ose mysterious voices of the tempest which come we know not
whence, but deeply stir the heart, and have so potent a harmony and such
a sublimity and force of sound that the least superstitious mind
involuntarily awaits some supernatural manifestation, some message from
the other world. We have ourselves listened to a storm in a Highland
glen--the wind sweeping down the rugged declivities with terrible
impetuosity, and the thunder-peals reverberating from peak to peak,
while the clouds

"From many a horrid rift abortive poured
Fierce rain with lightning mixed, water with fire,"

until the sense of an eerie and mysterious Presence has forced itself
upon our mind, and we have been able to understand the emotions in which
originated the visions of wraith and phantom of the bards of old. Our
travellers, however, passed through the gale unhurt. A tremendous
outburst of rain, the final effort of the tempest, cleared the sky,
which towards the west was gradually lighted up with gleams of purple
light, contrasting gloriously with the darkness of the rest of the
firmament. A gorgeous rainbow, one foot of which rested on the highest
peak of the Caucasus, while the other was enveloped in the mists of
evening, rose before them for a few moments, like an image of hope, and
then slowly faded into thin air. At length they reached the station,
but in an unpleasant condition--wet, weary, dazed, and not a little
surprised to find themselves safe and sound after the adventures of the
day.

* * * * *

Descending the last spurs of the Caucasus, our travellers next day
entered upon the region of the plains. The road was thronged with
vehicles of all kinds, horsemen, and pedestrians, all hurrying to the
great fair of Stavropol, and every variety of type which characterizes
the peoples of the Caucasus: Circassians, Cossacks, Turcomans, Tartars,
Georgians--some in brilliant costumes, caracolling on their high-bred
Persian horses, others huddled up with their families in hide-covered
carts, others again driving before them immense herds of sheep and
swine, and others gravely leading a train of loaded camels. Madame de
Hell particularly noticed a handsome young Circassian, mounted on a
richly caparisoned horse, who rode constantly by the side of an
unusually elegant pavosk (a kind of litter), the curtains of which were
kept down. This carriage stimulated her curiosity, and, in such a
country, was well ad