams, and isolated acts of brigandage are
so common all through the region.
Russia handles this awkward situation
cleverly. The sons of the tribal chieftains
are frequently lured away from their noun
tain villages by the offer of commissions in
the Russian army and large grants of
money. They are taken young and trained
in civilized ways at the military academy
They take to their profession as a duck
takes to water, and advance with remark
able speed. Thus it comes about that some
of the highest officers in the Russian army
to-day started in life as barefooted little
barbarians in the mountain villages of the
Caucasus.
This is particularly true of the Ossetes.
whom the Russians call 1.-THE gentlemen Of
the mohntains." because of their fine quail
ties. They are the best and bravest of all
the Caucasian tribesmen. An Ossete on
MS mountain nedtn Is a flne LOOKING crea-
ture. He usually stands over six feet and
has a stalwart. martial bearing. He looks
every inch the comic opera brigand, with
his picturesque Eastern costume of at least
half dozen colors. and his sash full of
silver-mounted pistols and daggers He
would rather fight than eat. At the least
affront TO his honor or dignity, he is ready
to engage in deadly combat. If you look at
him he may take ii as an insult; and if
you don't look at him he may be equally
enraged at the neglect.
HAS HIS GOOD POINTS
But though he is so difficult TO get along
with. he has his good points. He is a
chivalrous foe and a stanch friend, with a
plentiful stock OF the primitive virtues 'As
brave as an Ossete" and LAS honest as an
Ossete" are common sayings throughout
the Caucasus.
Russia takes care to live on the best Of
terms with these warlike mountaineers. and
there are dozens of Ossete chieftains i'm the
commissioned ranks OF the Cars army
They take to civilization readily. and are