The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia
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enchantment, so calm andbeautiful did it look. They began to congratulate themselves on havingawed the natives into peace, and on the hope of being allowed to performtheir march without molestation. Towards the evening, indeed, a fewCircassians appeared, attacking their flanks, at intervals, like hornetson some huge animal, and flying off, before there was time to send anyof their own cavalry to pursue them. The General had ordered theCossacks to scour the sides of the hills, to prevent the main body frombeing taken by surprise--a most hazardous service; for, one by one,those who took the outer range disappeared, and their comrades, who wentin search of them, shared the same fate; but there was no time to makeinquiries.
That night the army slept on their arms; before the sun arose on thefollowing morning, they were again on their march. They advancedcautiously through many serpentine windings of a deep gorge; at theirfeet rushed the surge of a mountain torrent, in whose bright waters thesoldiers eagerly slaked their thirst. Not a foe had been seen as onwardthey marched, the cool morning air refreshing their cheeks, and a deepand solemn silence reigning through the glen.
In a moment that scene of quiet and repose was changed into one ofcarnage and confusion. The foremost ranks fell back, trembling at thesound of the war shout of the mountaineers, as from behind every craig,shrub, and tree, a destructive shower of bullets and arrows fell thickamong them. At that instant, a troop of fierce horsemen leaped fromamid the rocks, hewing down all who crossed their path; and, ere thecannon could be brought to bear, vanishing on the opposite side.
It was the daring band of Guz Beg.
"Ya Allah! well done, my sons!" cried the veteran. "My brave Alp, youwill not disgrace your father. You cut down those vile Urus as a mowercuts corn with his sickle. Ask what you will of me, my son, and itshall be granted for that one charge. What say you, my friends, shallwe be at them again?"
Saying which, before there was time to think of the great danger theyran, the Hadji's band were once more upon the amazed and confused ranksof the foe, scarce recovered from their first panic. They were not thistime so fortunate; one of their number fell by the fire which theRussians now opened upon them; and Selem was nearly suffering the samefate, for, as he swept by, he perceived the Count Erintoff in theadvance, who spurred on his horse to meet him; but too many menintervened for them to exchange blows; and Selem was obliged to followhis friends, being the last Circassian horseman who reached the covertof the wood.
"That will do for the present," said the Hadji. "But, mashallah! Ishould like to be among them again. A few charges like that wouldannihilate their army."
Selem, however, urged him not to attempt the manoeuvre, which involvedtoo great a risk, without advantage, to his valuable life. However, theHadji and Selem were every where to be seen dashing at the foe, thengalloping up the steep sides of the glen.
The Russians, stunned with the terrific cries knew not which way toturn. Where they least expected an attack, they found themselvesgrappled by the active mountaineers, who seemed to leap from the cliffsabove their heads, dealing death around them with their sharp broaddaggers, then rapidly disappearing among the rocks, leaping from craigto craig, where none could follow. Hundreds were shot down by thesilent arrows of their invisible foe; nor, as they gazed with feararound, could they tell whence the shafts proceeded. The soldiers sawtheir comrades next to them sink down, struck by those winged messengersof death. Their ranks were thinning fast, nor could they defendthemselves, nor attack their aggressors; but in these trying moments,the stern discipline, even of slaves, triumphed over their fears, andrescued them from the hands of the most daring and courageous warriors.The officers shewed courage worthy of a nobler and better cause:exerting themselves to the utmost, with calm voices, keeping up themen's spirits, closing their ranks, and leading them on in order.
But could it have been real courage which enabled the men to endure thisterrific storm? It was rather a dull and heartless apathy. They sawtheir fellows fall; and knew that they were released from a life ofprivation and tyrannical suffering; and cared not if it should be theirfate to be the next victims. It mattered but little whether deathshould come by famine, the sword, or by pestilence; too certainly wouldthey fall by one or the other.
