SOPHIA--MARAND--THE RUSSIAN FRONTIER--NATSCHIVAN--JOURNEY OF THE
CARAVAN--A NIGHT'S IMPRISONMENT--CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY--
ERIVAN--THE RUSSIAN POST--THE TARTARS--ARRIVAL IN TIFLIS--SOJOURN
THERE--CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY--KUTAIS--MARAND--TRIP ON THE
RIBON--REDUTKALE.
11th August. The stations between Tebris and Natschivan are very
irregular; one of the longest, however, is the first--namely, to the
village of Sophia, which occupied us six hours. The road lay
through valleys, which were, for the most part, barren and
uninhabited.
As it was already 3 o'clock when we reached Sophia, the people there
endeavoured to prevent me from going any further. They pointed to
the sun, and at the same time signified that I might be attacked by
robbers, plundered, and even murdered; but such statements had no
influence with me; and after I had with great trouble ascertained
that it would only require four hours to reach the next station, I
determined to continue my journey; and to the vexation of my
servant, whom I had engaged as far as Natschivan, ordered him to
saddle fresh horses.
Immediately after leaving Sophia, we entered barren, rocky valleys,
which my guide represented as being very dangerous, and which I
should not have liked to pass at night; but as the sun was shining
in full splendour, I urged on my horse, and amused myself by looking
at the beautiful colours and grouping of the rocks. Some were of a
glittering pale green; others covered with a whitish, half
transparent substance; others again terminated in numerous oddly
formed angles, and from the distance looked like beautiful groups of
trees. There was so much to see that I really had no time to think
of fear.
About half-way lay a pretty little village in a valley, and beyond
it rose a steep mountain, on the summit of which a charming prospect
of mountain country kept me gazing for a long while.
We did not reach Marand till nearly 8 o'clock; but still with our
heads, necks, and baggage, all safe.
Marand lies in a fertile valley, and is the last Persian town which
I saw, and one of the most agreeable and handsome. It has broad,
clean streets, houses in good repair, and several small squares with
beautiful springs, which are, moreover, surrounded by trees.
My shelter for the night was not so good as the town promised: I
was obliged to share the court with the post-horses. My supper
consisted of some roasted and very salt eggs.
12th August. Our journey for today was as far as Arax, on the
Russian frontier. Although only one stage, it took us eleven hours.
We followed the course of a small brook, which wound through barren
valleys and ravines; not a single village lay on our road; and with
the exception of some little mills and the ruins of a mosque, I saw
no more buildings in Persia. Persia is, on the whole, very thinly
populated, on account of the scarcity of water. No country in the
world has more mountains, and fewer rivers, than Persia. The air
is, on this account, very dry and hot.
The valley in which Arax is situated is large, and the extraordinary
formation of the mountains and rocks renders it very picturesque.
In the extreme distance rise lofty mountains, of which Ararat is
more than 16,000 feet in height, and in the valley itself there are
numerous rocky elevations. The principal of these, a beautiful
sharp rocky cone, of at least 1,000 feet in height, is called the
Serpent Mountain.
The river Aras flows close to the headland. It separates Armenia
from Media, has a terrible fall, and high waves. It here forms the
boundary between the Russian and Persian dominions. We crossed in a
boat. On the opposite side of the river were several small houses
where travellers are obliged to stop and prove that they are not
robbers, and especially that they are not politically dangerous.
Occasionally they are detained in quarantine for some time, when the
plague or cholera happens to be prevalent in Persia.
A letter from the Russian consul at Tebris ensured me a very
courteous reception; from the quarantine I was saved, as there was
no plague or cholera. I had, however, scarcely set my foot upon
Russian ground, when the impudent begging for drink-money began.
The officer had among his people a Cossack, who represented himself
as understanding German, and he was sent to me to ask what I wished
for. The rogue knew about as much German as I did Chinese--hardly
three or four words. I therefore signified to him that I did not
require his services, in spite of which he held out his hand,
begging for money.
13th August. I left Arax betimes in the morning, in company with a
customs' officer, and rode to the town of Natschivan, which lies in
a large valley, surrounded by the lofty mountains of Ararat. The
country here is fertile, but there are very few trees.
I never had so much trouble to obtain shelter in any place as in
this. I had two letters, one to a German physician, the other to
the governor. I did not wish to go to the latter in my travelling
dress, as I was again among cultivated people, who are accustomed to
judge of you by your dress, and there was no inn. I therefore
intended to ask accommodation in the doctor's house. I showed the
address, which was written in the native language, to several people
to read, that they might point out the house to me; but they all
shook their heads, and let me go on. At last I came to the custom-
house, where my little luggage was immediately taken possession of,
and myself conducted to the inspector. He spoke a little German,
but paid no regard to my request. He told me to go into the custom-
house, and unlock my portmanteau.
The inspector's wife and sister accompanied me. I was much
astonished at this politeness, but found, however, too soon that
other reasons had induced them to come--both the ladies wished to
see what I had brought with me. They had chairs brought, and took
their places before my portmanteau, which was opened, when three
pair of hands were thrust in. A number of papers folded together,
coins, dried flowers, and other objects, obtained from Nineveh, were
instantly seized hold of, and thrown about; every ribbon, every cap,
was taken out; and it was clearly perceptible that the inspector's
wife had some difficulty in parting with them again.
After this was sufficiently examined, a common box, which contained
my greatest treasure, a small relief from Nineveh, was brought
forward. One of the men took hold of a heavy wooden axe, for the
purpose of striking off the lid. This was rather too much for me,
and I would not allow it. To my great satisfaction, a German woman
came in just at this moment. I told her what was in the box, and
that I did not object to its being opened, although I wished them to
do it carefully with a chisel and pincers; but, strange to say,
there were no such tools in the place, although they were wanted
daily. I at last succeeded in persuading them to break off the lid
with care. Notwithstanding the anxiety I was in, I could not help
laughing at the foolish faces which both the women and the customs'
officer made when they saw the fragments of brick from Babylon, and
the somewhat damaged Ninevite head. They could not at all
comprehend why I should carry such objects with me.
