The father trains the children to
stealing, and the mother to obscenity.
Colchis or Mingrelia lies at the end of the Black Sea, and towards
the north on the Caucasian mountains. The neighbouring people were
formerly known under the name of Huns and Alani. The Amazons are
said to have dwelt in the country between the Caucasus and the
Caspian Sea.
The little town of Redutkale may contain about 1,500 inhabitants.
The men are so indolent that, during the five days that I passed
here, I could not procure a few grapes or figs for love or money. I
went daily to the bazaar, and never found any for sale. The people
are too lazy to bring wood from the forest; they work only when the
greatest necessity compels them, and require to be paid
exorbitantly. I paid as much, if not more, for eggs, milk, and
bread as I would have done in Vienna. It might well be said that
the people are here in the midst of plenty, and yet almost starve.
I was not better pleased by the thoughtless and meaningless
performance of religious ceremonies among these people. On all
occasions, they cross themselves before eating or drinking, before
entering a room, before putting on an article of clothing, etc. The
hands have nothing else to do but to make crosses. But the most
provoking thing of all is, that they stand still before every church
they pass, bow half a dozen times, and cross themselves without end.
When they are travelling, they stop their carriages to perform this
ceremony.
While I was at Redutkale a vessel sailed. The priests were brought
on board, and were obliged to go all over the ship, and pronounce a
blessing upon it on every corner of the sails. They crept into
every cabin or hole, and at last blessed the sailors, who laughed at
them for their trouble.
I constantly found that there was less real religion in those places
where there was the most parade made of it.
CHAPTER XXIII. EUROPEAN RUSSIA.
DEPARTURE FROM REDUTKALE - ATTACK OF CHOLERA - ANAPKA - SUSPICIOUS
SHIP - KERTSCH - THE MUSEUM - TUMULI - CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY -
THEODOSIA (CAFFA) - PRINCE WORONZOFF'S PALACE - THE FORTRESS OF
SEWASTOPOL - ODESSA.
On the 17th of September, at 9 in the morning, the steamer arrived,
and an hour afterwards I was seated on the deck. The vessel was
called Maladetz; it was 140 horse power, and the commandant's name
was Zorin.
The distance from Redutkale to Kertsch is only 420 miles in a
straight line, but for us, who continually kept close to the shore,
it amounted to nearly 580.
The view of the Caucasus - the hills and headlands - the rich and
luxuriant country remains fresh in my memory to this day.
