Circassia; or, a Tour to the Caucasus

Front matter

CIRCASSIAN LADY IN ARMENIAN COSTUME CIRCASSIA; OR, A TOUR TO THE CAUCASUS. BY GEORGE LEIGHTON DITSON. NEW AND REVISED EDITION. NEW-YORK : STRINGER & TOWNSEND, 222 BROADWAY. 1850. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year lSi9, BY GEORGE LEIGHTON DITSON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. John F. Trow, Printer and Ste reot i/per, 49, 51 and 53 Ann-st., N. Y. TO PRINCE WORONSOFF, THE WARRIOR, DIPLOMATIST, COURTIER, AND THE INTELLIGENT AND HUMANE RULER, WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT, Sins JHPorfc fs 33erjf catett, BY THE AUTHOR.

Introduction

. Concerning the intensely interesting portions of the world of which the following pages treat, no work has ever been issued from the American press. — This, then, may lay claim to novelty. As the Crimea — her oddly picturesque Tartar towns and gorgeous tumuli ; Circassia — the fastnesses of her invincible heroes, the homes of her world-wide famed beauties, have been visited by no other American traveller, it may sufficiently apologize for the temerity of putting into print the journal of my tour. To those, however, who dissent from this, I would say, that by some of the most gifted of men I have been urged, both at home and abroad, to offer this work to the public. The first edition contained innumerable errors, arising from various causes — arduous duties of a much less genial nature than the labor of constructing it, claiming each unexhausted hour ; while difficulties, in various forms, thrown in the way of its mechanical execution, disturbed and interrupted its pro gress.

The present has been revised, and I think in no way can now be exceptionable to my readers ; but I can hardly ex pect its sale to be more rapid than that which in so short a time has carried off its predecessor.

INTRODUCTION.

. VI For the style, sentiment, &c, I have nothing to offer in palliation ; though I am well aware that he who impugns es tablished laws, however absurd, conventional forms, social rules which society holds dearer even than morality itself, — he who does not follow the notions of the times, exposes himself to the harshest criticism. Its being dedicated to a foreigner, may appear strange without an explanation. After having been abroad for ten years, travelling through those places which most interested me, except such as were included in the plan of this my last tour, I resolved to wander into the less known portions of the East, where the European race originated ; — regions which, from my earliest recollections, had given to my heart its strongest emotions. My Journal was one of informal notes of a year's residence in Italy, journey through Austria, descent of the Danube, and visits to the various nations and tribes dwelling on its banks ; but, I decided to publish, si settlement pour faire une novellete, only that portion of it which related to the region under the government of Prince Woronsoff: and as all the favors, — and they were distinguished and innumerable, — which I enjoyed there, from first to last, were either directly from him, or through the influence of his benign and enlightened administration, I could not do my own feelings justice by any other method of expressing them.

The journal-style which I have adopted, is, in some respects, objectionable— making the writer, by the use of a certain per sonal pronoun, often appear egotistical ; mentioning, too, les affaires, which, divested of their attendant circumstances may appear sans force : yet, a record of the immediate impressions on the tourist's mind, as scenes rise before him, audevents

INTRODUCTION.

. VII succeed each other, is, doubtless, bettter calculated to convey a correct notion of conditions of society, countries, and govern ments, than could be communicated in any other way. I had prepared a chapter on the coins found in the Crimea, but waiting too long a Society's report, which I deemed would be more ample and worthy of attention than my own, I was at last obliged to omit it altogether. I will, however, here men tion one or two given to me in the Tauride. One of Sauromates I., having on one side the crown, curule chair, parazonium, and arms of this sovereign, surrounded by a Greek inscription. On the reverse : the letters H. M. (the signification of which is not known with certainty) in a crown of laurel. Sauromates I., supposed to have reigned about the year 15, — "dit I' Aspnirgicn contemporain de Tibere, fils du Beskupioris et de Gepepyris," — " mounted the throne of Bos phorus," says Guthrie, " after the death of Polemon, whose widow, Pythodoris, seems to have retired to his kingdom of Pontus, where she was suffered to reign ; as we have two of her coins that were struck when queen of the country, after the death of the king, her husband."

Mr. Pellerin has one of these, in brass, in his cabinet. Another has on one side the head of Thothorses, encircled with a diadem ; before it are three points, and around it Greek letters, signifying, " King Thothoses." On the reverse, are the head of Dioclesian, crowned with laurel ; and three points behind the bust, with the date — 598 of the Bosporic, or 1055 of the Roman era. One of these in brass was in the king of France's cabinet. One, bearing on one side the head of a woman, and on the reverse a griffon, I could not ascertain the date of, though it is

INTRODUCTION.

