ABSTRACT
By the autumn of 1843 Shamil had completed his pre parations for a decisive campaign. In order to obtain the nucleus of a standing army, and at the same time keep control over the rest of the inhabitants, he had raised a body of armed horsemen, called mourtazeks, chosen one from every ten households, whose duty it was to be ready at any moment to obey his slightest command, in return for which they were quartered on the villagers, who besides had to feed their horses, cultivate their land, and reap their crops. Nothing more admirably adapted to the end in view could possibly have been devised. Shamil had henceforth in every aoul a select band of devoted followers, whose duties and privileges were equally to their taste. The mourtazeks were divided into tens, hundreds, and five hundreds, under leaders of corresponding rank and import ance. They were dressed, the men in yellow, the officers in black, tcherkesses,1 and both wore green turbans.2 Leaders
of hundreds and five hundreds, the latter generally naïbs, wore medals on their breasts1 with the inscription, “ There is no stronger help than that of God.” Other marks of distinction were devised for those who were especially conspicuous for courage or good conduct ; thus the famous Akhverdi Mahomd, first of the naïbs, wore a sword in scribed, “ No braver man, no sharper blade.” The mourtazeks were supplemented in time of need by a levy of one man from each household, who were placed under temporary leaders, and divided in the same way ; while in great emergencies the call was made on every man in the aoul, or the district, capable of bearing arms.2 Those who swore to die for Shamil if need be received from him two bags of flour a month, and bore on the front of their sheep skin hats a square piece of green cloth ; those who showed cowardice in fight were distinguished by a metal ticket on their backs, if, indeed, they escaped mutilation or death. For Shamil knew no pity where his principles or authority were at stake, and accompanied, after the fashion of Oriental despots, by his executioner, bearing aloft a huge long-handled axe, lopped off hands and heads, not only whenever prescribed by the Shariat, but at the slightest sus picion of disloyalty to himself. It follows that his rule was now far from popular, especially in Avaria, which had been divided as to the acceptance of Muridism from the be ginning-where Kazi Moulld had been defeated, Hamzad
killed, and where Shamil’s share in the slaughter of the royal family was neither forgotten nor forgiven. But these unfortunate people were “ between the devil and the deep sea,” for if Shamil’s severity made them go in terror of their lives, Russian exactions rendered those lives hardly worth having. “ One cannot help noticing that the position of the natives in those parts of Daghestan which had sub mitted to us was extremely burdensome; weighted with our demands, they murmured against us, and went over to the enemy at the first opportunity. For instance, the supply of fuel to our forts in Avaria was for the most part imposed on the people of that khanate and of the Koisoubou com munity, and they were paid only twenty kopecks per donkey-load of brushwood gathered with the greatest difficulty in forests 30 and 40 versts off. When donkeys failed, it frequently happened that women brought in the fuel on their backs, and received the same payment.” 1 It was some consolation, no doubt, to the natives that “ when nearly all Koisoubou and Avaria rebelled, our forts suffered from a terrible dearth of firewood, and consequently of warm food. . . . The transport of provisions was no less burdensome for the natives, the payment being only one and a quarter kopeck per verst at first, afterwards two kopecks. . . . All this enforced labour bore heavily on the native population, exciting strong discontent. . . On the other hand, “ the position of our own troops was no better, and such as only Russian soldiers would submit to with such truly heroic abnegation.” 2 They had, in fact, to build forts and barracks, cut and carry forage and firewood and timber, convoy transports, and mend roads, in addition to their field and garrison service, and this in a bad climate and on
inferior food, the latter owing to the deep-seated petty peculation of those days. This, perhaps, accounts for the frequent mention throughout the war of Russian deserters, who, according to Bodenstedt’s solemn affirmation, formed Hamzad Bek, the second Imäm’s, entire bodyguard, as they certainly did Abbas Mirza’s in Tabriz.
