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IN

THE CAUCASUS AND GEORGIA,

PERFORMED IN THE YEARS 1807 AND 1808~

BY COMMAND OF

THE RUSSIAN G017ERN~IENT,

BY

JULIUS VON KLAPROTH, ‘­

A1;jLIC COUNSELt0!j;~;TO HIS MAJESll,Y THE EMPEltoR OF R USSIAj}

~BER OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF ST; PETERSBURGH, ETC.

TR~NSL.ATED FROM THE GERM4.N

BY

F. SHOBERL.

·l

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR HENRY COLBURN,

BlrlSH Al”fD FOREIGN PUBLIC LIBRARY, CONDUIT STREET, HANOVER SQUA~E,

“ltD S01J) :BY G. GOLDIE, EDINBURGHj AN:/) J. CVl’rI1’4Jlf<t, DlJ:13LUI’.

1814.

 

 

~

..

TRAVELS IN

“‘<‘-.-­

THE CA UCASUS AND GEORGIA.

INTRODUCTION.

/ Al\’IONG the most remarkable but least known regions of the ancient world is t1}e Caucasus,which with its long, snow-clad ridges separating Asia from Europe; forms, as it were, the partition between those two quarters of the globe, and whose first iluiges -occupy the isthmus between the ,Caspian and the. Black Sea. History ,affords very few examples of the pass~ge of this chain by wandering nations,who attempted to penetrate on this side into Upper Asia. In our times it was reserved fOl-,the Russian arms, during the glorious reign of the great. Catherine, to open a way (lver the snowy mountains into Georgia through the Caucasian gate, DarjeJ, so celebrated in antiquity, which since Timur’s invasion of the Caucasus had not been trodden by any military force.

At first it was only auxiliaries that Russia sent to King Irak’li (Heraclius) ~ assist him against the Turks and Lesgi, by whom he was hard pressed. He how­ -ever soon perceived the impossibility of opposing his enemies as an independent prince for any length of time~ and therefore submitted in 1783 to the crown of Russia. His imbecile son Georgi succeeded him in the government, !Uld on his

,death in. 1800 several Georgian princes assembled and sent depu~es to St. Peters­ -burg, to implor.e the emperor to make their country a Russian province, ,and thus to secure it from all the hostile attacks of its neighbours. Their wish was immedi:­

,ately ~omplied with, and Georgia ceased from that time to be goveme<,l by n~tive “overclgns.

1l

 

 

I

~ TRAVEl.S IN THE CAUCASUS AND GEORGIA.

In consequence of this submission, it was resolved at St. Petersburg to reduce ~

by degrees the whole of the Caucasus, and to extend the boundaries of the empire ,I to the river Arass (Araxes). The first step was the occupation of Daghestan and Imereti, by which the yet unsubdued mountaineers became completely surrounded by the Russian territory, and will thus probably soon be compelled to acknowledge themselves vassals of the political Colossus of the north.

No sooner was there any hope of effer;ting the augmentations which are actually taking place, than the court of St. Petersburg began to think of procuring accurate information relative to the Caucasus. It was not with the physical properties only of these mountains that it was desirous of becoming acquainted, but also with the manners of their inhabitants and their mutual relations. ‘Vith this view it was that in 1767 the great empress issued commands that the whole empire should be visited by wembers of the Academy of Sciences, as well ttl describe the topography of its provinces as to examine their productions and inhabitants. In this important en­ terprise the Caucasus and Georgia fell to the share of Professor ‘*’ Giildenstadt ; and a fitter person could not have been chosen, for he surpassed in erudition and zeal all his colleagues sent outon similar expeditions. For three years he resided among these celebrated mountains, or in their vicinity; but a premature death un­ fortunately prevented him from publishing his observations himself. Much that

_~asdeficientin his manuscripts, -and in particular all the observations which he had made on the manners. and cUstoms of the Caucasians during his long residence among them, he intended tb supply from memory. His papers were committed to an,ecFtor who neither knew any thing of the countries which Giildenstadt had visited, rior entered upon the task with sufficient spirit to adopt as his own the work of -another, or to be anxious to set it off’ to the best advantage. Hence it is that the part of Glildenstiidt’s travels which relates to the Caucasus, thought’indeed syste­ maiicand excellent in its plan, is not sufficiently digested, and tbat the names are

.disfigured by an incredible multitude of errors of the press, which are the more unpardonable as Giildenstiidt wrote a very legible hand, and was particularly solici­ tous to give foreign words with accuracy,

After him Reineggs, the adventurer, visited the Caucasus in company with~he Hungarian Count Kohary, who supported him, and whose heir he became in Titlis: put his extremely superficial description of these mountains, in which half of his