. doubtless of the ancient Panticapea. Another, bearing on one side the head of Pan and a cap, called of Dioscuri ; and on its reverse, a horn of plenty and the word Pan. This, I was informed by the director of the Museum at Kertch, was from the ancient Cherson, which he called the maritime town of Dioscurias — -differing from some able writers, who place it far south of the Crimea, on the coast of Colchis. I had another of the Sauromates. There were eight sovereigns of this name who ruled over the Crimea. The first one I have mentioned above ; the last one, and the last sovereign there, reigned A. D. 344. In an interesting note of Guthrie's, he says : — " This name of a famous people (and which means Northern Meads, or a subdivision of that nation, dwelling or ranging between the Don, Volga, and Caucasus), one might suspect was assumed by some of the Bosporic kings to indicate their descent from the ancient lords of that country, long prior to the Dynasty then filling the Bosporic throne."

The view I have taken of Russia's advance southward, I am conscious will neither in Western Europe nor on this Con tinent, meet with much favor. All Englishmen will condemn it instanter — condemn it, if from no other cause than that of mere habit ; for they daily proclaim the infamy of the czar as he leads his armies towards India from the north, while the vocabulary of laudatory words is exhausted on Britain's con quering hosts advancing on the same country from the south. The Americans, however, though they may recognize in it many of those shameless and cruel features which characterized our wars with the Red Men, as we drove tribe after tribe from their homes, lands, and the sacred graves of their fathers, may see an analogous tendency in the Muscovite progress —

INTRODUCTION.

. IX ultimately as beneficial — and be willing to assent to what all my observations bear me out in asserting, that Russia is doing much to civilize and Christianize the eastern world. That her priests assist but little in this good work, I am willing to admit, for they are said to be excessively dissolute ; or that religious motives actuate their master. It arises rather from the commercial relationship which is established and being ex tended by Russia among the semi-civilized Orientals, in order to make up for her limited maritime resources : — elegant forms of refined society and its genial influences, accompanying her. For it is not too much to say, that the most learned, accomplished, scientific men are around her at every step : that schools, those sure fountains, or divine rivulets of liberty, virtue and happiness, spring up along the way of her majestic march ; and that wherever her banner floats, there is securely planted the Cross of the Redeemer.

Leaving aside invidious comparisons between Greek, Ro man, Mahometan, and Protestant religions — each in their results manifesting peculiar virtues — let us think for a moment what is to be the ultimate effect of schools, steam, com mercial intercourse, attention to agriculture, already felt since Russia's eagle hovered over the Tartar plains and the Cauca sian hills. Let us then ask what was, and what has been for ages, the condition of the Tauridian inhabitants and those of that vast chain of mountains stretching from the Euxine to the Caspian. Living under the influences of all that is ener vating and debasing in the worst forms of Mahometan, Hin doo, and Persian creeds, what intellectual light gleamed over that deep, dead, heavy, murky sea of profound ignorance in which they were sunk ? What commercial enterprise, what I*

INTRODUCTION.

. X new invention, what new discovery, what in art or science, has spread its wings in those regions, and, soaring, carried its blessings to mankind ? The Tartar squats in his mud and felt hut, or, much like our Indians, roams over the vast prairies or steppes. The Caucasian shivers in his mountain chauniine, as far from the influence of civilization as the benefits of educa tion are from his dreams. My love of our own more noble, blessed, liberal institu tions, shall not deprive me of the virtuous right of doing justice to those who have inherited and are bound to maintain other, though despotic ones, necessary on the confines of barba rism. Some German formed a plan for destroying the sovereigns of Europe. If in those crowned heads (begging their pardon) there could be concentrated all the elements of des potism, tyranny, and cruelty, I would most earnestly pray for such a consummation.

But those elements are in the pmple, and the hydra-headed monster cannot thus be crushed. Edu cation alone is the Hercules that can vanquish this accursed beast, which ever rears itself from the Lernæan marsh of ignorance. While I here acknowledge my indebtedness to the able works of Longworth, Hommaire de Hell, Guthrie, and others, I, perhaps, should apologize for differing in opinion, in any instance, from other travellers, though sometimes their own countrymen, and sometimes my own observations, allow me with impunity to do it. Mr. Spencer, who wrote two volumes about Circassia, I am credibly informed, never visited the country. A British reviewer says : — " If we had reason to suspect his residence in Germany to have been of very small duration, we have now a much stronger reason to suspect his

INTRODUCTION.

