TWO RUSSIAN PRINCESSES' CAPTIVITY IN SHA.MIL'S
SERAGLIO.* Jr may be recollected that during the Russian war, the Emperor Nicholas was reported to have released a son of Shamil, who had been kept as a sort of prisoner, or hostage, educated as a Russian nobleman, and appointed to a commission in the army. The liberation was ascribed to a conciliatory policy ; and such was undoubtedly the case. It was not, however, to conciliate Shama, but the Georgian nobility, that the young Circassian was re- leased. His father had planned a foray: into the Tiflis Govern- ment, and while occupying the soldiery in one direction, contrived to carry off from her mansion the Princess Chavchavadzey, whose husband was heading the regular forces in the neighbourhood, her sister-in-law the Princess Orbeliani, as well as the children and domestics. They were all taken to Shoran's retreat of Dargi- Vedenno and kept there till the Emperor of Russia restored his son, and the relations of the prisoners raised a sum of money for ransom. This bold and daring deed excited much interest at Tiflis, in whose neighbourhood people had supposed themselves quite safe. On the return of the ladies, M. Verderevsky, editor of the Caucasus, the principal journal of that city., compiled an account from the narrative of the Princesses themselves of which this volume is a translation with some occasional curtailment.
The Captivity consists of three parts. The first tells the story of the surprise, capture, and journey to Dargi-Vedenno ; the second contains a description of the residence there; the third gives an account of the diplomatio proceedings respecting the re- lease and ransom of the prisoners. However interesting this part may be to Russians and diplomatists, or even, as the translator intimates, for the light it throws upon Shamil as a bargainer, we think it might have been advantageously omitted in the English translation, As the book stands, there is too much of it in propor- tion to its matter. Prisoners hurried along by rather rough con- ductors, over mountains, through woods, and across rivers, suffer- ing from cold, hunger, and fatigue harassed by fear, and torment- ed by anxiety for the fate of children, Mends, and followers, are not in the best frame of mind for observation, had there been much to observe. Shamil's head-quarters offer more attraction and va- riety. There were his. three wives, his other relations, the ser- vants, and the domestic life of the seraglio. All this, however, was monotonous or soon exhausted ; and, the incidents mostly consisted of attempts to frighten the captives into promising to procure an enormous ransom, or the spiteful contrivances of the wife highest in rank to stint them in creature comforts. It is, however, a curious picture of manners, and such as we know not where to match. In the unworthy annoyances Sharon appears to have had no part, and he always rectified any shortcoming that fell under his own observation. The account of the great chief- tain is altogether curious, but without a single spice of the melo- dramatic or even the romantic. On the contrary, he appears as a hard-working administrator, a cautious though a bold warrior, a kindly, regular, and strict family man. The judgment of the Princesses, however, was drawn indirectly, for they had scarcely any communication with him Infidel women not being permitted to look so great a lifahom.etan in the face. He waited upon them on their arrival, but it can hardly be called an interview.
"In the evening, Hadjio the steward announced to the Princesses that Shamil was about to pay them a visit, in order to have some important con- versation with them. Soon afterwards the illustrious mountaineer appeared, but did not cross the threshold of their room. He remained throughout his visit in the balcony, close to the open door, where he was provided with a wooden stool to sit upon. By his side, and also outside the door, stood Hadjio the steward, and Indris the Russian interpreter. "The captives remained in the room; and the conversation took plaoe through the door and by means of the interpreter. ■- " gbamil began by inquiring after their health. "We are tired, owing to our journey, but otherwise quite well, thank Heaven ' replied the captives. "'I am astonished myself at your having all arrived in safety; and lean see in that a promise that God will now grant me the wish I have so long cherished, that of redeeming my son who is with the Russians. I have now come to assure you that you need feel no alarm about remaining here : no one will harm or annoy you, and you will be treated like the members of my own family, but only on one condition—that you attend strictly to my in- junction not to write or receive letters without my permission. If you at- tempt to carry on any secret correspondence with your relations, or if they offend in a similarmanner on their side, then I will spare neither yourselves nor your children—I will kill you all, as I killed ten Russian officers who were prisoners here and received a letter baked in a loaf. Theiringenuity was discovered, and I ordered them to have their heads cut off. Remember, too, the Toung Russian countess at Stavropol, who was on the point of being married when she was taken prisoner by my men. That girl could have been ransomed long ago ; but I would listen to none of her relatives' offers, because she presumed to set me at defiance. The same thing might happen to you ; therefore take care what you do.' " Shama having concluded this long speech, paused for a reply. "The Princess Chavchavadzey was so enraged at Shamirs menaces that she resolved not to say a word ; but her sister, who was loss excited, went to the door and addressed him in the following terms-
* Captivity of Two Russian Princesses in the Caucasus • including a Seven- 'tenths Besidence in Sham it's Seraglio. Communicated' by Themselves, and tnumlated from the Original Russian by H. Sutherland Edwards. Published by Smith and Elder.
