Life of Schamyl: And Narrative of the Circassian War of Independence Against Russia

Front Cover
J. P. Jewett, 1856 - 300 pages
 

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 176 - Have then thy wish!' — He whistled shrill, And he was answered from the hill ; Wild as the scream of the curlew, From crag to crag the signal flew. Instant, through copse and heath, arose Bonnets and spears and bended bows : On right, on left, above, below, Sprung up at once the lurking foe...
Page 1 - ' CIRCASSIA — under which name the country occupied by a great number of tribes, of which the Circassians are one, is best known to foreigners — lies in the Caucasus, a range of mountains which, running in the direction between north-west and south-east, extends from the shores of the Black Sea to those of the Caspian, and divides by its wall of rock the two continents of Europe and Asia. ' The traveller approaching these mountains from the steppes inhabited by the Cossacks subject to Russia,...
Page 203 - No one drove our enemies save their evil consciences, for their unbelief made them fear, and they fled because they dare not stay within sight of the believers The looks of the Russians are falsehood, and their words are lies ; we must destroy the works of their hands, and slay them wherever we find them, in the house or in the field — by force or by cunning — so that their swarms vanish from the face of the earth ; for they multiply like lice, and are as poisonous as the snakes that crawl in...
Page 173 - This man was a perpetual terror to the Northern races. Children grew quiet at the name of Sass. He was superseded in command, however, by Williamenoff; who, in 1837, proceeded to break the spirits of the mountaineers by words such as these : " Russia has conquered France, put her sons to death, and made captives of her daughters. England will never give any aid to the Circassians, because she depends on Russia for her daily bread. There are only two powers in the universe, — God in heaven and the...
Page 202 - Ve have seen how small was the number of our warriors in comparison with the hosts of the enemy, and yet they gave way to us, for strength is with the believers. The Russians have taken Akhnlgo and have razed its walls. Allah permitted this, to chastise you for your unbelief, for hi' knows what you think, and all your projects.
Page 134 - ... squire, according to the general custom of this people, divested me of the whole of my weapons, and hung them up on the walls of the room with those of his master, except the poniard, which a Circassian never parts with, being considered a part of his costume. How like the warriors of ancient Greece ! And now with friendly force his hand he grasped, Then led him in within his palace halls ; His coat of mail, and glittering helm unclasped, And hung the splendid armour on the walls ; For there,...
Page 202 - Ye have seen how small was the number of our warriors in comparison with the hosts of the enemy, and yet they gave way to us, for strength is with the believers. The Russians have taken Akhulgo and have razed its walls. Allah permitted this to chastise you for your unbelief; for he knows all your projects and all your thoughts.
Page 86 - And to their several domes to rest resort. A towering structure to the palace join'd ; To this his steps the thoughtful prince inclined : In his pavilion there, to sleep repairs : The lighted torch, the sage Euryclea bears (Daughter of Ops, the just Pisenor's son, For twenty beeves by great Laertes won...

Bibliographic information