. XI residence in Circassia to be a mere negative quantity." The worthy Mr. Longworth, who spent a year in Circassia, in the preface to his book says : — " Klaporth's account of a country into which he never penetrated, is necessarily meagre and im perfect. Pallas labors under a similar disqualification. The Chevalier Taitbout de Marigny touched at three places on the coast, but did not travel into the interior." He then, after mentioning Mr. Urquhart, Stewart, Bell, and Knight, says : — " I speak advisedly when I say that no other Europeans have ever visited Circassia, always excepting the army of the invaders." The distinguished writer, M. Hommaire,* on disclaim ing the doctrine that the Cossacks and mountaineers could be of one nation, says : — " In the first place, considerations founded on religion and language, are not so lightly to be re jected as Clarke and Lesur assert."

And, again : "Notwith standing the assertions of Dr. Clarke, it is not easy to trace much resemblance between the Circassians and the Cossacks," &c. Judging, too, by what the mass of English travellers have written about our own country, I should naturally be very distrustful of every report they make respecting any other. With the most profound gratitude, I now recall to mind the various instances of hospitality shown to me during my tour ; and I beg of each individual whose courtesy was not foreign to a foreigner, to accept the most sincere expressions of regard which my heart is capable of offering. The Tartar tent, the Circassian guest-house, the Turkish khane, the Rus sian palace, the Georgian mansion, were ever open to me, and food and aid always proffered. My costume, though differing * Since printing the first edition, I have heard, with much regret, of the death of M. Hommaire.

INTRODUCTION.

. from that of the people I was among, was not laughed at, nor my habits ridiculed, nor was I abused for my religion ; yet I was with those whom we call barbarians. On arriving in America, I heard one of the respectable merchants exclaim, as a foreigner with mustaches entered the coach : — " There is one of the baboon species." Soon after I saw a Greek followed by a crowd of boys. These circumstance reminded me of what Sir Joshua Reynolds has said concerning the meeting of an European and a Cherokee Indians : — " Whoever of these two despises the other for his attention to the fashion of his country, whichever first feels himself provoked to laugh, is the bar barian." Again, I was deeply mortified to learn that the so-styled Atlienians had been on board of a Turkish vessel in our harbor, mocked the Ottoman, and spit upon his food.

I thought of the benefit that might be derived by our missionaries returning from the East and giving us lessons in that hospitality for which the Circassians and Mahometans, generally, are so distinguished. G. L. D. Boston, 20th March, 1850. CONTENTS,

Chapter I

Introduction — Columbus — Companion du Voyage — Chateau d'lf— La. Riviera— Italy— A Wish— Last Night in Italy— The Valley of the Polcevira — Frezzolini — A Poor Cantatrice — Leaving Genoa — View of Genoa from the Suburbs — From the Mediterranean to the Euxine — Venice — Vienna 19

Chapter II

Leaving the Danube — Russian Steamers — Arrival at Odessa — The Russian Drosky — Ladies' Dresses — Money Changers, Jews — The Opera — Dr. Webb — General SofTonoff— Lover's Stratagems — Russian Dining — The State of a Pole — Incident with a Lover — Quarantine Station — Story of the Plague — Sights in the Town — Albanian Costume — Ladies' Hair-dresses and Costume — The Princes 0 Preparations for a Short Voyage — Choice of Route — Cherson — The Greek Girl of Odessa — A Soldier's Funeral — Costume of Soldiers — Higher and Lower Classes — Tea-drinking, &c., on Ship-board — The Admiral's Cabin — Russian Ladies — Colonel Carganoff— Under Sail — Russian Navy — Strangers at Dinner — Native Music — Harbor of Savastopol — Proposed Route, CONTENTS.

