lly mistaken one; and in order that the reader may see how full
of sorrow and suffering and tragedy his life really is, I will, before
taking up Caucasian poetry, give some extracts from a code of Caucasian
criminal law. I do this partly because the code itself is a legal and
literary curiosity, and partly because it shows better than any
description could do the state of society in which a Caucasian
mountaineer lives:

_Laws of Ootsmee Rustem, Khan of Kaitaga._--1. To the reader of these
ordinances a piece of silk from him in whose favor the case shall be
decided.

2. He shall not read these laws for any one who has not a paper from the
_bek_, with the impression of the bek's seal.

_He who holds his tongue will save his head._

1. He who kills a robber in his sheepfold or his house shall not be
punished.

2. He who kills the killer of a robber shall pay two fines and have two
blood-enemies.

3. One suspected of robbery shall clear himself by taking the oath of
purgation, with seven compurgators.

4. For robbery with murder, a sevenfold fine and seven blood-avengers.

5. For robbery and murder of a woman, a fourteen-fold fine and fourteen
blood-avengers.

_He who holds his tongue will save his head._

1. He who assaults a woman with intent to commit outrage shall forfeit a
thousand yards of linen to the community.

2. The life-blood of him who carries off a woman and keeps her by force
shall count for nothing.

3. If a slave touch a free woman, kill him.

4. He who murders a Jew shall fill a part of his skin with silver and
give it to the bek.

_He who holds his tongue will save his head._

1. If one be killed in a fight between a number of persons, and the
killer be unknown, the relatives of the killed may count as blood-enemy
any one whom they choose of those engaged in the fight.

2. If in a general fight several persons are killed, the relatives of
those who die first shall be the blood-seekers of the relatives of those
who die last.

3. If one die from wounds inflicted by several persons, count two of
them blood-enemies, and after the killing of one take a fine from the
other.

4. He who kills another and hides the body shall pay a sevenfold fine
and have seven blood-avengers.

_He who holds his tongue will save his head._

1. He who does not at once leave the village where his blood-seekers
live shall forfeit one hundred yards of linen for the benefit of the
community.

2. If a blood