The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-05-28
prepared By the National Geographic So
ciety. WashinRton. D. c.

So little had been heard OF the re
gion along the northeast shore Of thu
Black sea, until Sukhum Kaleh re
Gently became a health resort for Rus
sian officials, that 1t might be assumed
always to have been waste land. Il
constitutes an excellent example, how
ever, Of the fact that the thriving re
gion of one age often Is the neglected
realm Of another.
This was the famous Colchis Of
Greek days and more than 600 years
before Christ, Meletus, then most pow
erful center Of the Greek world, plant
ed the city of Dioscurias on the site OF
the present Sukhum. The port and Its
nelghborhood became of great impor-
lance, and in due time they were In.
corporated into the Roman and Byzan-
tine empires. 1t was ont Of the great
est Of Genoese trading stations In late
Byzantine times; but with the coming
of Turkish rule blight fell that has
never been wholly removed.
Though there is easy access to this
strip Of coast by water from Crimea
and the Sea Of AzOv, Russia came
into possession Of the region late, and
only after her control had been ex-
tended entirely around the east end
Of the Caucasus mountains and her ar
mics had marched through Georgia"
The mountains were the allies OF the
Circassians and Abkhasians who lived
along this shore. Here the towering
Caucasus becomes coast range, and
its innumerable spurs that strike at
right angles into the water cut the
country up into number of compart-
ments.
The Crimea has been delightful re-
sort land for the Russians for gener-
atoms, but the present development Of
the northeast coast of the Black sea Is
taking place because its climate and
surroundings are really superior to
those Of the Crimean peninsula. The
veranda of a villa in the new vacation
paradise can command a magnificent
view of the Black sea, deep forests,
and lofty Mt. Elbruz, one-third Of
which is constantly covered with snow.
The same mountains shelter the coast
from the cold winter blasts from the
north and east. AS a result, though
the district is in the latitude Of Mas
sachusetts, 1t has temperatures COM
parable to those Of coast regions much
farther south. The thermometer sell
dom approaches the freezing point In
winter or rises much above so degrees
In the summer.
Climate Is Delightful.
Sukhum Kaleh is one hundred miles
north of Batum at the eastern end OF
the Black sea and Is the only good
port between Batum and the Sea OF
Azov. Mountaineers, accustomed to
their frosty heights, shun the city,
fearing malaria, for the torrential
streams have all built small marshes
about their mouths. But the foothills
of the Caucasus, background
splashed against the sky with giant
strokes, afford one Of the most delight
full climates in the world. 1t Is nat
ural that Russians make this district
their vacation capital since the eau
casus is the only great mountain range
In all soviet land and presents strik-
ing relief to the fiat but fruitful plains.
A famous Alpine guide who went to
the Caucasus by rail. exasperated by
endless horizontal lines In the Ukraine,
finally broke out saying 1t was no use
to 90 farther hunting for mountains
since 1t was hourly becoming more evil
dent that the world was truly fiat.
Though the Caucasus mountains as
a whole are barren, gaunt, rugged to
q fault, the western strip along the
Black sea is clothed heavily with for
ests and almost tropical underground.
Warm winds sweeping eastward are
robbed of moisture by the mountain
ridge. What arid Turkestan loses,
Circassia and Abkhasia use to grow
Circassian walnut trees for beautiful
furniture. Observers report the eau
casus forests remarkable for their va
riety; in addition to walnut there are
oak, beech, pine, and many other va
rieties growing side by side. One en-
thusiast declares plums and pears al
most drop in the travellers mouth as
he rides down the Kodor valley.
raspberries and currants
abound in the glens.
Botanists have found in this noun
tain retreat survivors Of the vegetable
world when the earth was young.
Common plants. which ordinarily at
tain height Of one or two feet, be-
come giants five or six feet tall. Noun
tainsides are great bouquets There
are great yellow scabious flowers,
azure columbines and crimson blooms
ike Alpine snake-weed. Beneath
these gaudy canopies are found shade
owing blooms, geraniums, orchids, for
violets, jasmines. rhodo-
iendrons. Thickets of box cover much
IF seward slope.
Oriain of the People Unknown.
The Abkhasians, or the remnant OF
hem. who inhabit this Caucasian par
,dise. are a race which seems to have
10 ties with the historical world.
are said to have worked
IN the problem of their origin in vain.
Like northerners they are tall, fair
hIua-eyed have auburn |