Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 5.djvu/267

Rh CAUCASUS 255 other summits in the same region attain to a still greater elevation, Intscharo to 9469 feet, Schumi Dagh to 9733 feet, and Dschufa Dagh to 9900 feet. At the point where this fan-shaped plateau joins on to the main range is found a cluster of peaks, all of them rising above the level of perpetual snow ; while Alachun Dagh, an offshoot of the main range, between Sari Dagh and Dschufa Dagh is said to attain to 12,100. Of the streams that traverse the elevated plateau of Daghestan, four are known by the common name of Koissu, but are distinguished as the Andi Koissu, the Avari Koissu, the Kara Koissu, and the Kazikumi Koissu. After flowing through extremely deep and narrow valleys, in many places mere gorges, they all unite their waters before they quit the mountains, and under the name of Sulak flow into the Caspian Sea about 90 miles north of Derbend. The only other river of Daghestan that deserves notice is the Samur, which takes its rise at the foot of Sari Dagh, and after sweeping round almost in a semicircle enters the Caspian a few miles south of Derbend. The most important of the streams that rise in the main chain east of the valley of the Terek, and flow northwards into that river, is the Argun. Those which traverse the country of the Tchetchens are of little consequence. The secondary ranges on the south side of the Eastern Caucasus are of comparatively little interest or importance, and none of them attain to any considerable elevation. Two of these subordinate ranges, however, which branch off from the main chain but a little east of the Terek, constitute the limits which separate the valley of the Aragwa from that of the Jora, and the latter again from that of the Alazun. Both these rivers are among the most con siderable of the affluents of the Kur, and the valleys through which they flow are two of the most fertile districts of Georgia. The valley of the Alazun especially, constitut ing the region known as Kakhetia, is celebrated for the abundance and excellence of its wines. The preceding account of the physical structure of the Caucasus is derived from the latest works on the subject, but it must be admitted that our knowledge of this important chain is still far from possessing the complete ness and accuracy which the geographer would desire. The Russian survey has been found by recent travellers to be often defective and erroneous in regard to the most interesting part of the chain the range of glaciers and snow-clad peaks in the Central Caucasus and will require much correction before it can compare with the maps that we now possess of the Alps and Pyrenees. Much confusion still exists with regard to the nomenclature of the different peaks, and this is aggravated by the different names given to them by the different races which inhabit the surrounding valleys. Thus Elbruz, as it is called by the Russians, is known to the neighbouring mountaineers only as Minghi Tau, and the mountain called by the Russians Kazbek, from the village of that name, is known to the Georgians, from whose plains it is a conspicuous object, as Mkinwari. The scarcity of passes across the great chain of the Caucasus has been already adverted to. There exists in fact but one such natural pass, sufficiently practicable to afford direct communication between the countries to the north and south of the range, and this has in consequence been frequented in all ages. This is the line followed by the present highroad constructed by the Russians since their occupation of the country, from Vladikafkaz at the northern foot of the chain to Tiflis on the south. This route ascends the valley of the Terek from Vladikafkaz as far as Kobi (a distance of about 40 miles), where it quits the valley, which turns abruptly to the west, and is carried over the lofty crest or ridge known as the Krestowaja Gora (Mountain .of the Cross), an elevation of nearly 8000 feet, from whence it descends to Mleti iu the valley of the Aragwa, and follows the course of that stream nearly to Tiflis. The proper designation of this pass would undoubtedly be that of the actual passage over the sum mit level of the range, the Krestowaja Gora, but it is commonly known as the Pass of Dariel, from the re markable gorge of that name through which it is carried between Lars and Kazbek, a defile of the grandest and most impressive character, which is considered by recent travellers to be equal, if not superior, in point of scenery, to the finest defiles of the Alps. Previous to the formation of the present road, this deep and narrow gorge affording only just passage for the torrent, while the mountains riso on each side abruptly to a height of at least 5000 feet above the level of the Terek must have presented almost insuperable difficulties to the passage of traffic along this route. Hence it was known and celebrated from the earliest times, and is mentioned under the name of the Caucasian Gates (Portce Caucasice) by Pliny (Hist. Nat., vi. 2, 30), who describes the pass as actually closed by a fortified gate, a measure which might have been easily adopted. The only other line of communication in general use batween the northern and southern regions bordering on the Caucasus, is that which skirts the eastern extremity of the range, where its offshoots descend to the shores of the Caspian. This passage presents almost no natural diffi culties, the mountains for the most part not descending nearly to the sea, the shores of which are everywhere flat and low. Tn one place only does a range of hills, branching off from the more lofty masses of the chain, descend to within a short distance of the Caspian, so as to admit of the interval being closed by a fortified wall, which was in former times carried up the heights to the west for a con siderable distance. The site is still guarded by a small fort and the town of Derbend, but the adjoining hills are net of a precipitous or impracticable character, so that the obstacles presented by this pass are merely of a military kind, and there is no difficulty in the construction of a road or railroad along this line, which has been, indeed, in all ages the natural highway by which nations north of the Caucasus have entered Georgia and Persia. Thus we are told by Herodotus (i. 104) that it was by this route that the Scythians penetrated into Media in the 7th century B.C. On the other hand the western portion of the Caucasus, where it abuts upon the Black Sea, affords no natural passage along the coast, the underfalls of the chain descend ing so steeply to the sea, and being so rugged and broken, as well as densely covered with forest, as to preclude the existence of any practicable route on this side. It is certain, indeed, that Mithridates the Great, when hard pressed by Pompey, succeeded in forcing his way with an army from Colchis (Mingrelia) to the Cimmerian Bosporus, along this line of coast, but the same Greek writers who recorded this wonderful march, dwelt largely upon the difficulties that he encountered. In modern times the Russians, during their long contest with the Circassians, established a continuous system of forts or small fortified posts along the whole of this line of coast, from Anapa to Sukhum Kaleh; but these have now been almost all abandoned, and the communications are maintained ex clusively by sea. Climate and Natural Productions. The chain of the Climate Caucasus is situated between 45 and 40 30 N. lat. It therefore corresponds in general position rather with the Apennines and the Pyrenees than with the Alps. But from its character as a great barrier extending across from, sea to sea, it constitutes the limit between two climates which differ very widely from one another. The great