,;­.~

• In the Imperial Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburg there were formerlyProfeS5ors; but ~ince it received a different form, that title hilS very properly been disused.

statements are is in some degrc and are capable

Several travel a view to the na few historical 01 medium of the of the Caucasm accompany in ti sel;vice to the se tries, for the pu: arid; he had form that he pitched ­ the

L thell Preside

! ‘ fo the’. Academy Bbdy/which like

, t’tl1~Count hi iog tHe attention !”!’, ~ T-;; ,~.__ _ ‘.. ”

&;’ h~wever,on Vlin’t3ehrbel;g, 1

, Ukeifihat he she Ke:·was :’likewise \”hith Iw~s to a

As I was nott it in ~Titing, the

…. … . .. . at I ts expense ‘111 At ~he n:commer w:ho had: some kJ

MydlspositiOl been obliged tOE was previously n tbis interval I hal delivered to me; here introduce in

II I ”

;/’

 

 

;tGIA.

:tersburg to reduce .aries of the empire of Daghestan fu’ld

l1pletely surrounded :lled to acknowledge

lS which are actually ~ procuring accurate sica! properties only ed, but also with the . this view it was that pire should be visited the topography of its In this important en­ ‘essor’* Giildenstadt ; sed in erudition and hree years he resided a premature death un­ himself. Much that

~rvations which he had ng his long residence ,eI’S were committed to iildenstadt had visited, as his own the work of

Hence it· is that the , though,li indeed syste­ nd that the names are :ss, which are the more 1was particularly solici­

us in company with !:be leir he became in Tiflis: s, in which half of his

~e formerly Professors; b~t

J1ed.

INTRODUCT ION. V <!’

statements are either erroneous or false, was oam’bled bv• an ignDrant editor, and is in some degree useful only to such as are intimately acquainted with the Caucasus, and are capable of detecting its misrepresentations.

Several travellers have since that time visited the Caucasus and its vicinity with a view to the natural history of those regions; but we have been favoured with very few historical observations on its inhabitants, or none at all, at least through the medium of the press.· The worthy. Count John Potocki, who resided at the foot of the Caucasus during the winter of 1797-1798, and whom I had the honour tQ accompany in the Russian embassy to China, conceived that he .should render a service to the sciences in causing a new expedition to be undertaken to these conn..;­ tries, for the purpose of elucidating their topography, history, and language alone :5 and he had formed so favourable an opinion of my abilities for such an enterprise,: that he pitched upon me for the execution of the plan. This he communicated to: the then President of the Imperial Ac~demy of Sciences, who himself submitted it. to the Academy: it was adopted, as might naturally have been expected, b:y that body, which likewise approved the Count’s choice of me to travel in the Caucasus.

The Count himself had promised to draw up instructions for the purpose of direct­ ing the attention of the traveller to the most important points tha.,t wer~ to be decided ~. as, however, one of the most learned members of the academical committee, Mr. Von Lehrberg, had more particularly directed· his studies to the Caucasus, it was likely that he should be·st know what subjects yet remained to be explored there; and he was likewise commissioned, as well as Mr. Von Krug, to propose questions which I was to answer during my journey. .

As I was not sufficiently conversant in the Russian language to express myselfin it in ‘\-Titing, the Academy gave me permission to select one of the students educated at its expense in the Gymnasium of St. Petersburg, to accompany me as interpreter. At the recommendation of the director of that institution I chose Feodor BobrinzowJ

·,,,.110 had some knowledge of French and German. . My dispositions for the journey would soon have been completed, had I not·

been obliged to await the return of His Imperial Majesty, to whose approbation it was previously necessary to submit the plan of the whole undertaking. During this interval I had time to prepare myselffor it, and thoroughly study the Instructions deliverecl to me; which, as they constitute the ground-work of these Travels, I shall here introduce in the language of their authors.’ .

nO..

 

 

4 TRAVELS IN THE CAUCASUS AND GEORGIA.

INS T Rue T ION S.

1.

SUBJECTS OF INVESTIGATION PROPOSBD BY HIS EXCBLLBNCY

COUNT POTOCKI *.

IT is with great pleasure that I undertake the task of contributing to draw up in­ structions for our traveller. I must however request the indulgence of the Academy: my present occupations would not allow me to produce a finished work, and these lubjects are so familiar to me that I hope to be able to write on them without pre­ paration.