Chapter III

The Crimea— Backsarai— Biblioteca— Aqueduct— Caverns of Inkerman —Origin of the Caverns— Russian Morals— Balaclava— Gipsies— Agriculture— The Village— The Cliffs— Tartar Chief— Patarodgner— Kibitka— Backsaria— Reflections— The Palace— Richelieu— Manufactures— A. D. 1475— Elizabeth— Sarheb— Chalyn, A. D. 1777 — Trapeze — Caraites — Tchonfout-Kale — A KdMetched — Semivar— Sympherapol— Pallas — Motraye — Women, ... 84

Chapter IV

Mountains — Flocks — Karassu-Bazar — Village — Theodosia — Dancing Girl — Ruins of Caffa — Manufactures — Historical Events — Venetian and Genoese — Cause of Quarrel — 15th Century, Mahomet II — Kertsch — Tartar Camp — Historical — Fleas — Domestic Annoyances — Museum — Scenery — Temple — Return — Tombs — The Tomb of Gold Statues — The Toilet — Monuments — Curiosities — Kertsch — Early History — Mithridates — Tartar Hunt, .... 119

Chapter V

Eastern Coast — A Circassian — Passengers — Tea — The Engineer — Scotch Liberality — Lieutenant Anrep — Fort Anapa — Female Slavery — On the Rocks — Peculation— Cossack Officers — The People — Fortifications — Ghelendjek — General Albrant — Circassian Chief— The Coast — Tuabsy — A Passage — Scenery — A Pole — Soocha — Gagra — Southern Service — Pitsunda — Byzantine Church — A Priest — Abhozian Prince — Sakum-kale — Don Cossack Officer — Trees and Fruits — Archimchira — Redout-kale — Parting — A Giaour — River Khope — A Georgian — A Supper — Our House — Shops — Archbishop Aprem — New Acquaintance — The Phasis — Circassian Cap — Boating, CONTENTS. XV

Chapter VI

Scene on Shore — Illness — Homœopathy — Falling Tree — Encampment — On Shore — Evening — Dwellings — A Caucasian Family — Spinning — Customs — Imeretian Venus — An Offer — Encampment in Imeretia — A Hawk — A Lesghian — A Picture — Fight on Shore — Swine, 216

Chapter VII

A Walk to Marane — A Russian Captain — A Gruzmsky — The Village and its Accommodations — Scenery at Orpiri — Eunuchs — The People — Our Host — Temperance — From Marane to Hoeny — Equestrians — Prince Dadian — Caucasus — A Pleasant Visit — A Holiday — Our Progress — Suram Mountains — The Georgians — Trees — Gori — Streams and Robbers — Mtskheta — A Novel Scene — An Accident — Georgian Society — Georgian House — Tiflis — Germans — Hotels — Another Georgian Soiree — General Sqffonoff— Princess Woronsoff— Prince Woronsoff— Smoking — Kotsohobey — Ball at the Palace — Khanikoff Ivanhoe — Mons. Marr — Calls — Our Soldiers — At the Palace — At Princess Bebutofft, 238

Chapter VIII

Morals in High Life — Dangers in passing the Caucasus — Preparations — Armenians — Ruins — Mtskheta — Method of Building — The Aragua — A Caravan — Dusshut — Anahoor — Ptanaoor — Ocetian Chalets — Villages — The Passage — Steep Ascent — Kasbek — The Descent — Mountains — The Terek and its Borders — A Tempest— A Rock — Avalanches — A Convent — Kasbek — Larze — Difficulty with a Driver — Cossack Outposts — Vladicawcass — General Nesteroff — Circassian Village — An Interior — Reflections — Another Village — Circassian Village — Ladies' Slippers, CONTENTS.

Chapter IX

Another Mountain Trip— In Love Again— A Meeting— Customs— Another Descent— Return to Tiflis— Georgians— Designs Frustrated —Missionaries— Another Discovery— A New Guide — Domestic— A Strange Bird— New Beauties— Russian Christmas— A Canal Ride— Another Lady— A Captive perhaps— A Festa— A Lovely Child- New Difficulties— Of Marriage— Punishment of Crimes— Armorers — Amazons — Freedom of Women — Customs — Girdle of Venus — Gallantry — Mental Culture — Population — Territory — Languages — The Great Chief— Mansoor— Gumzalbek— Shamihl— Expedition of Salta — Nicholas' Letter — Leave Redout-kale— On the Euxine — Batum — The Bey's Favorite — Beautiful Scenery — American Painters — Messrs. Bliss and Powers — Samsoun — Sinope — Apollo's Mistress — Diogenes — Bosphorus — J. P. Brown — Constantinople — People and Customs — C. Edwards Lester — Returning Home — England and America, A TOUR TO THE CAUCASUS.