" You need not threaten us. We have no intention of disobeying you. Our position and our education alike forbid us to have recourse to falsehood, and you may have entire confidence in our promises. As for any letters which may be addressed to us, of course we cannot be answerable for their contents.'
" Very well,' returned the Iman ; ' but do not forget that you are in Shamir s power.' "Tins finished the interview. Sharon rose, disappeared, and was fol- lowed by Hadjio and the interpreter ; after which the captives breathed freely."
There is more of information as to manners, and perhaps a wider interest, in the second part than in the first. This last-named section, however, has this kind of attraction—it gives us back a glimmer of the middle ages. In the sack of the mansion, the capture of the ladies and their people, and the subsequent march, one can realize an onslaught of the age of chivalry. The Prin- cesses were of too high rank, and Sh:mil's object too important, to allow of any palpable ill-usage ; but there was much of suffer- ing, and much that an European woman would deem ill-usage, simply because the modes of the marauders were not civilized modes. The Princess Chavchavadzey, who was known, was the object of a contest, during which her clothes were torn off her back, leaving her with nothing but her stays chemise, and one slipper ; and in this plight she had to make Part of the journey, not through wantonness but thoughtlessness. Worn out with cold and fatigue, she could not any longer carry her infant with one arm, or extricate the other from the girdle of the man behind whom she "rVaii riding. To stop was out of the question, for they were hurrying past an ambush of the Russians, whose balls were falling among them. Little Lydia, the infant, dropped from the mother, and was either killed by the fall or by being struck ; for the baby's body was afterwards found by a detachment sent out by the father-- ' she bore no trace of a wound, but a small blue spot was just visible on her left temple." All this is very shock- ing ; but to the freebooters it would appear as in the usual course of things:. One man offered a lady a -handful of flour, which he took from his pocket: it was useless to her, but he could have made a tolerable mouthful of it had he had time. A politer man at nightfall offered the Princess Orbeliani an apple, accompany- ing his present with the remark, " ' You Georgians are accus- tomed to eat every day, and you are no doubt hungry: take this.' But the Princess, in spite of her exhaustion' felt no wish to par- take of the marauder's supper, and refused the proffered fruit." An unlucky Frenchwoman, just arrived to take charge of the children as governess, was among the captives and suffered not only from the contrast to " la belle France," but from seeming to expect French gallantry in the Caucasus.
"While the robbers were taking the Princess Orbeliani down stairs, and after her the Princess Chavchavadzey, Madame Draneey remained on her knees, covering her face with her hands, seeing nothing, and hearing only the screams of the children. Soon afterwards she felt herself in the arms of a man with a bare shaven head, a red face, and an indescribable odour. This mountaineer, whom the French lady calls a monster, carried her part of the way down the staircase, which fell beneath his steps. "In this catastrophe all the womtni suffered consideratly—as much from bight as from positive injuries ; and with the exception of the Princesses Orbeliani and Baratoff, all had their dresses more or less torn.
"Madame Drancey, * the latter respect, was more to be pitied than any one; for the robbers, m their anxiety to take everything valuable she pos- sessed, tore her clothes from her back, and left her with nothing but her chemise, her stays, and her Parisian boots.' In this condition she was car- ried into the courtyard, made to sit down on the steps of the laundry, and told to take care of a couple of horses whose reins were placed in her hands. Madame Drancey had always been afraid of horses, but she understood that she had no choice but to obey."
On. the road, her privations and. the indignities she suffered were worse.
"The second halt was made early the next morning, on the bank of some river.
"Hero they were joined by Madame Drancey, exhausted, beaten, and al- most without clothing.
"The unhappy French lady had indeed had her share of suffering during the short but eventful march. "Though she had followed a separate route in the midst of the herd of oxen, she found herself towards nightfall at the edge of the same wood which had been entered by the other captives. She had travelled greater part of the way on foot, and the road had been both long and full of obstacles; but.when she failed to keep up with the horsemen, the Murid made use of his whip to awaken new strength in the exhausted woman.
" The first blow from the Chechnian's whip roused all the pride and all the anger of the already irritated Frenchwoman. She turned towards her insulter, and expressed, in forcible but unfortunately quite unintelligible language, all the indignation and contempt which she felt for his conduct. "Of course it was in vain that Madame Drancey addressed her remarks to the Murid, and he did not cease to apply his whip to the unfortunate lady's shoulders whenever she lagged behind. At a later period, when the moon had risen, Madame Drancey, under the impression that her persecutors, as Mahometans, worshiped that orb, took the trouble to curse it. But the im- precation was not more intelligible than her expressions of indignation and contempt, the mountaineers being utterly unable to understand either the pantomime or the language of their captive. "Madame Drancey passed the night in the wood, where she had to sleep in company with the cattle and the Chechnians. The chief of the party having lain down on a large cloak, which he had previously extended along the ground, invited her to share it : but she informed him (of course in the French language) that she was not accustomed to receive such offers front strangers, and that she preferred to sleep with one of the oxen; whose back she soon converted into a pillow."
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