The Chief met with the troops on the pass, marching to Kata, where they were encamped near the village of Davberr. As precautions were being taken against sudden attack, the rebels on the heights followed the movements of the Russians in every particular, posting pickets and sentinels to guard tf.eir approaches, and stationing sentries on their side of the torrent, where it was spanned by a bridge. That same night a few rifles were fired into the camp, and the next day was quietly spent at Kala, in expectation that the preswice of the troops would induce the Swanny to disperse of thefr own accord. On the morning of the second day, however, seeing that the rebels maintained the same positions, the Governor sent to them the princes of Leichgoumm who found the mountaineers unwilling to treat, upon which they were informed that the troops were about to march to Betcho, and would fire into any armed bodies they might chance to meet, a threat that had the desired effect, for in lieu of hostile Swanny, the men in gangs passed on the way, pretending to be employed ii> agricultural pursuits or repairing the paths, until Betcho was neared, where the force already reported as molesting the little garrison, was observed on the heights between that village and Lataty.
On reaching Betcho, where the Kabardah militia had already arrived, the Chief of the District was sent to inform the rebels for the last time, that unless they returned to their homes immediately and sent representatives from each commune to the Governor, the soldiers would disperse thera in the morning by force of anns. They knew the Chief, and received him with greater consideration than was shown to the princes of I.«tchgoumm the previous day, but his advances were not met in good spirit. They consented to make peace with the Russian Tzar on two conditions — the first being, that for their attitude in connection with the late events none should be punished, even though their conduct was not approved; and they required this treaty of peace to be written on paper, signed by the Governor, the General in command of the troops, and the Chief of the District, and delivered to them. ' As to the first of your conditions,' the Chief replied, ' time will show; as to the second, 1 can promise that unless you all disappear before the morning, the soldiers will make you do so.'
That same evening word was brought to the Governor that all were willing to return to their homes, and even disarm, but they asked that by Google the surrender of the leaders might not be insisted upon, and that none of themselves should be punished. From among the representatives of the several communes who obeyed the summons, seventy of the best disposed were detained for the space of three days, and with their assistance the number of active ringleaders was discovered to be twentyfour. Many were arrested, others gave themselves up; but a few there were who disappeared, and among them one Edav Gheighevlyiny, of Lataly, who, having sent word that he should never be taken alive, went and shut himself up in his tower.