themoment, they rushed to the shore, thoughtless of the overwhelming forceof the foe, and determined to defend it to the last gasp. As theyemerged from the valley to the sands, a sight met their view, sufficientto appal the stoutest heart among the brave mountaineers. As far as theeye could reach, the smooth sparkling sea appeared covered with thelofty and wide spreading canvas of the Russian ships of war andtransports, advancing slowly and proudly towards the devoted coast.
The Circassians gazed with deep anxiety at the hostile flotilla, feelinghow small was their chance of successfully opposing the landing of theirfoes with the small force they had collected. Selem, however, sword inhand, flew amongst the small band, encouraging and urging them boldly towithstand their enemies.
"My countrymen, my brave friends," he cried, "if we allow our foes toland, our destruction, and that of all those dear to us, will becertain. Let us, then, heap our dead bodies, to impede their progress,until our countrymen can assemble to fill our places; and let us rejoicethat we can make an offering of our blood for the liberty of Circassia."
"We will follow you to the death, noble chief. Wherever you go we willgo. Allah will protect the right!" was exclaimed on all sides by men,who, as they drew their sabres, swore never to yield.
The fleet approached in a crescent form. The smaller vessels, leadingand running in, anchored as close to the land as the depth of the waterwould allow, presenting the frowning battery of their broadsides toshore. The largest ships followed, while the transports formed in lineoutside; and, no sooner were the sails furled, than hundreds of boatsissued from among them, advancing steadily forward in close line.
Even the heroic Selem felt that it was an act almost of madness tooppose so overwhelming a force; and, for a moment, he hesitated tosacrifice his people's lives in so hopeless an attempt. But hisresolution returned, and he determined to risk all, rather than fly.
At that instant shouts were heard in the woods above them; and a band ofchiefs--on their journey to the north, at the head of whom came theHadji and his brother--were seen galloping towards them. There wasscarcely time to exchange the warriors' brief greeting with theirwelcome friends--the number of the whole amounting to a few hundredsonly, while the approaching boats contained several thousands--ere thefierce combat commenced.
The band of Circassians, mostly chiefs and renowned warriors, remainedsheltered behind the trees, until the boats came near enough to enablethem to take certain aim, when they opened a rapid and deadly fire fromtheir rifles, taking the Russians by surprise, and throwing them intosome disorder; but, notwithstanding numbers fell wounded in the boats,they soon rallied and again advanced. As the keel of the headmost boatgrated on the beach, Selem and the Hadji, calling to their comrades,drew their sabres, and, with a furious onset, rushed towards the enemy.Before the first Russian had time to set his foot on dry land, he washurled bleeding into the sea.
As each of the headmost boats came on, they were received with the samedesperate valour; and as, with their lifeless crews, they were thrown onshore, they served as ramparts to the defenders to shelter themselvesfrom the fire of the aftermost ones. Still the enemy advanced inconstant succession, like wave upon wave, towards the beach; but withsuch heroic bravery did Selem and his friends meet them, that the firstpart of the detachment was completely destroyed, the rest keeping offuntil more boats should arrive from the ships.
For the Circassians, however, it was a fearful struggle, to oppose theirsmall band to so overwhelming a force; and more so, when those on boardthe ships of war, seeing the powerful opposition offered, commencedfiring on friends and foes alike. Yet, though several of the patriotshad fallen, they fought on undaunted. In a short time, however, all theboats came up, extending their line, when a body of troops effected alanding before they could be opposed.
As the Hadji caught sight of them, "Allah! Allah!" he cried, "down withthe foes of Circassia. None such may place foot here. Allah! Allah!"And, calling to several of his companions, he furiously charged them;but, notwithstanding his utmost bravery, he and his followers were againdriven back to the chief scene of conflict, closely pressed by theenemy. In the mean time also, on the other side, another body of troopshad landed. The Circassians found themselves almost hemmed in; but theydid not give much time for their enemies to form; for a party attackedthem with almost despairing fury, and kept them from approaching to aidthe disembarkation of the other boats.