The German woman, Henriette Alexandwer, invited me to take coffee
with her; and when she heard of my perplexity with respect to a
lodging, she offered me a room in her house. On the following day,
I visited the governor, who received me very politely, and
overpowered me with favours,--I was obliged to move into his house
directly. He attended to my passport, and obtained all the
necessary vises, of which I required half a dozen since entering the
Christian dominions, and made an agreement for me with some Tartars,
whose caravan was going to Tiflis. I then looked round the
miserable half-ruined town with the good Mrs. Alexandwer, and saw
Noah's monument.
According to Persian accounts, Natschivan is said to have been one
of the largest and handsomest towns of Armenia; and Armenian writers
affirm that Noah was the founder. The modern town is built quite in
the Oriental style; only a few of the houses have the windows and
doors turned towards the streets; generally the front faces the
small garden. The dress of the people is also rather like the
Persian, but the officials, merchants, etc., wear European costume.
Nothing more remains of Noah's sepulchre than a small arched
chamber, without a cupola. It appears to have been formerly covered
with one, but it is not possible to decide from the few ruins that
now remain. In the interior, neither a sarcophagus nor grave are to
be seen; a single brick pillar stands in the centre, and supports
the roof. The whole is surrounded by a low wall. Many pilgrims
come here, Mahomedans as well as Christians; and both sects
entertain the remarkable belief, that if they press a stone into the
wall while thinking of something at the same time, and the stone
remains sticking to the wall, that their thoughts are either true or
will come to pass, and the reverse when the stone does not adhere.
The truth of the matter is, however, simply this: the cement or
mortar is always rather moist, and if a smooth stone is pushed a
little upwards while being pressed, it remains hanging; if it is
only pressed horizontally, it falls off again.
Not far from Noah's tomb stands another very handsome monument;
unfortunately I could not learn to whose memory it was erected, or
to what age it belonged. It consists of a high building, resembling
a tower with twelve angles; the walls between the angles are
covered, from top to bottom, with the most artistic mathematical
figures in triangles and sexagons, and some places are inlaid with
glazed tiles. The monument is surrounded by a wall, forming a small
court-yard; at the entrance-gates stand half-ruined towers, like
minarets.
17th August. I felt very unwell today, which was the more
unpleasant, as the caravan started in the evening. For several days
I had been unable to take any food, and suffered from excessive
lassitude. Nevertheless I left my rest, and mounted my caravan nag;
I thought that change of air would be the best restorative.
Fortunately we went only a short distance beyond the city gate, and
remained there during the night and the following day. We did not
proceed any further until the evening of the 18th of August. The
caravan only conveyed goods, and the drivers were Tartars. The
journey from Natschivan to Tiflis is generally made in from twelve
to fourteen days; but with my caravan, to judge from the progress we
made at the commencement, it would have occupied six weeks, for on
the first day we went scarcely any distance, and on the second, very
little more than the first; I should have travelled quicker on foot.
19th August. It is really unbearable. During the whole day we lay
in waste stubble-fields, exposed to the most scorching heat, and did
not mount our horses until 9 o'clock in the evening; about an hour
afterwards we halted, and encamped. The only thing good about this
caravan was the food. The Tartars do not live so frugally as the
Arabs. Every evening an excellent pillau was made with good-tasting
fat, frequently with dried grapes or plums. Almost every day
beautiful water and sugar-melons were brought to us to buy. The
sellers, mostly Tartars, always selected a small lot and offered it
to me as a present.
The road led continually through large, fertile valleys round the
foot of Ararat. Today I saw the majestic mountain very clearly, and
in tolerable proximity. I should think we were not more than two or
three miles from it. It seemed, from its magnitude, as if separated
from the other mountains, and standing alone; but it is in fact,
connected with the chain of Taurus by a low range of hills. Its
highest summit is divided in such a way that between two peaks there
is a small plain, on which it is said that Noah's ark was left after
the deluge. There are people who affirm that it would still be
found there if the snow could be removed.
In the more recent treatises on geography, the height of Ararat is
given as 16,000 feet; in the older ones, as 11,000. The Persians
and Armenians call this mountain Macis; the Grecian writers describe
it as a part of the Taurus range. Ararat is quite barren, and
covered above with perpetual snow; lower down lies the cloister,
Arakilvank, at the place where Noah is said to have taken up his
first abode.
20th August. We encamped in the neighbourhood of the village Gadis.
Many commentators of the Scriptures place the garden of Eden in the
Armenian province of Ararat. In any case, Armenia has been the
scene of most important events. Nowhere have so many bloody battles
taken place as in this country, as all the great conquerors of Asia
have brought Armenia under their control.
21st August. We still continued near Ararat; meanwhile we passed by
Russian and German colonies, the houses in the latter had exactly
the appearance of those in German mountain villages. The road was,
throughout, very uneven and stony, and I cannot imagine how the post
can travel upon it.
Today I met with another very unpleasant adventure. My caravan
encamped in the neighbourhood of the station Sidin, about fifty
paces from the side of the post-road. Towards 8 in the evening I
walked out as far as the road, and as I was about to return I heard
the sound of post-horses coming; I remained in the road to see the
travellers, and noticed a Russian, seated in an open car, and by his
side a Cossack, with a musket. When the vehicle had passed, I
turned quietly round; but, to my astonishment, heard it stop, and
felt myself, almost at the same moment, seized forcibly by the arms.