The personal knowledge, which I have of Mr. de Klaproth is of great advantage to me in pointing out to him what should be the drift of his observations. He is a man of letters; his mind is accustomed to reflection; we have therefore a right to expect fr9m him’such results as would not be required of a traveller who had studied on~y one single branch of human knowledge, for instance botany or mineralogy. . What is particularly expected of Mr. de Klaproth is this, to make us acquainted

with the country. Whatever can furnish useful information ought to engage his at­ tention. Thus, each principality of the Caucasus should occupy a place in his pages. The inhabitants of those regions have one general character, but its different shades ought not to escape him. Some are susceptible of c~vilization, and others not. Some are capable of being governed by Russia, and others not. , I shall soon proceed to the scientific views, which I designedly postpone because

objects of utility should .always have the preference. It is exp,ected that the Caucasus shall be better known after Mr. ~e Klaproth’s

journey than it was before. Such is its aim. As to the m~ans, they must be left to the sagacity of the traveller. The principal persons in each district, for example~ should be mentioned in his narrative; he will see them, he will converse with them, and he ought to state the opinion which he forms of them.

Concerning officers of the Russian government we request him to say as little as possible.

As I have already observed, the object is to make the Caucasus better known.

.. ~n the original this article is in French.-T.,

~… ,-~——,-~–_._——.-.

,On this head the utmo: ney may be proposed 1 he will.approach them. in consequence of the l\

,. who fUrnishes correct n,

. state. Inow proceed t i . .J suppose that thE

non to Mozdok; and .Biberstein, who’ has Sl Georgia: the examinat of credit due to each· instance, found in the ( ~ame period at which H cidation of such a tradit

“& monument. : ‘,2. ,In like manner M extant relative to the AI ‘theJ\Ierinadalis, on tf \~tiinony ofStrabo, sti . ~~iingtiish the ancient ‘While all these ancient 1 It’:;~ould.likewise be we dattHrom about the yea ..,;3” The pagan Tartar:

ingthe country behind’ . ‘~~ple’\re the, purest ( d~&~i\v:e:particular atten1 ‘giOrl;’andi ,th..~ir~art of di . ‘:’4&;:AL~fozdok also ~ and’sorrie of those peop

….

..

..,;¥M;~ilIl’ origin. , .They ~ ‘DQr!,·,;s~ttled:in. the cou~

‘tiJ::e;ttQ~ the .distrlct whie ,¢~ off’G.uilan, who ‘. ~litllemBelves Tali

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS. 5

On this head the utmost latitude should be given to the traveller. Olivier or Vol­ ney may be proposed to him as a model. Perhaps he will not equal, but at least he will approach them. It is certain that many calamities have happened in Russia in consequence of the want of information respecting distant provinces ; so that· he who furnishes correct notions concerning them renders an essential service to the state. I now proceed to the scientific part.

I. I suppose that the traveller will direct his course through the countries of the Don to Mozdok; and I suppose also that he will there seek and find Marshal de Biberstein, who has successfully devoted hi� attention to the ancient history of Georgia: the examination of the Georgian manusc1ipts, their age, and the degree of credit due to each tradition, is an important point. Mr. Bibcrstein has, for instance, found in the Georgian chronicles a.n invasion of l\Iagogs, precisely at the same period at which Herodotus places the invasion of the Cimmerians. The olu­ ci<lation of such a tradition is of greater importance to. history than the discovery of a monument.

2. In like manner Mr. de Klaproth will take pains to investigate the tra<lition yet· extant relative to the Amazons. It is among the Circassians that it must be sought.. The l\Iermadalis, . on the banks of which the Amazons· resided, acconling to the . testimony of Strabo, still retains the same name. The Circassian fabulists c learly· distinguish the ancient Scythians, to whom they give the appellation of N ogays. While all these ancient trd<litions yet exist, they ought to be collected and preserved. lt would likewise be well to collect the genealogies of the Circassian princes, which date from about the year 1500, and are both curious and histoiical.

�- The pagan Tartars, subject to the Circassians and the A bassas, and inhabit­ ing the country behind them, ought to attract the notice of the traveller. These’ people are the purest descendants of the Scythians described by Herodotus ; they deserve particular attention on account of their manners, their language, their reli.:.­ gion, and their art of divination.

4 .. At Mozdok also Mr. de Klaproth will find information respecting the Ossetes, and some of friose people themselves. This tribe, which calls it.self, Ironi, is of Median origin. They are Sarmato-Medes, who, having quitted the banks of the Don, settled in the country of the Misimianians.. The latter, in consequence, re-. tired to the district which they now occupy, and whence they probably expelled the· Gueles or Guilan, who were there in Strabo’s tirne, and who now inhabit Guilan,.. and callthemselves Taliacha. The �aveller will collect as many Ossetin.n ·words as,

 

 

6 TRA V £LS IN THE CAUCASUS AN D GEORGIA. possible, to compare them with the Talischan, for the latter is likewise a l\lcdian dialec’t.

