DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0219
190
soghanli dagh.
[Chap, xit;
where I had seen him a few months before. I was told,
whilst still in the neighbourhood of Bardes, that the in-
vading force of the Russians consisted of 22,000 infantry,
10,000 Cossacks, and 15,000 irregulars—Lesghis, Circas-
sians, Persians, Turks, Georgians, Abassians, and Arnaouts,
or Albanians.
Another remarkable fact connected with the forests of
Soghanli Dagh is, that the Russians were supplied with
timber from them for the erection of the fortress of Gumri;
and such was then the paramount authority of Russia, that
the Turkish peasants were compelled to cut the wood, gratis,
for their professed enemies; and such was the grasping-
avarice of the pacha of Kars, that he received 70,000 ducats
from Russia for selling it.
Friday, June 10.—Bardes to Kars twelve hours. De-
scending from the town by a steep road, winding round the
ruins of the castle, we crossed the rapid stream flowing from
S.E. to N.W., between lofty and precipitous rocks; and
then ascended in a N.E. direction over trap and basaltic
rocks, in which were traces of irregular columnar structure.
We had started at six a.m., and in half an hour were winding
along the side of the hills sloping to the Bardes Su on our
right, covered with basaltic boulders, which had, in a few
places, been cleared for the sake of a scanty cultivation.
Here we passed a large band of gipsies, clothed, like their
namesakes all over the world, in rags and tatters. Although
in their costume they bore a general resemblance to the
Turks, and the women in particular wore large, loose trow-
sers, yet they were easily distinguished by their squalid
appearance, as well as by the marked peculiarity of their
countenances. They had a few cows with them, which carried
their tents and tent-poles.
At seven we reached the village of Giishler, the inhabit-
ants of which were all employed in sawing timber. This
is said to be the yaila, or summer abode of the inhabitants
of Bardes; but if so, habit rather than necessity must have
soghanli dagh.
[Chap, xit;
where I had seen him a few months before. I was told,
whilst still in the neighbourhood of Bardes, that the in-
vading force of the Russians consisted of 22,000 infantry,
10,000 Cossacks, and 15,000 irregulars—Lesghis, Circas-
sians, Persians, Turks, Georgians, Abassians, and Arnaouts,
or Albanians.
Another remarkable fact connected with the forests of
Soghanli Dagh is, that the Russians were supplied with
timber from them for the erection of the fortress of Gumri;
and such was then the paramount authority of Russia, that
the Turkish peasants were compelled to cut the wood, gratis,
for their professed enemies; and such was the grasping-
avarice of the pacha of Kars, that he received 70,000 ducats
from Russia for selling it.
Friday, June 10.—Bardes to Kars twelve hours. De-
scending from the town by a steep road, winding round the
ruins of the castle, we crossed the rapid stream flowing from
S.E. to N.W., between lofty and precipitous rocks; and
then ascended in a N.E. direction over trap and basaltic
rocks, in which were traces of irregular columnar structure.
We had started at six a.m., and in half an hour were winding
along the side of the hills sloping to the Bardes Su on our
right, covered with basaltic boulders, which had, in a few
places, been cleared for the sake of a scanty cultivation.
Here we passed a large band of gipsies, clothed, like their
namesakes all over the world, in rags and tatters. Although
in their costume they bore a general resemblance to the
Turks, and the women in particular wore large, loose trow-
sers, yet they were easily distinguished by their squalid
appearance, as well as by the marked peculiarity of their
countenances. They had a few cows with them, which carried
their tents and tent-poles.
At seven we reached the village of Giishler, the inhabit-
ants of which were all employed in sawing timber. This
is said to be the yaila, or summer abode of the inhabitants
of Bardes; but if so, habit rather than necessity must have