It was the Cossack who held me, and endeavoured to drag me to the
car. I tried to release myself, pointed to the caravan, and said
that I belonged to it. The fellow immediately stopped my mouth with
his hand, and threw me into the car, where I was tightly held by the
other man. The Cossack immediately jumped up, and the driver urged
his horses on as quickly as they could go. The whole was done so
quickly that I scarcely knew what had happened to me. The men held
me tightly by the arms, and my mouth was kept covered up until we
were so far from the caravan that the people belonging to it could
no longer have heard my cries.
Fortunately I was not frightened; I thought at once that these two
amiable Russians might, in their zeal, have taken me for a very
dangerous person, and have supposed they had made a very important
capture. When they uncovered my mouth, they commenced questioning
me as to my native country, name, etc. I understood enough Russian
to give them this information, but they were not satisfied with
that, and required to see my passport; I told them that they must
send for my portmanteau, and then I would show them that I had
permission to travel.
We came, at last, to the post-house, where I was taken into a room;
the Cossack placed himself with his musket under the open door, so
as to keep his eye continually on me; and the other man, who, from
his dark-green velvet facings, I supposed to be one of the Emperor's
officers, remained some time in the room. At the end of half an
hour, the post-master, or whoever he was, came to examine me, and to
hear an account of the achievements of my captors, who hastened,
with laughing countenances, to give a complete statement of what had
happened.
I was obliged to pass the night, under strict guard, upon a wooden
bench, without either a wrapper or a mantle with me, and suffering
from hunger and thirst. They neither gave me a coverlet nor a piece
of bread; and when I merely rose from the bench to walk up and down
the room, the Cossack rushed in immediately, seized my arms, and led
me back to the bench, telling me, at the same time, that I must
remain there quietly.
Towards morning they brought me my luggage, when I showed them my
papers, and was set at liberty. Instead, however, of apologizing
for having treated me in such a way, they laughed at me; and when I
came out into the court, every one pointed at me with their fingers,
and joined my gaolers in their laughter. Oh! you good Turks, Arabs,
Persians, Hindoos, or whatever else you may be called, such
treatment was never shown to me amongst you! How pleasantly have I
always taken leave of all your countries; how attentively I was
treated at the Persian frontiers, when I would not understand that
my passport was required, and here, in a Christian empire, how much
incivility have I had to bear during this short journey!
On the 22nd of August I rejoined my caravan, where I was received
with cordiality.
23rd August. The country still presented the same features; one
large valley succeeding another. These valleys are less cultivated
than those in Persia; today, however, I saw one which was tolerably
well planted, and in which the villagers had even planted trees
before their huts.
24th August. Station Erivan. I was happy to have reached this
town, as I hoped to meet with some of my country-people here, and,
by their help, to find a quicker mode of conveyance to Tiflis. I
was determined to leave the caravan, since we did not go more than
four hours a day.
I had two letters; one to the town physician, the other to the
governor. The latter was in the country; Dr. Muller, however,
received me so well that I could not possibly have been better taken
care of.
Erivan {305} is situated on the river Zengui, and is the capital of
Armenia; it contains about 17,000 inhabitants, and is built upon low
hills, in a large plain, surrounded on all sides with mountains.
The town has some fortified walls. Although the European mode of
architecture already begins to predominate greatly, this town is by
no means to be reckoned among either the handsome or cleanly ones.
I was most amused by the bazaars, not on account of their contents,
for these do not present any remarkable features, but because I
always saw there different, and for the most part unknown, national
costumes. There were Tartars, Cossacks, Circassians, Georgians,
Mingrelians, Turkonians, Armenians, etc.; chiefly powerful, handsome
people, with fine expressive features--particularly the Tartars and
Circassians. Their dress partly resembled the Persian; indeed that
of the Tartars differed from it only by points to the boots, and a
less lofty cap. The points on the boots are frequently as much as
four inches long, and turned inward and towards the end; the caps
are also pointed, and made of black fur, but not more than half as
high. Very few of the women of these tribes are seen in the
streets, and those are enveloped in wrappers; nevertheless, they do
not veil their faces.
The Russians and the Cossacks have stupid coarse features, and their
behaviour corresponds completely to what their appearance indicates;
I never met with a people so covetous, coarse, and slavish as they
are. When I asked about anything, they either gave me a surly
answer, or none at all, or else laughed in my face. This rudeness
would not, perhaps, have appeared so remarkable if I had come from
Europe.
It had already been my intention in Natschivan to travel with the
Russian post; but I had been dissuaded from doing so, as I was
assured that, as a solitary woman, I should not be able to agree
with the people. However, here I was determined to do so, and I
requested Dr. Muller to make the necessary preparations for me.
In order to travel in Russia by the post, it is necessary to procure
a padroschne (certificate of permission), which is only to be had in
a town where there are several grades of officials, as this
important document requires to be taken to six of the number. 1st,
to the treasurer; 2nd, to the police (of course with the passport,
certificate of residence, etc.); 3rd, to the commandant; 4th, again
to the police; 5th, again to the treasurer; and 6th, to the police
again. In the padroschne an accurate account must be given of how
far the traveller wishes to go, as the postmaster dare not proceed a
single werst beyond the station named. Finally, a half kopec (half
kreutzer), must be paid per werst for each horse. This at first
does not appear much; but is, nevertheless, a considerable tax, when
it is remembered that seven wersts are only equal to a geographical
mile, and that three horses are always used.
On the 26th of August, about 4 in the morning, the post was to have
been at the house; but it struck 6, and there was still no
appearance of it. If Dr. Muller had not been so kind as to go
there, I should not have started until the evening. About 7, I got
off--an excellent foretaste of my future progress.
We travelled certainly with speed; but any one who had not a body of
iron, or a well-cushioned spring carriage, would not find this very
agreeable, and would certainly prefer to travel slower upon these
uneven, bad roads.
