The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia
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kindly, though they appeared to be in hourly alarm, fromthe fierce bands of robbers who were scouring the country in everydirection, levying their lawless contributions alike on the peaceablevillagers, and the unprotected travellers, and not unfrequently addingmurder to robbery.
The paths traversed by Ivan and his companions scarcely deserved thename of roads, though the light low cart Javis had procured, carriedthem safely and quickly over them. Several rivers and streamsinterrupted their course. Some of the latter were nearly dry, and thefirst they passed in boats, with small parties of gipsies, whom theyfell in with, and who accompanied them on purpose. As they approachedthe broad Danube, they proceeded on foot across the country, by pathsscarcely trodden, except by their wandering guides. It was withconsiderable difficulty they gained the river, passing over a longdistance of low marshy shore, which here forms its banks, and rousingfrom their rest the pelican and other wild fowl of this desert region.
On a calm and lovely night, they crossed the rapid, but smooth stream,in a boat, pulled by their friends, the Tzygani; and, in about an hour,landed in the Turkish province of Bulgaria. The spot at which theystruck the Danube was considerably above the Walachian town of Galatz,near the Turkish Hirsova, situated on the summit of precipitous rocksclose to the river. They did not venture to enter that now ruinousplace, as most of the Turkish towns taken by the Russians in the latewar, were still held by their troops.
The direct road of the travellers now lay along the southern bank of theDanube for a considerable distance, to Silistria, a wretched town with afort, also destroyed by the Russians, who yet retained a garrison there.They therefore avoided it, keeping across the country to the left ofthe road.
The hamlets, through which they passed, consisted of about fifty houses,each formed of wicker work plastered over, and kept neat and cleanwithin. The men were clad in brown sheepskin caps, jackets of undyedbrown wool, white cloth trowsers, and sandals of raw leather; while thewomen, who appeared without hesitation before the strangers, werehandsome and neatly dressed, all wearing trinkets, the girls havingtheir heads uncovered, and their hair braided and ornamented withdifferent coins.
Most of the villages were inhabited by Turks, except the first at whichthey arrived. Here our fugitives were fortunate in finding that thegreater number of the simple and industrious people were Christians, bywhom they were kindly and hospitably received. The villagers seemed tovie with each other in shewing them attention, insisting on theirresting, and taking such refreshment as they could produce, so that in ashort time they were again ready to proceed on their road.
They here again laid aside the Gipsy dress and appearance, and assumed acostume more approaching the European, and which would procure them morerespect than they could expect to receive in the other. They alsoobtained horses to finish the journey across the Bulgarian Mountains,which form part of the great Haemus chain, to Varna, the port of theirdestination, expecting there to find some vessel by which they couldreach any other Turkish port in communication with Circassia.
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Note. The above lines have been set to music by Miss L. Kingston, andpublished by D'Almaine and Co.
Volume 2, Chapter II.
Notwithstanding the heat of the noontide sun, which shone forth with theunobscured splendour of a southern clime, our hero and his twofollowers, who had been travelling since the early morn, still kept theroad, eager to reach the coast they were now approaching.
Mountain after mountain, hill after hill, had been left behind, which ata distance had appeared so steep and lofty as to be almostinsurmountable. Thus, in the ordinary affairs of life, difficultieswhich threaten to impede our progress when viewed in long perspective,and from which the faint-hearted turn back in despair, when fairlyencountered and grappled with, may often be overcome with half thelabour and pain we contemplated.
They had just gained the brow of a lofty hill, up which they had beentoiling, when a long and glittering line of silvery brightness met theirview.
"The sea! the sea!" exclaimed Ivan, as for a moment the party reined intheir steeds, to gaze with interest and curiosity on that longed forsign of the near accomplishment of their weary journey. "Onward, myfriends, onward!" he added, setting spurs to his horse, impatient toreach that liquid road which now alone separated him from his country.
As they rode quickly on, by degrees the line grew broader and broader,till a wide expanse of sea lay before them, heaving in gentleundulations, and shining like a sheet of polished silver.
