one went through the Turk'safter-sail, and another followed, striking his deck, ploughing up thewood, and throwing the splinters on every side, ere it boundedoverboard. A few more fell harmlessly; but they were now approachingfrightfully near the Russian, and they could scarcely hope to escapemore of his shots. Another of these missiles came on board tearing awaypart of the bulwarks, striking one of the seamen, and carrying hismangled body with it into the sea. At this event, even the hardycaptain's presence of mind forsook him: his courage for a moment gaveway; and quitting his post, he wrung his hands in despair, leaving thevessel to her fate.
At this critical juncture, Ivan sprang aft, seizing the captain by thearm, and forced him to resume his place at the helm.
"For shame, Reis Mustapha!" he exclaimed. "You, have hitherto behavedlike a brave, good seaman, continue to prove that you really are one.Regard not the shots till they sink us. That can but be our fate at thelast, when all hope has flown. While you live, use all means, allexertions to escape, for Providence may yet rescue us from destruction."
"Ay, ay, my brother," interrupted the brave old Hadji. "Give not way todespair while a hope remains. Cowards alone do that. Think you that Ihave prayed to Allah and his Prophet for no purpose, that he should thusabandon his servants? Have I journeyed to his holy city, and kissed thesacred Kaaba for nought? Still hope that our time is not yet come."
"The noble Hadji speaks truly," added Ivan. "Take the helm, Reis, andguide us straight onward. We shall soon know the worst."
The Reis obeyed; taking the tiller from the hands of Javis, but with alook which plainly indicated that he was without hope.
By this time they were close to the corvette; but her guns were now morecarelessly aimed, from the certainty the Russians felt of capturing thechase.
The awful, the dreaded moment approached, which would too probablyconsign every human being on board the zebeque to eternity, for theirhuge opponent seemed determined to run them down if their colours werenot instantly lowered, and even then there was but little chance oftheir escaping that fate. Another moment and the next vast surge wouldbring her upon them! A more tremendous blast than they had hithertofelt now struck them, hurling their tiny bark before it into the veryjaws of the foe. Deluges of thick rain rushed down, while a loud roarthundered from the clouds, and a vivid flash of lightning darted throughthe air. A loud shriek of despair rose from the crew: their fate wassealed.
"Allah protect us!" cried the Hadji. "This is an awful time."
The bravest gasped for breath; the deck seemed to shake beneath theirfeet. The sea dashed over them, but the thick falling rain obscured allaround from their sight.
The young page gazed more earnestly at his master, but his limbstrembled not, nor did a word escape his lips.
The dreaded shock came not; the vessel still floated on the waves; thethick rain ceased.
Again a cry arose from the Turkish crew, but it was no longer that ofterror. "Where is the Giaour? where is the Russian ship?" was utteredby the voices of all. They had passed her.
There she lay, close on their quarter, with her head to the wind, herforemast shattered to the deck, the spars and rigging dashing againsther sides, her bulwarks stove in: the proud ship of Russia, was awreck--she was on fire!
Even at that moment of confusion, some small guns were fired over herstern, with a determined feeling of animosity and revenge, in the hopesof doing some injury, but their shot fell impotently into the waves, andthe crew were too much occupied with their own preservation, to pay anyfurther attention to the hard-driven chase.
Loud prayers ascended from the deck of the Turk, for their narrow andprovidential escape; Ivan's heartbeat quicker with gratitude than it hadwith fear; while young Conrin clasped his hands with silent fervour, andseemed ready to fall at his master's feet with joy.
The Hadji, having concluded his brief prayer, exclaimed; "Did I not tellyou, Reis, that Allah would protect us, that my prayers would not be invain? Look, where the late impious Kaffir lies shattered and scathed byHeaven's rage, at the very moment he thought himself secure of his prey.Another time think not that it is your kismet [fate] to die; that willcome in Allah's good time; but strive on always to the last. Think youmy countrymen could hold out against our mighty foe, if we thought thatit was our kismet to be conquered? Bosh! kismet is a good thing, whenit points to victory; but else it is nonsense. No, my brother, no;strive while you can, and yield to fate only when it overpowers you."