The post carriage, for which ten kopecs a station is paid, is
nothing more than a very short, wooden, open car, with four wheels.
Instead of a seat, some hay is laid in it, and there is just room
enough for a small chest, upon which the driver sits. These cars
naturally jolt very much. There is nothing to take hold of, and it
requires some care to avoid being thrown out. The draught consists
of three horses abreast; over the centre one a wooden arch is fixed,
on which hang two or three bells, which continually made a most
disagreeable noise. In addition to this, imagine the rattling of
the carriage, and the shouting of the driver, who is always in great
activity urging on the poor animals, and it may be easily understood
that, as is often the case, the carriage arrives at the station
without the travellers.
The division of the stations is very irregular, varying from
fourteen to thirty wersti. Between the second and third stations, I
passed over a very short space of ground, where I found a kind of
lava, exactly resembling the beautiful, brilliant, glassy lava of
Iceland (black agate, also called obsidian), which was stated to be
found in that island only. The second stage led through a newly-
erected Russian village, extending to Lake Liman.
August 27th. Today I had another evidence of the pleasure of
travelling by the Russian post. On the previous evening I had
ordered and paid for everything before-hand; yet I was obliged in
the morning to awaken the post officers myself, as well as to see
after the driver, and to be constantly about among the people, in
order to get away. At the third station I was kept waiting three
hours for the horses; at the fourth they gave me none, and I was
obliged to stay all night, although I had gone only fifty-five
wersti the whole day.
The character of the country changes before reaching Delischan: the
valleys contract to narrow gorges, and the mountains seldom leave
space for small villages and plots of ground. The naked masses of
rock cease, and luxuriant woods cover the heights.
Near Pipis, the last stage that I went today, beautiful cliffs and
rocks rose close to the post-road, many of them presenting the
appearance of enormous columns.
August 28th. Continual trouble with the post people. I am the
greatest enemy of scolding and harsh treatment; but I should have
best liked to have spoken to these people with a stick. No idea can
be formed of their stupidity, coarseness, and want of feeling.
Officers, as well as servants, are frequently found at all hours of
the day sleeping or drunk. In this state they do as they please,
will not stir from their places, and even laugh in the faces of the
unfortunate travellers. By the aid of much quarrelling and noise,
one is at last induced to drag out the car, a second to grease it,
another baits the horses, which have often to be harnessed, then the
straps are not in order, and must be first fastened and repaired;
and innumerable other things of this kind, which are done with the
greatest tardiness. When, afterwards, in the towns I expressed my
disapprobation of these wretched post establishments, I received as
answer that these countries had been too short a time under Russian
dominion, that the imperial city was too far distant, and that I, as
a single woman without servants, might consider myself fortunate in
having got through as I had.
I did not know what reply to make to this, except that in the most
recently acquired colonial possessions of the English, which are
still farther from the capital, everything is excellently arranged;
and that there a woman without servants was as quickly attended to
as a gentleman, since they find her money not less acceptable than
that of the latter. The case is very different, however, at a
Russian post station; when an official or officer comes, every one
is active enough, cringing round the watering-place for fear of
flogging or punishment. Officers and officials belong, in Russia,
to the privileged class, and assume all kinds of despotism. If, for
example, they do not travel on duty, they should not, according to
the regulations, have any greater advantages than private
travellers. But, instead of setting a good example, and showing the
mass of the people that the laws and regulations must be observed,
it is precisely these people who set all laws at defiance. They
send a servant forward or borrow one from their fellow-travellers,
to the station to announce that on such a day they shall arrive, and
will require eight or twelve horses. If any hindrance occurs during
this time--a hunt or a dinner--or if the wife of the traveller has a
headache or the cramp, they postpone the journey without any ado to
another day or two; the horses stand constantly ready, and the
postmaster dare not venture to give them to private travellers.
{308} It may so happen that travellers have in such a case to wait
one or even two days at a station, and do not get through their
journey quicker by the post than by a caravan. In the course of my
journey by the Russian post, I several times went only a single
stage during a whole long day. When I saw an uniform I was always
in dread, and made up my mind that I should have no horses.
In each post-house, there are one or two rooms for travellers, and a
married Cossack in charge, who, together with his wife, attends to
strangers, and cooks for them. No charge is made for the room, the
first comer is entitled to it. These attendants are as obliging as
the stable people, and it is often difficult to procure with money a
few eggs, milk, or anything of the kind.
The journey through Persia was dangerous; that through Asiatic
Russia, however, was so troublesome, that I would prefer the former
under any circumstances.
From Pipis the country again diminishes in beauty: the valleys
expand, the mountains become lower, and both are frequently without
trees, and barren.
I met, today, several nomadic parties of Tartars. The people sat
upon oxen and horses, and others were loaded with their tents and
household utensils; the cows and sheep, of which there were always a
great number, were driven by the side. The Tartar women were mostly
richly clothed, and also very ragged. Their dress consisted almost
entirely of deep red silk, which was often even embroidered with
gold. They wore wide trousers, a long kaftan, and a shorter one
over that; on the head a kind of bee-hive, called schaube, made of
the bark of trees, painted red and ornamented with tinsel, coral,
and small coins. From the breast to the girdle their clothes were
also covered with similar things, over the shoulders hung a cord
with an amulet in the nose, they wore small rings. They had large
wrappers thrown round them; but left their faces uncovered.
Their household goods consisted of tents, handsome rugs, iron pots,
copper coins, etc. The Tartars are mostly of the Mahomedan
religion.
The permanent Tartars have very peculiar dwellings, which may be
called enormous mole-hills. Their villages are chiefly situated on
declivities, and hills, in which they dig holes of the size of
spacious rooms. The light falls only through the entrance, or
outlet. This is broader than it is high, and is protected by a long
and broad portico of planks, resting either upon beams or the stems
of trees. Nothing is more comical than to see such a village,
consisting of nothing but these porticoes, and neither windows,
doors, nor walls.