5. In general the traveller will have at hand the fourth volume of Slrittcr, and t5tudy it continually.

6. Of all the tribes in the Caucasus the Ossetes ai’e perhaps most susceptible of civilization, and the traveller will consider them in this point of view; he will ob­ ~erv-e what may have hitherto retarded, and what is likely to promote its progress. I was acquainted with an archbishop in that country called Cajus, who had printed a catechism and’ several other things in the language of the Ossetes. The b’aveller will inquire what success attended the archbishop’s exertions: for, I repeat it, the curious should always give way to the useful, and to make the Caucasus better known ought to be the grand object.

7. A geographical difficulty, which has. not been sufficiently elucidated, is that \vhich relates to the Caspiail gates and the Sanllatian gates. The traveller, by ex­. . tracting and, canying with him all those passages of the ~ncients which refer to tllem; .and making minute inquiries respecting all the passes of the mountains, will probably come at a satisfactory solution.

-8. WThen the traveller is at TifUs, he will avail himself of this position to en­ deavour to make hiniself acquainted with ilie people bn his right and Jeft, that is to saY’, those who inhabit ilie country towards the Caspian Sea and the Euxine. He cannot fail to find in that town persons who have travelled in these disu’icts, and who have penetrated their remotest and least accessible valleys. From seeking such persons, and questioning them with address, he may derive nearly as much benefit as from a sight of the places themselves; and perhaps he may be induced to con­ trive to visit them on his return in the summer of 1808.

9 .. The inhabitants of the coast of the Caspian Sea are well known, excepting the subjects of the .Ouzmey, iliat is, the Ka’itaks. A passage of George Interiano proves iliat they are the ancient Caspians, and perhaps the Legi or Lesghi are ad­ ‘ocnCl’.. To decide ilie question we ought to have a Kaitak vocabulary, and one of Kara-Kaitak or Faytak, as the Arabs say.

10. In the same vicinity are still to be seen villages of lews,who are so only by religion and not, by origin; for it appeal’s that they are Carnanians who have em­ braced the Jewish faith. The traveller will endeavour to vis~t iliese tribes, and to !ltudy them as· much as possible, to ascertain whether they have any religious books, and what.. This subject is absolutely new. Count Czacki has made some useful

researches on tllis head extract from them.

11. If we pass from investigation; and the cure authentic intelligen

12. We know scarCE Mingrelia; yet we are F totally different from t1 la,ncis, and towards the. ·some accounts, the Alar hats.’ I have no need

;! ”

cOl1cerning these people, gr!!-phers.

·13. As to the other j ~sgi, I doubt their exi

. ,low up every notion ilia! <lEilcided how much ough W~l)ot iptended to be ! th~ IflQr.ewith errors, a.s ;If.lo.ltwould be extIT

of; Jiis predecessor: by! <.J4•• When the travel

direct his researches to “, e~platn myself.

J;;}Pr The present Schi Ppmpey: they were likt

·’P9;gI19~ tl:\C lett~r I, who 4,ghoUl1I!L .These ancil

J<, T ~- . _

Turks~ by whoin it is nl tb~: Mgans or· Aghouans {!tl~ugh ;the languages a: ·s~l,lbjestI. think I have tJ. t;,jl’Zi~JVhat the travell(

·f?r~ati0rirespecting an Jews and th(-~::p:pgithe

.~”:”””’;~’:’1fori~~e:r.ed .people.:

1

 

 

a l\ledian

ritter, and

3ccptible of he will ob­ lts progress. had printed ‘he traveller ~peat it, the casuS better

lted, is that ‘eller, by ex­ lich refer to mntains, will

osition to en­ eft, that is to Euxine. He districts, and

I seeking such much benefit

duced to con­

wn, excepting orge Interiano Lesghi are ad­ ry, and OIle of

are so only by who have em­ tribes, and to

‘eligious books, :Ie some useful

INSTRUCTIONSr 7 researches on this head: as they are in Polish, I will furnish the traveller with an

extract from them. 11. If we pass from the Caspian Sea to the Euxine, we find abunda)1t matter for

investigation;- and the traveller ought to redouble his application and zeal to pro­ cure authentic intelligence concerning districts to which it is difficult to penetrate..

