The Elk Mountain pilot. [volume] (Irwin, (Ruby Camp), Gunnison County, Colo.) 1880-19??, 1919-09-25
Highlanders of the Caucasus Who
Have Kept Free From Gentle
Admixture.
scoRN THE PLAINS PEOPLE
Their Language and Many Of Their
Customs Are Peculiar-Date and
Circumstances Of Settlement In
That Region Unknown.

and remnants Of the Jewish people,
none Ia less known to the world at
large, and certainly none presents a
more striking contrast to the common
conception of the modern children Of
Israel than the Jewish Highlanders of
the eastern Caucasus. Yet there are
probably none in all the world who
have kept the Jewish blood more pure
and free from gentle admixture, nor
any who have more faithfully pre-
served the traditions. beliefs and Gus
toms of the times before the exile.
Indeed. they hold themselves quite
aloof from the other Jews of the CaN-
casus region, refusing to intermarry
even to have social or commercial In
tercourse with hem beyond the limits
of the barest necessity. No Scottish
Highlander ever scorned the Lowlander
one-half SO much MS these Highland
er Jews scorn their kInsmen Of the
plains and of the urban ghetto.
Traditions Fall to Explain.
The date and the circumstances of
their settlement In the Caucasus high
lands are unknown, even In their own
traditions, but 1t Is certain that they
have been there for nearly thousand
years. In that time their physical
characteristics have been materially
modified by their environment and
mode of life. With characteristic Jew
ish faces and complexion. they have
tall. stalwart, muscular bodies. re-
QnnnhltnD N hnQf nf tho Hill nj
India. or some of the giant Highland
ers of Scotland. Their life Is Of course
purely rural. since they have no con-
siderable towns, and they devote them
selves to agriculture. and the growing
of grapes and tobacco. From the
grapes they make both wine and
brandy. and of these beverages they
are heavy drinkers. Indeed they have
the unenviable reputation Of being the
hardest drinkers in all that part Of the
world-which might easily be, since
are almost entirely total abxtainers.
However. drunkenness Is little known
among them, II at all.
They are also great fighters. That
IL generally a characteristic of noun
ta,ncers. and In these highland Jews
It Is highly developed. They always
20 armed. as do the Montenesrina. and
nre never backward in using their
weapons for defense. They do not
however. share In any of the blood
feuds Of the Circassian tribesmen. Aor
do they Join In their raids and quar-
rels.
Their language is neither Hebrew
nor that Of the country In which they
live. but rnther what philologists term
Parsi-Tartar. or a mingling of old Per-
sian and Tartar. From this circum-
stance 1t is inferred that their nnces-
tors went to the Caucasus from Persia
In the days of Cyrus the Great, or
Darius. Perhaps they were fugitives
from Persian captivity; or else they
preferred going to the Caucasus
rather than back to Palestine. There is
indeed one ancient legend which tells
that they wandered nOrthward In quest
OF Mount Ararat and the remains of
Noah's ark.
The patriarchal mode of life pre-
walls among them. When Il son mar
ries he does not establish home of
his own. He simply builds a wing on
his fathers house and lives in it. In
this fashion there are often three or
four generations living in single
house. which consists of single story
spread over large area of ground.
Each house has Its own allotment of
lind. comprising grain field, tobacco
field, vegetable garden and vineyard.
and all are kept in a high state Of cul
tivation. though with primitive meth
DDS. Each garden is inclOsed within
wall of rubble and clay about six
feet high.
These highland Jews have no rabbits
and no religious head. They have no