Those who dwell in the plains make artificial mounds of earth, and
build their huts of stone or wood. They then throw earth over them,
which they stamp down tightly, so that the huts themselves cannot be
seen at all. Until within the last sixty years, it is said that
many such dwellings were to be seen in the town of Tiflis.
29th August. This morning I had still one stage of twenty-four
wersti ere I reached Tiflis. The road was, as everywhere else, full
of holes, ruts and stones. I was obliged always to tie a
handkerchief tightly round my head, to ease the jolting; and still,
I was every day attacked with headache. Today, however, I learnt
the full nuisance of these carriages. It had rained, not only
during the whole night, but still continued so. The wheels threw up
such masses of mud, that I soon sat in a thick puddle, I was covered
even over the head, and my face did not escape. Small boards
hanging over the wheels would have easily remedied this
inconvenience; but none trouble themselves in this country about the
comfort of travellers.
Tiflis comes in sight during the latter half of the stage. The
prospect of the town charmed me much; as, with the exception of a
few church towers, it was built in the European style; and, since
Valparaiso, I had not seen any town resembling the European. Tiflis
contains 50,000 inhabitants, it is the capital of Georgia, {309} and
is situated tolerably near the mountains. Many of the houses are
built on hills, on high steep rocks. From some of the hills there
is a beautiful view of the town and valley. The latter, at the time
of my visit, was not very attractive, as the harvest had deprived it
of all the charms of colour; there were also but few gardens, etc.
On the other hand, the river Kurry (generally called Cyrus) winds in
graceful curves through the town and valley, and in the far distance
sparkle the snow-crowned summits of the Caucasus. A strong citadel,
Naraklea, is situated upon steep rocks, immediately before the town.
The houses are large, and tastefully ornamented with facades and
columns, and covered with sheet iron or bricks. The Erivanski Place
is very handsome. Among the buildings the Palace of the governor,
the Greek and Armenian seminaries, and several barracks are
conspicuous. The large theatre, in the centre of the Erivanski
Place, was not then finished. It is evident that the old town must
give place to the new one. Everywhere houses are being pulled down,
and new ones built; the narrow streets will soon only be known by
tradition, and the only remains of the Oriental architecture, are
the Greek and Armenian houses. The churches are far inferior in
splendour and magnitude to the other buildings; the towers are low,
round, and generally covered with green glazed tiles. The oldest
Christian church stands upon a high rock in the fortress, and is
used only for the prisoners.
The bazaars and chan present no features worthy of notice; moreover,
there are already here, as in all European towns, shops and stores
in all the streets. Several wide bridges are thrown over the Kurry.
The town contains numerous warm sulphuretted springs, from which,
indeed, it derives its name: Tiflis or Ibilissi, meaning "warm
town." Unfortunately, the greater number of the many baths are in
the worst condition. The buildings, within which the springs are
enclosed, are surmounted by small cupolas with windows. The
reservoirs, the floor, and walls, are for the most part covered with
large stone slabs; very little marble is to be seen. There are
private and public baths, and men are not allowed to enter the
buildings where the women assemble; however, they are not nearly so
strict here as in the East. The gentleman who was so kind as to
accompany me to one of these baths, was permitted to come into the
anteroom, although it was separated from the bathing-place only by a
simple wooden partition.
Not far from the baths lies the Botanic Garden, which has been laid
out, at great expense, on the declivity of a mountain. The
terraces, which had to be artificially cut, are supported by masonry
and filled with earth. Why such an unsuitable place was chosen I
cannot imagine; the less so as I saw only a few rare plants and
shrubs, and everywhere nothing but grape-vines; I fancied myself in
a vineyard. The most remarkable things in this garden are two vine-
stocks, whose stems were each a foot in diameter. They are so
extended in groves and long rows that they form pleasant walks.
More than a thousand flasks of wine are annually obtained from these
two vines.
A large grotto has been excavated in one of the upper terraces whose
whole front side is open, and forms a high-arched hall. In the fine
summer evenings there is music, dancing, and even theatrical
performances.
On Sundays and festivals the pretty gardens of the governor are
opened to the public. There are swings and winding-paths, and two
bands of music. The music executed by the Russian military was not
so good as that which I heard by the blacks in Rio Janeiro.
When I visited the Armenian Church, the corpse of a child had just
been laid out. It was in a costly open bier, covered with red
velvet and richly ornamented with gold lace. The corpse was strewed
over with flowers, decorated with a crown, and covered with fine
white gauze. The priests, in sumptuous robes, conducted the funeral
ceremonies, which were very similar to the Catholic. The poor
mother, at whose side I accidentally happened to kneel, sobbed
loudly when preparations were made to carry away the dear remains.
I also could not restrain my tears: I wept not for the death of the
child, but for the deep grief of the afflicted parent.
Leaving this place of mourning, I visited some Greek and Armenian
families. I was received in spacious rooms, which were fitted up in
the most simple manner. Along the walls stood painted wooden
benches partly covered with rugs. On these benches the people sit,
eat, and sleep. The women wear Grecian dresses.
European and Asiatic costumes are seen so frequently together in the
streets, that neither the one nor the other appears peculiar. The
greatest novelty to me, in this respect, was the Circassian dress.
It consists of wide trousers, short coats full of folds, with narrow
sashes, and breast pockets for from six to ten cartridges; tight
half-boots, with points turned inwards, and close-fitting fur caps.
The more wealthy wore coats of fine dark-blue cloth, and the edges
were ornamented with silver.
The Circassians are distinguished from all other Caucasian people by
their beauty. The men are tall, have very regular features and
great ease in their motions. The women are of a more delicate
build; their skin is whiter, their hair dark, their features
regular, their figures slender, with their busts well developed: in
the Turkish harems they are considered the greatest beauties. I
must confess, however, that I have seen many handsomer women in the
Persian harems than in the Turkish, even when they contained
Circassians.