12. We know scarcely any thing of the banks of the Abassa, from Anapa to Mingrelia; yet we are pretty sure that at the toot of the mountains there arc tribes totally different fiOm the other Caucasians. Among others, there are on the high lands, and towards the sources of the Ubbuch, the Azge, also called, according to some acrounts, the Alans. They are said to speak a peculiar language, and to wear hats. I have no need to observe how interesting it would be to learn something concerning these people, who are the Asians and Aseipourgians of the ancient geo­

graphers. 13. As to the other Alans, who, according to Reineggs, dwell to the north of the

Lesgi, I doubt their existence. In general, the traveller should make it a rule to fo1:.. low up every notion that has been furnished us by Reineggs, and to sift it till he has decided how much ought to be retained and how much rejected. His work, which was not intended to be accurate, since the author was a kind of adventurer, swarms the more with errors, a,s it was published since the death of Reineggs.

14. It would be extremely useful if every traveller would verify the observation~ of his predecessor: by this method the sciences would be great gainers. … 15. ‘When the traveller quits Tiflis, and advances towards Bacou, he should

direct his researches to what relates to the ancient inhabitants of Schirvan. I’ will. explain myself.

16. The present Schirvan is the country of the ancient Albanians conquered by Pompey: they were likewise called Alanians; and the Armenians, who never pro­ nounce the letter I, who say Glwuka for Luka, and Ighia for Ilia, have called them; Aghouani.. These ancient Albanians or Alanians have given up their country to the Turks, by whoni it is now occupied, and have very probably formed’ the nation of the Afgans or Aghouans, whom the Armenians acknowledge to be their brethren (though the languages are now different, which may easily happen, and. on which subject I think I have treated in my primitive history).

17. What the traveller has to· do here, is, in the first place, to obtain accurate in-· formati0n respecting an ancient Median dialect. which yet exists in the country. among the Jews and the Armenians, and which is called Tat, the language of the; .conquered people.

 

 

8 TRAVELS IN THE CAUCASUS AND GEORGIA. ii 18. The traveller will not fail to visit the Patriarch of Albania, who resides among .~f:the mountains, I know not where, and who is equal in rank to the Patriarch of

1li

Ararat. From him the traveller will certainly receive information. ~ 19. He ‘willlikewise ,take particular’ pains to make himself acquainted with the j1 QUESTIOl

Talischa dialect. It is pure Median; the language of the Cadusians or :Median !1,t HABIT mountaineers. ROTH

.,>eo. At length I suppose the traveller arrived at Bacou, where he will pass the

.. ,ITmaywinter. Here he will doubtless direct his attention to Persian literature; and the ande;withAcademy will probably commission him to procure manuscripts in order to complete ~’ake it hits collection in that interesting department. what is er

‘.~- ‘.< •21. But the principal object of the b’aveller ought to be utilil:y. It is his busi­ j,ects;,iu, Iness to make us better acquainted with Persia, to treat of its different provinces,

.~ ·’lUldthehitheir political constitution, their productions, the princes who govern them, the fac­ ~]

infl’resulhtions \vhich exist there. In exercising himself to adapt his questions properly, he i o “, 1.• Reirmay derive considerable advantage from all the Persians whom he will meet with at tioris and Bacou and elsewhere. ~ destroyed’-22.’ I come now to a point which I consider of consequence on account of its I be aCc,ur.athistorical importance. It is this:-Either on the b’aveller’s return, or in the course stadt andof his journey, if he should have occasion to approach the Turkish frontiers, let i

him seek individuals belonging to the nation of, Laz, and compile a vocabulary of j th~tit;Ilev .Reis~ii.2their language, which he “”ill then compare with that of the lower classes in Min­ !;:, ,2····Maycgrelia. The language of the Laz will give us that of ancient Colchis, as is demon­

”

t

! Ulu:lntscl

-<‘ •.••••~” .’. ~strated by various passages of Procopius and others. morepreci

~3. It will be advisable that, according to the practice in former cases, a student i ‘S’. I~ ttl1\hould be given to the traveller as an assistant, who, in case of accident, might ml1chmorpreserve the information which he may have collected.

24. I ‘here conclude my sketch of Instructions. It contains sufficient to furnish Arifbiari ‘w ilf;Sel:n~nd,

the traveller with abundant employment; and if I have not given the present paper ar~}etbora more finished fonn, the Academy will have the goodness to excuse me: ‘ I sp~ctip.gth£5. N. B.The plague, insurrection, and \var may possibly enough occasion ~(,~~ . ‘tradittion,~delay, and the traveller ought to be left at perfect liberty to anange his route as he Gesch. iv.pleases. I am very intimate with Count Gudowitch, and will with pleasure give a tb~i~am’e; Iletter, Ilot merely of recommenClation, but a .detailed statement of what may be done

by him fm’ ,the benefit of a traveller. .~tt:1’~’}s” th

II t\