The army, with thinned ranks, continued to advance, protected, as theydefiled into more open ground, by their light howitzers carried on thebacks of horses; every now and then keeping the slender force of theirdaring assailants at a distance, as they could bring their guns to bearon them. They marched as fast as they were capable of doing; but theywere not yet secure; for the Seraskier of the Circassians, a brave, buta sagacious and cautious leader; though he would not allow his followersto attempt competing with the Russians on the plain; attacked their rearand flank incessantly, until, when near Anapa, he was joined by anotherlarger body of the patriots.
The whole army of the enemy might now have been destroyed, had themountaineers possessed artillery. As it was, they escaped destructionsolely through the garrison of Anapa making a sortie to their rescue,with artillery and a strong body of Cossacks. The harassed remnant atlength reached that fortress.
"Mashallah!" cried the old warrior, as he looked angrily towards theirretiring columns when they entered the fort; "We've repaid them for thesurprise they attempted to give your noble father. They will not forgetthis day's work, for a long time to come. Allah! if we had some oftheir light guns, they would not have escaped as they have done. Butfear not, my sons, we will meet them again before long."
There seemed every probability that the campaign in this part of theCaucasus would be soon finished for that year. The Hadji, therefore,with his followers, returned to the camp on the Ubin to wait furtherevents.
The preceding is a faithful account of the style of warfare the Russianshave to engage in with the mountaineers of the Caucasus, in whichthousands of their soldiers annually fall victims. But what matterssuch a loss to the government of St. Petersburg? They have millions ofslaves to replace those who fall; and they have resolved to subdue thebarbarians in spite of the rivers of innocent blood which may flow. MayHeaven grant that the bravery and patriotism of the high-minded andgallant Circassians may be completely triumphant over all the efforts oftheir slavish and despotic oppressors!
Volume 3, Chapter V.
Thaddeus Stanisloff was now perfectly happy. No longer did he hesitateto approach the anderoon, and no longer did Ina fear to meet him; herear was ever intent to catch his approaching footstep, when, in spite ofold Kahija's frowns, she would start up, and hasten to the gate of theenclosure, for within those sacred precincts, no man dares venture toapproach.
She did not, however, stop to analyse very clearly her own feelings; butthey were so novel, so delightful, so pure, she could not help indulgingin them. Thaddeus loved Ina, with the most ardent, tender attachment;and often did he anticipate a life of happiness, passed in her society,amidst the vales and mountains of Circassian when he would teach her thelove, religion, and the customs of civilised Europe, and eagerly did shelisten to these discourses of her gallant preserver.
Still they had not yet talked of love; yet, much did he long to speak inthe language of confidence, unrestrained by the presence of the gentleZara, or the young Conrin.
Early one morning, he met his mistress at the gate of the anderoon,fortunately before old Kahija had made her appearance; seizing theopportunity--
"Ina," said he, "I have much of deep and earnest import to communicate;and I would not, that other ears than yours, should listen. Will youdeign to meet me then, and hear my words, for here I cannot speak them?Ere the sun has set this evening, will you meet me, Ina, in the sacredgrove, near the ruins, over whose shattered fragments the Cross stillrears its head triumphant?"
"Stranger," answered Ina, "you are my brother's trusted friend. I knowtoo from your brave and generous nature, that you would not seek aughtfrom me, that is unbecoming a maiden's modesty."
"Believe me, you will do no wrong in trusting me. I'll wait until youca
n steal from old Kahija's vigilance. Your page can see you safe, andwatch the while we speak, that none intrude. Do you consent, lady?"
"I will meet you, noble stranger," answered Ina, with timidity, andblushing as she spoke. "I know that you will guard me from danger."
"Thanks, Ina, thanks, for your confidence; my life shall answer for yoursafety!"
Thaddeus might, perhaps, at that time have found an opportunity ofletting Ina fully understand his devoted love for her; when they wereinterrupted by the coming of the discreet old Kahija, who consideredthat the conversation had already endured beyond the bounds of decorum.He was most unwillingly, therefore, obliged to retire, and to pass awaythe hours in thinking of his mistress; until the old nurse should havegone to the Mosque for evening prayer, when Ina would meet him.
The spot Thaddeus had selected, was a beautiful grove