The Asiatic women, when in the streets here, wrap themselves in
large white mantles; many cover the mouth as well, and some few the
remainder of the face.
Of the domestic life of the Russian officials and officers I cannot
say much. I had, indeed, a letter to the chancellor director, Herr
von Lille, and to the governor, Herr von Jermaloff; but both
gentlemen were not much pleased with me--my free expression of
opinion, perhaps, did not suit them. I made no scruple of speaking
my mind with regard to the ill-regulated posting establishments, and
the miserable roads. I, moreover, related my imprisonment, with a
few comments; and, what crowned all, I said that I had intended to
have gone on from here across the Caucasus to Moscow and
Petersburgh, but that I had been completely deterred from doing so
by my short experience of travelling in the country, and would take
the shortest road to get beyond the frontier as soon as possible.
If I had been a man and had spoken so, I should probably have been
treated with a temporary residence in Siberia.
Herr von Lille, however, always received me with politeness when I
called on him for the purpose of having my passport prepared. The
governor did not treat me with a like consideration; first he put me
off from one day to another, then it pleased the mighty man to pass
two days in the country. When he came back, it was a Sunday; on
which day such a great work could not possibly be done, and so I did
not obtain my passport until the sixth day.
Thus it fared with me, who was provided with letters to the chief
officers,--how do poor people come off? I heard, indeed, that they
are often kept waiting two or three weeks.
The viceroy, Prince Woronzou, was unfortunately not in Tiflis at the
time. I regretted his absence the more, as I everywhere heard him
represented as an educated, just, and extremely amiable man.
Far pleasanter than these visits to the Russian governor was that to
the Persian Prince Behmen Mirza, to whom I brought letters and
intelligence from his family, who were remaining in Tebris.
Although he was ill at the time, nevertheless he received me. I was
conducted into a large saloon, a complete hospital for eight sick
persons: the prince, four of his children, and three wives, laid
there upon rugs and cushions. They all suffered from fever. The
prince was a remarkably handsome and powerful man of five and
thirty; his full eyes were expressive of intelligence and goodness.
He spoke with great regret of his fatherland; a smile of painful
delight played round his features when I mentioned his children,
{312} and related how safely and well I had travelled through those
provinces which, but a short time before, had been under his
control. What a happiness would it be for Persia if such a man as
this was to come to the throne instead of the young viceroy.
The most interesting, and, at the same time, useful acquaintance
which I made was that of Herr Salzmann, a German. This gentleman
possesses considerable knowledge of agriculture, and more than all,
a singularly good heart; he interests himself for all kinds of
people, and more especially his own countrymen. Wherever I
mentioned his name, people spoke of him with true respect. He had
just received a decoration from the Russian government, although he
was not in their service.
Herr Salzmann has built a very handsome house, with every possible
convenience for the reception of travellers; besides this he owns a
large fruit-garden, ten wersti distant from the town, in the
neighbourhood of which are some naphtha springs. When he found that
I wished to see these he immediately invited me to join a party to
visit them. The springs are situated very near to the Kurry.
Square pits, about twenty-five fathoms deep, are dug, and the
naphtha is dipped out by means of wooden buckets. This naphtha,
however, is of the commonest kind, of a dark brown colour, and
thicker than oil. Asphalte, cart-grease, etc., are made from it.
The fine white naphtha, which can be used for lighting and fuel, is
peculiar to the Caspian Sea.
A walk to the Chapel of David, which lies upon a hill immediately in
front of the town, repays the trouble. Besides the lovely country,
there is to be seen here a fine monument erected in memory of the
Russian ambassador, Gribojetof, who was murdered in Persia on the
occasion of a revolt. A cross, at the foot of which lies his
mourning wife, is very artistically cast in metal.
On Monday, the 5th of September, I received my passport, about 11
o'clock; I ordered the post carriage an hour afterwards. Herr
Salzmann proposed that I should visit some German settlements, which
were situated at about ten or twenty wersti from Tiflis, and offered
to accompany me there; but I had not much inclination to do so, more
particularly as I had heard everywhere that the settlers had already
much degenerated, and that idleness, fraud, dirt, drunkenness, etc.,
was not less frequent among them than in the Russian colonies.
I left Tiflis about 3 in the afternoon. Just outside the town
stands, by the roadside, a cross cast in metal, with the eye of
Providence upon a pedestal of polished granite, surrounded by an
iron railing. An inscription states that, on the 12th of October,
in the year 1837, his imperial majesty was upset here, but that he
had escaped without injury. "Erected by his grateful subjects."
This incident appears, therefore, to have been one of the most
remarkable in the life of this powerful ruler, as it has been
commemorated by a monument. It has, certainly, not been erected
without the approval of the emperor. I am by no means certain which
is the most to be wondered at, the people who placed it here, or the
monarch who permitted it.
I went only one stage today, but it was so long, that I had to
continue my journey into the evening. To go any further was not to
be thought of, as the country, not only here, but in the greater
part of this province, is so unsafe that it is impossible to travel
in the evening or night without the protection of Cossacks, for
which purpose a small company is placed at each station.
The scenery was rather agreeable; pretty hills enclosed pleasant
looking valleys, and on the tops of some mountains stood ruins of
castles and fortified places. There were times in the history of
this kingdom as well as the German when one noble made war upon the
others, and no man was safe of his life and property. The nobles
lived in fortified castles upon hills and mountains, went out mailed
and harnessed like knights, and when threatened by hostile attacks,
their subjects fled to the castles. There are still said to be
people who wear, either over or under the clothes, shirts of mail,
and helmets instead of caps. I did not, however, see anything of
the kind. The river Kurry continued to run along by our road. Not
far from the station a long handsome bridge led across, but it was
so awkwardly placed that it was necessary to go out of the way a
whole werst to reach it.
