Personal Adventures and Excursions in Georgia, Circassia and Russia (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1845. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V. Residence at and Excursions to and from the Baths--(continued). It was some time after our prudent and timely retreat (I use the term as I have seen it applied in public despatches, when referring to events of an exactly similar nature) and subsequent blockade at Kislavosk, before either my companions or myself felt any inclination to resume our accustomed rambles, that unexpected and rather untoward adventure having produced a salutary impression, by frightening us into a prudential circumspection, which all the remonstrances and warnings of the kind-hearted old commandant had hitherto failed in producing, and which was heightened by the subsequent information that the assailants, foiled in their intended attack upon this post, had suddenly wheeled about and fallen upon another some twelve or fourteen versts distant, which it had cut off to a man, carrying away some valuable horses, a large supply of ammunition, and a considerable number of oxen and other cattle. It was at this period that I became acquainted with several of those illustrious and unfortunate exiles, who, pardoned at the intercession of the noble-hearted, young Grand Duke Alexander, in his journey through Siberia, had recently arrived in the Caucasus from those dreary regions, to a residence in which they had originally been condemned to pass the whole period of their existence--the Pole and Russian alike; the former for the rash and ill-fated attempt on the part of his country to free itself from the sway of its powerful ruler, and the latter from the equally futile and absolutely insane attempt at establishing a constitutional form of government in a country nine-tenths of the population of which could not even understand its meaning. In both instances, as ever occurs under such VOL...