These principles the gallant Hadji not only preached, but with the restof his countrymen, practised.
As the danger diminished, so did the courage of the terror-stricken crewreturn. They taunted with gestures their crippled and now impotent foe,as the light zebeque bounded away from her before the gale. "Why don'tyou come on now?" some cried. "See, Giaour; see, cowardly Kaffir, weare sailing away from you; why don't you follow us as before? Come on,then, come on. We cannot wait for you. We are in a hurry to pursue ourvoyage."
With such like expressions the crew shewed their delight at theirescape, while rapidly scudding onward they soon run the corvette out ofsight. As long as her movements could be distinguished, she remainedwith her head still to the wind, dipping her bows under the waves whichbroke in deluges over her. Thick wreaths of smoke rose from that partof her deck where her foremast had stood, curling round her remainingmasts as it was blown aft; but that in time decreased, and the fire wasapparently got under. So little mercy had she shewn to the zebeque,that no commiseration was felt for her fate, whatever it might be.
Those only who have escaped from imminent peril, when either death orslavery has been about to overtake them, can fully enter into thefeelings of gratitude and satisfaction which our hero experienced, asthe last topmast sails of the Russian ship sank below the horizon; andthose only who have seen a loved object rescued from a threateneddanger, can feel as the young Conrin did; for few could love so well asthat strangely enthusiastic and romantic boy loved his master.
They continued on their course, running all day before the wind, whichdrove them towards their destination, each moment dreading to fall inwith another Russian cruiser; but not a sail appeared to alarm them. Bynight the wind, still keeping favourable, subsided to a gentle breeze,while a sharp lookout was kept from the mast-head for another enemy, orto discover the coast, which they knew they must be now nearing.
Volume 2, Chapter IV.
The territory of the Circassian tribes is bounded on the north by theRiver Kouban, which separates it from the lands now inhabited by theTchernemorskoi Cossacks, whom the Russians--after utterly annihilatingthe former inhabitants, (not using the words in a figurative sense)--placed there as a rough and sturdy outwork to their empire. From themouths of the Kouban it is bounded by the Black Sea, the coast trendingfrom the north-west to the south-east as far as Iscuria, on the mouth ofthe Salamache River, which separates it on the south from the provinceof Mingrelia, now nominally subject to Russia. To the south-east is theformer kingdom of Georgia, now also brought under subjection to the samebenign and far reaching power. To the north-east, the sources of theKouban and some of its numerous mountain tributaries pass through itspresent borders, the plains beyond having been conquered by Russia. Tothe east, the boundaries are uncertain, depending on those naturalfortifications, the inaccessible cliffs of the Caucasus; but the tribeseven to the very shores of the Caspian, have set their invaders atdefiance, and have joined the league of the patriot Circassians.
Circassia Proper is divided into Lower Abasia to the north, bordering onthe Kouban, and Upper Abasia to the south; the inhabitants of the formerbeing by far the most civilised and polished of the two, though bothequally cordial in detestation of their invaders. These two divisionsare again separated into provinces, those of Nottakhaotzi, Khapsoukhi,Bredoukha, and of the Demirghoi, in Lower Abasia, which is the part ofthe country to which we are about to introduce our readers. The tribeskeep distinct from each other, though the members of each live scatteredabout i
n all parts of the country.
The whole of the independent part of Circassia is mountainous, thatalone having: been able to withstand the immensely superior force whichthe Russians brought against them; but the tribes of the plains equallyhate their conquerors, and take every opportunity of escaping to jointheir still free countrymen. Indeed, the whole, or greater part, ofsome tribes have migrated to the mountains to be released from Russianoppression, leaving their homes, their fields, and their property, toruin and destruction.
There are no cities or towns in Circassia; the inhabitants preferringthe freedom and health of a mountain life to the trammels and formalityof the city, and each chief choosing the most beautiful and romanticspot for his habitation, while his followers and dependents collect inhamlets in the neighbourhood.
The principal rivers falling into the Kouban are the Kara Kouban, theUbin, the Aranos, the Laba, and
The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia Page 45