6th September. The journey became still more romantic. Bushes and
woods covered the hills and valleys, and the tall-stemmed, rich,
green Turkish corn waved in the fields. There were also numbers of
old castles and fortresses. Towards evening, after having with
great exertion travelled four stages, I reached the little town of
Gory, whose situation was exceedingly charming. Wooded mountains
surrounded it in wide circles, while nearer at hand rose pretty
groups of hills. Nearly in the centre of the mass of houses a hill
was to be seen, whose summit was crowned by a citadel. The little
town possesses some pretty churches, private houses, barracks, and a
neat hospital. Both towns and villages here lose the Oriental
character entirely.
When the atmosphere is clear the Caucasian mountains are to be seen
rising in three ranges between the Caspian and Black seas, forming
the boundary between Asia and Europe. The highest points are the
Elberus and the Kasbeck; these, according to a new geography, are of
the respective heights of 16,800 and 14,000 feet. The mountains
were covered with snow far down their sides.
7th September. Today I travelled one stage as far as Suram: I
could not proceed any further, as twelve horses were ordered for an
officer who was returning from a bathing-place, with his wife and
friends.
Suram lies in a fruitful valley, in the centre of which rises a
beautiful mountain with the ruins of an old castle. In order to
dispel my bad humour I took a walk to this old castle. Although it
was considerably ruined, the lofty arches, stately walls, and
extensive fortifications showed that the noble knight had lived
tolerably sumptuously. On the return nothing astonished me more
than the number of animals yoked to the ploughs. The fields lay in
the finest plains, the ground was loose and free from stones, and
yet each plough was drawn by twelve or fourteen oxen.
8th September. The mountains drew nearer and nearer together, the
prospect became more beautiful; climbing plants, wild hops, vines,
etc., twined round the trees to their highest branches, and the
underwood grew so thick and luxuriantly, that it called to my mind
the vegetation of the Brazils.
The third stage was for the greater part of the way along the banks
of the river Mirabka through a narrow valley. The road between the
river and the mountain side was so narrow, that in many places there
was only room for one carriage. We had frequently to wait ten or
twenty minutes to allow the cars loaded with wood, of which we met a
great number, to pass us, and yet this was called a post-road.
Georgia has been for fifty year under Russian dominion, and only
within a recent time have roads been commenced here and there.
Fifty years hence, they may, perhaps, be finished, or fallen again
into decay. Bridges are as scarce as roads. The rivers, such as
the Mirabka are crossed in miserable ferry boats, those which are
shallower must be forded. In time of rain, or sudden thaw in the
snow mountains, the rivers are overflowed, and travellers must then
either wait some days or risk their lives. What a tremendous
difference between the colonies of Russia and England!
Late in the evening, I arrived, wet through and covered with mud, at
the station, two wersti from Kutais. It is remarkable that the
post-houses are generally one or two wersti from the villages or
towns. A traveller, in consequence of this custom, is exposed to
the inconvenience of making a special journey if he has anything to
attend to in those places.
9th September. Kutais contains 10,000 inhabitants, and lies in a
natural park; all round is the most luxuriant vegetation. The
houses are neat and ornamental; the green painted church towers and
barracks peep invitingly from between. The large river Ribon {314}
separates the town from the large citadel which very picturesquely
occupies a neighbouring hill.
The dresses of the people are as various as round Tiflis; the
headgear of the Mingrelian peasants appears truly comic. They wear
round black felt caps, in the shape of a plate, fastened by a string
under the chin. The women frequently wear the Tartarian schaube,
over which they throw a veil, which, however, is put back so that
the face is seen. The men wear, in the mornings, and in rainy
weather, large black collars (called burki) of sheep's wool, or
felt, which reach below the knees. I must here mention that the
beauty for which the Georgians are so famous must not be sought for
among the common people. I did not find them particularly handsome.
The carts which the peasants use are remarkable, the front part
rests upon curved pieces of wood, or sledge-bars; the hinder part
upon two small thick discs of wood.
My stay in Kutais was caused by the want of horses; it was not till
2 o'clock in the afternoon that I could continue my journey. I had
two stages to reach the village of Marand, which lies on the river
Ribon, where the post-cars are changed for a boat, by which the
journey to Redutkale, on the Black Sea, is made.
The first stage passes chiefly through fine woods, the second
presents an open view over fields and meadows; the houses and huts
are quite buried beneath bushes and trees. We met a number of
peasants who, although they had only a few fowls, eggs, fruits,
etc., to carry to the town for sale, were nevertheless on horseback.
There was abundance of grass and willow trees, and consequently of
horses and horned cattle.
At Marand I stopped, for want of an inn, with a Cossack. These
people, who also live here as settlers, have pretty wooden cottages,
with two or three rooms, and a piece of land which they use as field
and garden. Some of them receive travellers, and know how to charge
enough for the miserable accommodation they afford. I paid twenty
kopecs (8d.) for a dirty room without a bed, and as much for a
chicken. Beyond that I had nothing, for the people are too lazy to
fetch what they have not by them. If I wanted bread, or anything
that my hosts had not got, I might seek for it myself. As I have
said before, it is only for an officer that they will make any
exertion.
I had left Tiflis about 3 in the afternoon of the 5th of September,
and reached this place in the evening of the 9th, five days to
travel 274 wersti (195 miles). I call that a respectable Russian
post!
