At I^shketty, the Chief of the District was informed that the Latpary was held by the Swanny, and iipOn aM^euding the mountain he found the pass defended by the mountaineers, who were posted behind bafricades they had erected for the purpose. He at once sent Gardaphddzye, a native prince, to tell the leaders of this demonstration that they were to come to him at Lashketty, as he desired to speak to them; ten men did so the following evening, Kazboulatt Shervashydfe being of the number. They told the Chief that they wished him to reslfain the tioops from advancing into their territory, but at the same time expressed their determination and readiness to resist them should they do so; that they Would never submit to any further taxation, the tax imposed upon them in 18G9 being as much as they could b«ar. The Chief assured them that the Government entertained no hostile intentions, and called upon them to accompany him to Moury, where they would have to make their peace with the Governor. This the mountaineers decidedly refused to do, saying that they were not at liberty to go so far from home; but they changed their minds, and on the 9th were conducted bdbre the Governor, who, after confirming what the Chief had already told them, suffered them to depart on the condition that they would counsel their countrymen to disperse immediately. The rebels were profuse in their expressions of gratitude, assuring his Excellency that ihey would do their best to preserve order and persuade the people to return to their homes, and then hurried away, for they were at every moment apprehensive of being detained as ringleaders of the disturbance.
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It will be seen by the sequel that they were not true to their engagements.
Having allowed these Swanny ample time to get back, the Chief, attended by five native princes, his interpreter, and two mounted ordCTlies, proceeded over the latpary into the valley of the Ingour, not meeting with any niplestation until he neared the commune of Kala, where he was surrounded by a fully-armed, noisy, and insulting crowd. Without exhibiting the least uneasiness, he dismounted, and ordered the people to uncover as a mark of respect to himself, which, to his surprise, they immediately did. Perceiving, however, that many other armed mountaineers were hurriedly descending the heights from various quarters, he made for the hut in the village of Lalhoiy, in which we had passed a couple of nights the previous year, purposing to await there the arrival of the troops, taking care to make a display of the weapons available for the defence of his party — six rifles, two revolvers, and seven pistols.
On his way to the hut, the Chief was hustled in a menacing manner hy the crowd which at length became so noisy, that he bid the people either go away or lay down their arms, a little speech that was received with a good deal of derision, the discharging of rifles in the air, and other hostile demonstrations; but they shortly changed their minds, for after the Chief had reached the hut, a man advanced to say that messengers from the people had somewhat to say to him. TTiirty were permitted to approach, and after a long and very noisy conferency, a large majority declared that their countrymen would never disperse until the Chief sent an order to stop the soldiers from entering their country. This he assured them it was quite beyond his power to do, and that the aiction of the troops would depend entirely upon their own conduct.
The mountaineers now moved away in a body to consult among themselves, returning after a time in a meeker -spirit, for their arrogance was changed lo supplication, some even dropping on their knees to beg that the troops might be sent back, saying that what they most dreaded was the desecration of their churches (!) by the Kabardines, who are Mahomedans. So pressing were their entreaties, that the Chief began to suspect some ruse for getting rid of him; but their earnest manner ultimately prevailed, and consenting to carry their message of peace to the Governor, he left to recross tlie Latpary pass. That a ruse was employed he afterwards discovered to have been the case, not, however, on the part of the Swanny, but on that of the native princes with him, wlio, becoming alarmed at the tlireatening attitude of the rebels, had in secret persuaded the lawless mob by Google
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that the Chief was all-powerful, and that his will sufficed to stop the advance of the troops. The trick succeeded, and the princes felt more secure as their distance from the valley increased.