Chapter I

Introduction— Columbus — Companion du Voyage — Chateau d'lf — La Riviera — Italy — A Wish — Last Night in Italy — The Valley of the Polcevira — Frezzolini — A poor Caniatrice — Leaving Genoa — View of Genoa from the Suburbs — From the Mediterranean to the Euxine — Venice — Vienna. Genoa, September 23rf, 1847. For the seventh time, I had crossed the Atlantic. I had visited the castles, moors, glens, and lochs, the " Wizard of the North" had enchanted — stood an humble pilgrim at the " Bard of Avon's grave," and by that of the eccentric Dean of St. Patrick, in the gloomy aisle of Dublin's stately cathe dral ; and in the hallowed " Poet's Corner," of Westminster Abbey. I had wandered over the island tomb of Napoleon — by the foreign sepulchre of Sir John Moore, and rested in the — though proud Pantheon — meagre mausoleum of Rousseau and Voltaire.

I had been at the home of Goethe — sat on the banks of the Meles, where Homer was born — bathed with the Hindoo in the sacred waters of the Ganges — floated on the Thames and the Clyde, and heard my voice ring along the rocks of the Rhine. I had lived, too, amid those Indian Cyclades, in the New World, which awakened the startling cry of " Land 0 !" when, to the eager gaze of the long-toiling, disheartened crew of the Pinta, the dim outlines of the wild and nameless woods rose on the western horizon. But a new existence was dawning on me, — a new emotion was yet to thrill my nerves. Approaching the birthplace* of the " Great Discoverer" himself, — gazing on the classic shores of Italy, an endless panorama of objects of unspeakable interest unrolled before me ; — a gallery of portraits, stretching away in the vista of ages, opened, and I experienced a novel and strange sensation.

When first floating into this princely har bor, how all the magnificence of the scenery which encircles it * There are many persons — some in Genoa who have interested themselves in the subject— who believe Columbus to have been born in Cogeleto, a little village on the sea-shore, about seventeen miles from the former City ; and a dwelling, now the Cajse di Colombo, is there shown to visitors as the veritable one in which his mother bore and nursed him. It is a small, three-story brick and stone, plastered building, quaint enough, like that of Shakspeare's, to have enshrined the germ of a great genius. like a tiara of the costliest jewels, seemed to rise into a vast temple, dedicated to Columbus and to Doria ! My last voyage was attended with a peculiar, but not un grateful burden, though it awakened the deepest anxiety — the life of a friend depending upon my medical skill and unre mitted watchfulness.

A lovely and accomplished woman, in extreme ill health, on her way, with her children to join her husband in Italy, had been placed under my care, and each day that lengthened the distance from her native land, seemed to add new force to her malady, till I feared, that every wave which dashed against the ship preceded only the one that was to receive her ; and that the gloom of so melancholy a fate would rest on me for ever. At the most critical time, too, sea and tempest almost ingulfed us ; and her attendant becoming ill, doubled my cares. For fifteen days and nights, my watching by the narrow berth, without lying down to sleep, was requisite for the safety of my charge. But Providence was more kind than we dared to hope. On a lovely morning, as we passed the straits of Gibraltar, still marked by the ne plus ultra of the ancients, the pillars of Hercules, a crisis was reached in the complaint of the gentle sufferer, and we had reason to believe that she would finally recover.

It was a day that will long live in my memory ! Arriving at Marseilles, where we were detained a couple of days for a steamer, a few leisure hours were passed in visiting the prison of Monte Christo — the Chateau d'lf. It is distant only a pleasant boat excursion from the port ; and the interest which has been thrown around it recently by Dumas — its own peculiar character also, will render it here after one of the first objects to be sought out by the travellers in the South of France. This isolated fortress, its height, position, its cells, and all of its peculiarities, have been accurately described by the ingenious novelist. Stand ing on its walls, looking down on the foam that curls round its foundations, or watching the numerous snowy sails which, one by one, are lost along the verge of the sea, his pictures gather about you like realities.

Monte Christo is disappear ing in yonder little speck, and where is the sequel 1 We must " wait and hope." No shore can surpass in variety and beauty the coast between Marseilles and Genoa ; more particularly the riviera, as you approach the latter city, which has no rival, and is most justly called, la Superba. On landing, my patient, still feeble, returned to her former apartments, splendidly fur nished in a marble palace in Strada Balbi ; while our generous Consul, welcoming me with open arms, as the preserver of his inestimable consort whom he no longer expected to see alive, established me as one of his family. In this land of charming realities, of living romance, and of breathing poetry, a year has passed like a sweet dream ; but its traces on the memory have left vivid Raphael pictures, which no subsequent events can efface.

