Memories of the Caucasus

Among the various languages ​​spoken by the highlanders of the Caucasus, especially in the Andean, Avar and other Daghestani, Chechen language most pleasing to the ear …  Residents Dargo promised us every assistance in our work. They added that the assistance in battle for their country and independence for their traditional business and they do not spare forces and their national honor for that … In this country, the praise of Allah became a national anthem. National martial songs are very sad, because man with excitement very worried people … all the selfless, all the heroic, all Republicans. We – in Yalhoroy. This small selenitse surrounded by eternal and snowy mountains. On both sides of the gorge, along which we go, a lot of the ruins of ancient fortresses. These ancient fortress now serve as housing for the Chechens. I marvel at the intricacies of nature and candor of people living in these wild mountains and harsh environments. When a person sees a sharp and fiery eyes of the local people, who look out of their high hats, it unwittingly embraces the unknown fear. However, at the same time you see these views respect and love. In addition, there are no words that can assess their extraordinary hospitality. And how then do not give all of himself for the sake of the happy future of such a pure and heroic people? How can I give into the hands of Russian such a blessed race? And what are they simple religious practices and beliefs? I believe that such simplicity is not in any Muslim country. It often happened that way, when it came time to pray, they are disciplined warriors descended from their horses and tightened together the song. These songs were religious, the military, the heroic. They are gorgeous and well-aimed arrows, and I have a witness as a nine to ten shots hit the target … We are in Meredzha. Rest. Here, men and women relationships are very simple and convenient. Unlike other Caucasian peoples, and especially of Circassians, Chechens in the mountain there are no strict rules in appeals. Simplicity and freedom of relationship the bride and groom, we have seen here, there is not even the Europeans … The owner of the house offered us to climb to the top of the near mountains, where the graves of their ancestors and where you can see the valley through which flows the water of Terek. Along the gorge there is a large number of cave dwellings, at the bottom of which the dead were buried, and the inhabitants lived upstairs. There was the whole history of the local inhabitants, who in turn lived in ancient caves in the medieval towers, castles and modern stone houses. District Yalhoroy and Key was just historic, for here can be traced back to the periods of human history …

Mustafa Butbay. Memories of the Caucasus (Notes Turkish spy) Makhachkala 1993 (Translation Acad. Bunyadov.)

Author M. Butbay – Turkish reconnaissance, Circassian origin, who arrived in 1918 in the North. Caucasus with a political mission. (Excerpt from the material)