The boat did not start for Redutkale, a distance of eighty wersti,
until the morning of the 11th. It was bad weather; and the Ribon,
otherwise a fine river, cannot be navigated during a strong wind, on
account of the projecting trunks of trees and logs. The scenery
still continued beautiful and picturesque. The stream flows between
woods, maize, and millet fields, and the view extends over hills and
mountains to the distant and gigantic Caucasus. Their singular
forms, peaks, sunken plateaus, split domes, etc. appear sometimes on
the right, sometimes on the left, in front, and behind, according to
the ever-changing windings of the river. We frequently halted and
landed, every one running to the trees. Grapes and figs were
abundant, but the former were as sour as vinegar, and the latter
hard and small. I found a single one ripe, and that I threw away
when I had tasted it. The fig-trees were of a size such as I had
never seen, either in India or Sicily. I believe the whole sap is
here converted into wood and leaves. In the same way, the great
height of the vines may be the cause of the grapes being so small
and bad. There must certainly be a great field for improved
cultivation here.
12th September. Our boat did not go far. There was a smart breeze,
and as we were already near the Black Sea, we were obliged to remain
at anchor.
13th September. The wind had dropped, and we could, without danger,
trust ourselves on the sea, upon which we had to sail for some
hours, from the principal arm of the Ribon to that on which
Redutkale was situated. There was indeed a canal leading from the
one to the other, but it can only be passed at very high water, as
it is much filled with drift sand.
In Redutkale, a speculating Cossack host also received me, who had
three little rooms for guests.
According to the Russian calendar, this was the last day of August.
On the 1st of September, the steamer was to come, and sail again
after two hours. I therefore hastened to the commandant of the town
to have my passport signed, and to request admittance to the ship.
Government steamers ply twice every month, on the 1st and 15th, from
Redutkale to Odessa, by way of Kertsch. Sailing vessels rarely
offer an opportunity of passage. These steamers always keep close
into the coast; they touch at eighteen stations (fortresses and
military posts), carry military transports of all kinds, and convey
all passengers free. Travellers must, however, be content with a
deck place: the cabins are few, and belong to the crew and higher
officers, who frequently travel from one station to another. No
places can be had by paying for them.
The commandant prepared my passport and ticket directly. I cannot
avoid remarking in this place that the prolixity of writing by the
Russian government officials far exceeds that of the Austrians,
which I had formerly considered impossible. Instead of a simple
signature, I received a large written sheet, of which several copies
were taken, the whole ceremony occupying more than half an hour.
The steamer did not arrive until the 5th (Russian calendar).
Nothing is more tedious than to wait from hour to hour for a
conveyance, especially when it is necessary, in addition, to be
ready to start at any moment. Every morning I packed up. I did not
venture to cook a fowl or anything else, for fear I should be called
away from it as soon as ready; and it was not until the evening that
I felt a little safer, and could walk out a little.
From what I could see of the neighbourhood of Redutkale and
Mingrelia altogether, the country is plentifully furnished with
hills and mountains, large valleys lie between, and the whole are
covered with rich woods. The air is on that account moist and
unhealthy, and it rains very frequently. The rising sun draws up
such dense vapours, that they float like impenetrable clouds, four
or five feet above the earth. These vapours are said to be the
cause of many diseases, especially fever and dropsy. In addition to
this, the people are so foolish as to build their houses in among
the bushes and under thick trees, instead of in open, airy, and
sunny places. Villages are frequently passed, and scarcely a house
is to be seen. The men are remarkably idle and stupid; they are
tawny and lean. The natives seldom reach the age of sixty; and it
is said that the climate is even more unhealthy for strangers.
Still I believe that much might be done in this country by
industrious settlers and agriculturists. There is abundance of
land, and three-fourths of it certainly lies uncultivated. By
thinning the woods and draining the land, the badness of the climate
would be lessened. It is already, even without cultivation, very
fruitful; and how much this might be increased by a proper and
rational mode of treatment. Rich grass grows everywhere, mixed with
the best herbs and clover. Fruit grows wild; the vines run up to
the tops of the highest trees. It is said that in time of rain the
ground is so soft, that only wooden ploughs are used. Turkish corn
is most generally grown, and a kind of millet, called gom.
The inhabitants prepare the wine in the most simple manner. They
hollow out the trunk of a tree, and tread the grapes in it; they
then pour the juice into earthen vessels, and bury these in the
ground.
The character of the Mingrelians is said to be altogether bad, and
they are generally looked upon as thieves and robbers; murders are
said not to be unfrequent. They carry off one another's wives, and
are much addicted to drunkenness. The father trains the children to
stealing, and the mother to obscenity.
Colchis or Mingrelia lies at the end of the Black Sea, and towards
the north on the Caucasian mountains. The neighbouring people were
formerly known under the name of Huns and Alani. The Amazons are
said to have dwelt in the country between the Caucasus and the
Caspian Sea.
The little town of Redutkale may contain about 1,500 inhabitants.
The men are so indolent that, during the five days that I passed
here, I could not procure a few grapes or figs for love or money. I
went daily to the bazaar, and never found any for sale. The people
are too lazy to bring wood from the forest; they work only when the
greatest necessity compels them, and require to be paid
exorbitantly. I paid as much, if not more, for eggs, milk, and
bread as I would have done in Vienna. It might well be said that
the people are here in the midst of plenty, and yet almost starve.
I was not better pleased by the thoughtless and meaningless
performance of religious ceremonies among these people. On all
occasions, they cross themselves before eating or drinking, before
entering a room, before putting on an article of clothing, etc. The
hands have nothing else to do but to make crosses. But the most
provoking thing of all is, that they stand still before every church
they pass, bow half a dozen times, and cross themselves without end.
When they are travelling, they stop their carriages to perform this
ceremony.
While I was at Redutkale a vessel sailed. The priests were brought
on board, and were obliged to go all over the ship, and pronounce a
blessing upon it on every corner of the sails. They crept into
every cabin or hole, and at last blessed the sailors, who laughed at
them for their trouble.
I constantly found that there was less real religion in those places
where there was the most parade made of it.