Evening star., 1935-02-03

HE City OF Tif1is, capital Of the
Caucasian state of Georgia, in the
u. s. S. r.. has long prided itself
upon its advanced ideas, its broad
boulevards, its modern architecture
and its progressive minded citizens.
The shock was all the greater therefore,
when in the Spring of 1915, some months after
Russias declaration of war against Turkey,
hand of twelfth century crusaders. covered from
head to foot in rusty chain armor and carrying
shields and broadswords came riding on horse
back down the main avenue.
Peoples eyes almost popped out OF their
heads. Obviously this was no cinema company
going to location. These were crusaders-or
their ghosts.
This incredible troop clanked UP to the
governors palace.
where's the WARP" they asked. I'VE hear
there's q war"
They had heard in April, 1915, that there
was a war 1t had been declared in September.
1914.
The news took seven months to reach the
last Of the crusaders.
And you wouldn't be surprised, If you tried to
find, as I did, the behind the e-beyond Caucas-
ian country in which this twelfth century race
lives.
THEIR ancestors travelled several thousand
u miles to found the colony. They came
probably from Franco-German stock in LOr-
style, but their otherwise unintelligible speech
stin contains six or eight good German words.
When they left Lorraine the last thing they
had In mind was colonizing the frosty peaks
Of the Caucasus Mountains. They were fol-
lowers Of Godfrey de Bouillon, and planned to
wrest the Holy Sepulcher from the Mosem
infideS.
But during the 1,o0O-mile march across what
Is now Asiatic Turkey this particular band Of
crusaders somehow got detached from the main
army, and were prevented by the Saracens
from rejoining it. Whether they took a north
ern course of their own accord, and con-
tinued ON across Armenia and Georgia to the
Caucasus as pioneers, or whether they were
fleeing for their lives with Moslem scimitars
swishing around their ears, we win never know.
But We do know that they called a halt IN one
Of the most rugged and inapproachable cor
ners Of the Caucasus-and didn't emerge
again in force till 1915, when the rumors of q
war brought them. wearing their ancestors
coats Of mail, into Tifls.
These same people, called Hevsoors, have
occupied this same corner for over 800 years.
But not one inch have they advanced IN gen.
eral culture beyond that Of the twelfth century.
In fact they have lost whatever Of the arts
they brought with them from Lorraine.
Only their crusader chain armor, more or less
tndestructible, they sti1 have, and their cru
sader crosses which adorn their shields and the
uauulcS Oh Lneu SWOTuS anu WHICH Lney en-
broider in q dozen places on their homemade
garments.
At the same time, the Hevsoors have de-
yeloped q crude culture Of their own that
makes them, to me, the most interesting
rforeign" race in all Russia.
For 800 years they escaped any interference.
Or any influence from the Russian imperialists.
Z suspect that in 1914 not 20 people IN st.
Petersburg knew the Hevsoors existed. And the
Soviets, busy bringing their hve-year plan to
the mountains. have In their turn made almost
no impression On this collection Of particularly
tough customers.
IN BOTH cases the Hevsoors have been pro-
tected by natural fortidcations- ns-mormtains
and canyons. highway extending 90 miles
north Of Tifis approaches to within 20 miles
OF one OF their villages. But the single cliff
cut tran that branches of to it is traversable
only on foot or with horses that can climb
slide and swim. For four months in the year
the Hevsoors themselves, with or without
horses. cannot use the trail as it is completely
blocked with ice.
During these four months no one can enter
and no one can depart from Hevsooria Its
people are completely blockaded. But during
those four months life is not in the least
different from the other eight, for the Hevsoors
are 100 per cent self-sustaining, and USE eat
wear, want, nothing they themselves do not
make.
TO VISIT this archaic tribe, this lost world.
~ my interpreter and I made what was per-
haps the last trail-passage of the season. Iron
crampons on our shoes were necessary for al
ready ice covered everything. It was explained