Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-28
vLADIKAyKAS. Caucasus,

tLADlhAN hASs SducaSuS,
July q. 1910.
Daghestan is a province OF Russia,
lies Immediately north OF the Caucasus
mountains, and for three hum
Europe'S dred miles or more along the
FL west shore of the Caspian sea-
~' 1t is the tip-end of Europe.
The Caucasus range of mountains is the
boundary between the two continents, and
beyond it is the hinterland. 1t is the wall
of separation between the Christian and
the Mohammedan wards.
Daghestan is also the limit OF the re-
gion of natural moisture. 1t is well
watered country. with hundreds OF rivers
and creeks, which rise in the snoW-clad
mountains and flow into the Caspian.
Beyond Daghestan it is necessary to ir-
rigate the soil by artificial means to
raise any kind of crops.
West of Daghestan are forests, fields OF
clover and grain. and pastures that are
always green. East of its boundaries lies
a desert, which stretches for thousands
of miles across the parched areas OF
Asia There is no green thing of natural
growth until the borders of China are
reached.
Daghestan has always been the prey Of
rival powers. 1t has been plundered and
hordeS. Its soil has been fortified by the
blood OF Persians. Greeks. Romans, Goths
Huns, Avars. Slays. Mongols, Tartars
and Turks. The Golden Horde" swept
over it once. and then again in the great
tidal wave of war that lit up the two
continents during the middle ages. 1t
has been the battle-ground Of ages, and
the war chargers of fifty armies have
fattened upon its pastures.
The most important river in Daghestan
is the Terck, which Is fed by a glacier
on The slopes of that mystic
Terck mountain called Kasbek-16.-
NJ. 546 feet in height-to which
As0A' Promethus was chained.
wrote you about 1t several weeks ago,
while on my way to Turkestan. None of
the rivers in Daghestan Is navigable.
and an almost incredible amount OF
water power is going to waste here for
the lack of mechanical interest and In
genuity. The inhabitants are farmers
and herdsmen; they pillow their fields
and reap their harvests, and follow their
fiocks and herds with skill and diligence.
but Tartar never learns trade. and
agriculture is too profitable and permits
too much leisure for enjoyment TO De
exchanged for any other occupation py
these pleasure-loving people. They work
on their farms. and in their orchards.
from the LIST OF May to the 1st of Sep
TENDER. During that period the custom
Of centuries forbids festivities. but after
the crops are in and the cattle and sheep
have been brought down from the noun
tains into the plains the Tartar popula-
ton gives themselves up to their native
diversions for the rest of the year.
They are hospitaDle people, and VINO
ever breaks bread or eats salt with them
is protected and defended with their
lives. A Tartar farmhouse is hotel
for travellers; a free house of call for the
homeless. No hungry man was ever sent
from a Tartar threshold, the exercise OF
hospitality being the most important
article in their creed.
H4
The women spend their lives at the
fiocks into marketable
Daghestan products, rugs. saddle
bags, blankets and other
are admired for their designs and
finish. The rugs of Daghestan are
found on the floors of every city
In our Union, and while they do
not compare with those from Persia
or Bokhara, and are graded as medium
in value, they last forever.
The people were formerly Mohamme-
dams. and all the Tartars are still-but the
shifting tide OF humanity has left adher-
ents of all creeds and a majority OF the
present Inhabitants profess the creed Of
the Orthodox Greek Church. and are I'M
der the spiritual Jurisdiction or the pa
triarch at St. Petersburg.
There is a railway from Baku to Mos
cow, and through sleeping cars. The
track hugs the shore OF the Caspian sea
for more than hundred miles. passing
firsts through fat. desolate desert.
broken by many rocks OF slate and
mounds OF sun-burned clay. But after
several streams are crossed mountains
appear IN the distance. and the soil, as
we'll as the climate. improves. The dry
ness of the desert is moistened by damp
breezes that blow down from the eau
casus and bring life to the earth 1t is
a relief to see green meadows and pas
lures and verdure-covered hills after our
Turkestan. The meadows are gay In
their summer raiment. Wild flowers are
fashionable this year. and the steppes of
Turkestan are strewn with them, an al
most infinite variety and varied colors.
The topography OF the steppes Of Dag
hestan resemble the steppes OF North
Dakota after harvest time.
Undulating The surface OF the earth
undulates in great waves
outlaw and ridges. We would
call 1t q rolling prairie. The slopes
that face the sun are yellow with the
stubble Of the grain that has been har-
vested. Vast herds OF cattle and sheep
are grazing on the northern slopes Of the
hills. and the absence OF fences makes
necessary the employment of shepherds.
who wear long. greasy-looking coats of
sheepskin, with the wool inside. Their
heads are covered with big shakos that
look very heavy and very hot.
At night the sheep are herded in folds
made of braided saplings. which are