The patriot band was thinning fast; the most determined spirits amongthem, hoping only to sell their lives dearly; the strand was alreadystrewed with their bodies; a dark red line of human gore fringing thepure ocean. Still in desperation they fought on. They thought of theirwives, and of their children, and they strove not to die unavenged.
The image of his young wife presented itself to Thaddeus; and,commending her to the care of heaven, he bravely fought with renewedcourage by the side of her brother. Yet now all hope had fled, when ashout was heard from the mountains rising high above the rattle of themusketry, the roar of cannon, and the clash of steel. Issuing from thegrove, a numerous party was seen rushing with speed to the spot, headedby a female, brandishing in her hand a glittering sabre. It was thewidowed Zara leading on her band of peasants against the Russians, whoretreated before the fury of the onset, her followers hewing down theirfoes on all sides. Her life seemed charmed; for she guarded notherself, as she rushed into the thickest of the desperate fight,shouting to her followers, and with her slender arm dealingdeath-bearing blows around her.
For a considerable distance along the coast, many separate engagementstook place where-ever any boats attempted to throw the troops on shore;those who were left, while the boats returned for reinforcements, werecut to pieces; for the defenders were too few to attempt makingprisoners. Seeing that affairs were in this desperate state, theRussians sent every boat they could launch from their ships of war andtransports, filled with troops, to the assistance of those alreadyengaged; the brigs at the same time running so close in, that theirkeels touched the ground. These vessels opened a galling fire, aimingover the heads of their own people, at the defenders of the soil. Butthe Circassians were by far too eager to allow the manoeuvre to be ofmuch avail. Closing and grappling with their enemies the moment theycame on, and fighting up to their waists in the sea, as they rushedforward to meet them, the shot from the ships, made equal havoc amongboth parties.
The Russians now saw that it would have been better policy to wait,until all their foes had collected on the beach, before they commencedfiring; when, after playing on the crowds of Circassians, they mightunder cover of their guns, have sent in their boats without molestation.As it was they had been dreadfully cut up without making good theirlanding. They now attempted to repair their error at the sacrifice oftheir own people; but that signified nothing if they could ultimately besuccessful.
Selem, the moment he could turn his eyes to see what was going forward,after defeating those directly opposed to him, observed Zara amid thethickest of the fight, encouraging, and leading on her followers to theattack; he hastened towards her, fearful for her safety, and endeavouredto withdraw her from the bloody scene.
"Think you that the life of my husband does not require some sacrificeat my hands?" she cried. "The blood of all these base slaves would notrepay one drop of that which flowed in his veins. Who is more bound toavenge his death, than his wife? I have nothing to fear. Hinder me notfrom the holy work."
Breaking from him, she rushed again towards the enemy. Karl, however,who had followed her, and who did not like to fight against his owncountrymen, remained by her side, merely warding off the blows aimed ather; till at length, his choler rising, he returned the blows himself,with interest. Selem saw that it was hopeless to hinder her; and theutmost energies of all were now required to repel the fresh attack. Asthe boats pulled rapidly towards the shore, the enemy's soldiers, urgedto desperation by the fate of their comrades, and by the instigation oftheir officers, threw themselves into the water with bayonet
s readyfixed, and charged the Circassians. But, as before, the activemountaineers grappled with them, leaping between their bayonets, andstabbing them with their short swords.
The termination of the contest, however, still remained doubtful, for atone spot, less obstinately defended, several boats made a dash at once,and succeeded in throwing their troops on shore, where, forming, theycharged the Circassians on their flank with so much courage, that Selembegan to fear their heroic defence would have been of no avail. At thiscritical moment, a loud shout was again raised behind them; and,turning, Selem beheld his father, at the head of a band of warriors,breaking through the wood, and galloping over the sand. A fresh anddesperate charge was now made against the Russians, who were driven withgreat loss, to their boats.
The boats that were already afloat pulled off, the most desperatefighting now ensuing; the Russians, attempting to shove off their boats,while the Circassians,
The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia Page 102