Our drives, promenades, visits to the opera, had that peculiar fascination which Italy, and Italy alone, throws around every thing. During one season, we occupied 11 Picolo Paradiso, on the same sunny hill-side, and the same terraced and vine-clad walks, where Byron lived with the lovely Countess Giuccioli, and wrote his " Vision of Judgment." Welcomed at the chateau of the Marquis de Negro, we always found there, in addition to the urbanity and intellectual wealth of its patriotic pro prietor, the most agreeable society, to which all parts of the world contributed. It was there that I first met La Stella de Leguria, a most enchanting woman, and Lady Walpole, the most captivating of England's noble daughters. But, in no one of the throngs, assemblies, soirees, operas, was there a person who surpassed in beauty or accomplishments an Amer ican lady, Madame L., and who merited the high compliment of Lord W., who said : — " She is the personification of the poetry of Italy."

I should like nothing better than to devote a hundred pages to my life here ; but, as such is not the object with which I have enticed you and myself to this task, no more of it need be said at present : yet in bidding adieu to a year's happy home in Italy, as memory lingers around my last even ing and morning in her sunshine and shadows, I long to pay a passing tribute to the scene. A gorgeous sunset was throwing its golden light on the snow-peaks of the Maritime Alps, as I rode along the enchanting valley, to the west of the city, where a murmuring stream, pouring itself down from the Apennines, refreshing the vine-clad, terraced grounds on either side, mingled with the blue waters of the Mediterranean. Lofty hills rose on the right, crowned with frowning for tresses, which looked down on, and guarded unceasingly, every pass to the massive walls that united them.

On the left, beyond the stream, were deep, green, cultivated slopes. where, amidst groves of orange-trees, rose-bushes, and the olive, were nestled those lovely Italian vilettas, which have a fascination peculiar to themselves, known only in that land of love and song, and comprehended and valued only by those who understand and have sympathy with the character and habits of its people. A convent, too, stood among the clustering vines ; and, far away above and beyond it, capping an almost inaccessible mountain, was seen another, on whose sacred altar a lamp is day and night kept burning to the Virgin, supplied by devotees, who, as a penance, court the toil of ascending to it. This paradise-vale, — equalled perhaps by a hundred others which surround Genoa la Superba, and are loved for their own loveliness, loved for the remembrances they waken in those who have lived amidst them, — this rose-path, burdening the air with the perfume of its flowers, I was travelling for the last time : but I was not alone.

Beside me sat a friend whose soul was fuU of refinement, romance, and the beautiful, drinking deeply but in silence to the fond heart's overflowing, of the inspiration Nature's gorgeous garniture evoked. There was indeed such a voluptuousness in the light, the atmo sphere, the verdure — over every thing such a halo of dreamy repose, that utterance was choked, and the spirit only left to revel in the pure and undefined harmonies of the hour. This stillness, this breathing of the flowers, this awe which sublime scenery induces, this swelling of the bosom, this fill ing of the eyes, this burden of pleasure, the heart feels in such a place. But the emotions we enjoyed, have not always had being here, if an Italian peasant can be credited, who narrated to me in detail the subjoined incident. He himself believed it as fully as the scene of which he had been an eye witness, when, on this very ground, the iron-hearted Massena battled with his enemies. * ■ During the middle ages, an Austrian army encamped in the broad and then dry bed of the stream, already mentioned, that flows through this valley.

At night, a most fearful storm swept over the Apennines, which hem it in on every side. When the vast host was wrapped in sleep, preparatory to the attack on the city the following day, the torrents of rain swelled every stream and rivulet in every gorge which descended to, or opened along the bosom of the Polcevira,* as it stretched away for miles into the heart of this rugged * The name of the stream of this valley. country. These innumerable courses, filled to the brim, united in this wild glen, and in their combined force, came rushing down in one vast body with the " noise of mighty waters," while the tempest swept along the hills and howled through the rock-bound passes like a thousand demons — the Alps resounding and re-echoing to the roaring Apennines. The sentinels trembled, walked hurriedly, and stood still, as gleams of lightning flashed along their bright armor, and made the white tents appear like fields of snow ; but, thinking and trusting that the sound of the swollen river was only the reverberation of the ceaseless thunder on the mountain sides, they gave no alarm.