Here and there, the tiny white sail of some light caique seemed like asea bird floating calmly on the waters, and farther off, the loftiersails of larger vessels, seen through the haze caused by the heat,resembled thin and shifting pillars of white smoke. All nature seemedto slumber. Not a human being, nor a dumb animal was to be seen abroad.The sails suspended in festoons from the yards of the few vesselsfloating in the bay, hung down without moving, nor were the crewsstirring. Not a boat was visible. All were taking their rest, till thegreat heat of the day should have passed.
As the travellers entered the small sea port of Varna, the streets alsowere dull, and deserted; and it was only when they reached theneighbourhood of the few cafenehs, of which the place boasted, that somesigns of life were perceived; and, even here, few of the inmates had asyet roused themselves from their mid-day sleep. At the barber's shopalso, the loquacious and vivacious operator might be seen just awakingfrom his slumbers, to welcome his customers, as, one by one, they lazilystrolled to his door, either to submit their heads to his care, or toconverse with his friends, or with any strangers who could supply theplace of newspapers.
Our travellers first proceeded to the caravanserai, to which they hadbeen directed, to leave their horses to be returned to their owners; andthey then repaired to the principal cafeneh, to refresh themselves withfood and rest.
As they entered, a few of the occupants roused themselves to gaze at thestrangers; and in a short time, the coffee-house was again filled withguests. Some, forming knots, filled their chibouques, and as theysmoked the fragrant weed, discussed various subjects in a grave andsolemn tone. Here a group of listeners formed a circle round one ofthose story tellers, to be found in every Turkish coffee-house, intentlyhearing the wonderful tales he narrated, and expressing theirsatisfaction by low exclamations of applause.
Ivan and his companions had not been long seated, when a smoking dish ofpilau and other Turkish dainties were placed before them.
While he and his friends were discussing their meal, a party of men hadclustered near them; the sound of whose language, as he listened totheir voices, made his heart beat with feelings of the most intenseinterest and delight. He drew in his breath with eagerness as helistened attentively. He could not be mistaken, they spoke in thatlanguage heard by him before, only from the mouth of one ardentlyloved--his mother. Those sounds struck a new chord in his feelings. Itwas his own native tongue. What a tumult of sensations did the words,simple as they were, raise in his bosom! He gasped, in his anxiety notto lose a syllable of the words which fell from the mouths of hisnewly-found countrymen. He could not remain quiet. He rose, andapproached them. He could not withdraw his eyes from them, as hescanned the countenances of each to read their different characters. Helonged to address them, but hung back hesitatingly, in fear of notfinding suitable expressions. He understood all they said, and theirconversation had become deeply interesting to him; but as he attemptedto speak, his lips refused to give utterance to what he sought to say.
He returned to his seat in despair, but soon again arose, determining toaddress them. Words now flowed rapidly from his mouth. The Circassiansstarted, as they first heard one dressed in the Frank costume, speakingtheir own language; but a smile of satisfaction lighted up theircountenances as he continued. He told them that he was a Circassian,that he sought to reach his native land, in which all his hopes werecentered--that he had long lived away from it, and
knew not even itscustoms--that he had undergone many dangers and difficulties inapproaching to that point--but that he had not further means toaccomplish his purpose.
As he finished speaking, a rough weather-beaten man in the Turkish dressstarted up, exclaiming: "The way to get there is clear before you; formy vessel now rides in the bay, waiting only for a fair wind, or anywind at all, to sail direct for the coast. This good company is goingwith me, and by Allah! we will reach it safely, or never trust the ReisMustapha, in spite of all the Russian fleets that may beset our course.May the Evil One possess them, and their mother's sons!"
Having thus delivered himself of his unusually long oration, he satdown; and a tall and venerable man, who appeared to be the chief of theparty, rose to confirm his words.
"Whoever you may be, young stranger, who, though with a Frankish dressand appearance speak our language, and are as you say of our country,you shall be welcome to join our party; and if, with good intentions,you visit