XVIII.
1766.
[Plot
against
the
lives
of
Heraclius
and
his
family
-
Heraclius
warned
by
David,
an
Armenian
-
Conspirators
seized
-
Shaverdy
Khan
plots
destruction
of
Armenian
Chief,
Yusup
of
Gulistan,
and
calls
the
Lezguis
to
his
assistance
-
They
invite
Emin
to
accompany
them
on
a
raid
against
the
Shamshadins,
but
the
latter
capitulate
-
Emin
provided
with
a
troop
of
Turkmans,
who
under
him
encounter
Kurds
and
punish
them
-
Lezguis
take
hundreds
of
slaves
and
much
booty
-
Emins
object
to
play
off
Mahomedan
against
Mahomedan,
and
save
his
helpless
countrymen
-
Commander
of
the
Lezguis
sends
Emin
a
present
of
two
beautiful
ladies,
whom
he
twice
returns
-
Turkmans
show
approval
of
his
conduct
-
Emin
contrives
to
save
his
countrymen
from
lasting
captivity
-
Fighting
between
Kurd,
Lezgui,
and
Turkman
-
Hatham
and
Yusup,
and
the
corn
of
Shameor.
]
Having
been
there
about
six
months,
he
heard
the
dreadful
news
from
Tiffliz,
that
Pala,
prince
Heracliuss
uncle
by
his
mothers
side,
had
formed
a
conspiracy
with
twenty-four
petty
Georgian
princes
to
put
an
end
to
his
nephews
life,
and
destroy
all
his
family;
but
that
the
plot
had
been
fortunately
discovered
by
an
Armenian,
whom
the
conspirators
had
trusted
with
the
secret,
offering
to
pay
his
debt
of
three
hundred
tumans;
and
giving
him
a
letter
signed
by
every
one
of
them,
to
carry
to
the
Lazguis,
requesting
them
to
bring
their
troops
at
the
time
appointed
for
putting
their
horrid
design
into
execution.
But
God
above,
who
has
the
heart
of
every
man
in
his
hands,
seeing
their
cruel
intention,
turned
the
heart
of
the
Armenian
David,
who,
instead
of
setting
out
on
the
expedition,
which
might
have
been
the
cause
of
shedding
the
blood
of
many
thousands,
and
among
them
the
innocent
children
of
the
prince;
about
two
oclock
in
the
morning,
went
to
Heraclius,
knocked
at
his
door,
and
was
admitted
immediately
to
the
princes
own
haram,
where
he
delivered
to
him
the
fatal
letter.
The
prince
seeing
all
their
seals
and
hand-writing,
ordered
the
Armenian
not
to
stir
out
of
his
haram,
where
he
supplied
him
with
plenty
of
wine
and
food,
which
is
the
darling
object
of
that
nation.
The
next
day
he
called
a
great
council,
summoning
every
one
of
the
conspirators;
and
after
making
a
long
harangue,
alleging
his
great
fatigue
and
dangerous
battles
fought
in
person
for
the
defence
and
welfare
of
their
liberty
and
property,
he
asked
them,
one
by
one,
what
they
thought
such
a
prince
of
another
country
should,
in
consequence
of
such
services,
hope
from
his
subjects?
They
answered,
"Respect
and
honour.
"
He
said,
"If,
on
the
contrary,
they
should
be
so
treacherous
as
to
form
a
conspiracy
against
him,
what
then?"
They
answered,
"Such
people
would
deserve
no
mercy.
"
Then
the
prince
produced
the
letter,
and
shewed
it
to
every
one.
The
conspirators
could
not
deny
the
fact;
they
were
instantly
seized
and
punished,
not
one
of
them
escaping.
The
prince
asking
Pala,
his
uncle,
how
his
heart
could
suffer
him
to
write
to
the
enemy,
that
he
would
destroy,
with
his
hand,
both
his
nephew
and
his
children?
he
said,
so
he
would
have
done;
upon
which
he
was
immediately
cut
to
pieces.
Thus
was
the
prince
of
Georgia
saved,
with
his
family,
through
an
Armenian
at
last,
who
was
created
noble,
and
rewarded
amply:
but
he
and
all
his
family
died
away
in
thirteen
months,
leaving
not
a
soul
behind.
He
shared,
it
seems,
the
same
fate
with
them;
for
he
was,
by
all
accounts,
of
a
very
bad
character:
he
had
set
fire
to
a
barrel
of
gun-powder,
and
did
not
imagine
he
would
be
blown
up
likewise
by
the
secret
hand
of
the
Almighty.
He
might
have
excused
himself,
without
entering
into
their
wicked
design;
but
how
was
it
possible
for
him,
who
had
neither
honour
nor
religion
to
help
him,
to
escape
ruin?
The
poor
Armenians,
good
and
bad,
work
and
labour,
to
leave
money
for
others
to
enjoy;
which
can
be
imputed
to
nothing
but
mere
ignorance.
These
very
unfortunate
treacherous
people
would
have
persuaded
Emin
to
join
in
the
plot;
but
he
despised
and
laughed
at
them
while
in
that
country;
nor
opened
his
lips
on
the
subject
to
this
very
hour;
but
now
he
thinks
there
can
be
no
harm
in
mentioning
it,
as
a
caution
to
some
against
venturing
to
undertake
a
scheme
of
the
same
kind.
Though
a
sense
of
humanity
affected
his
mind
for
the
families
of
those
false
ambitious
men,
yet
the
light
of
truth,
entering
with
awful
consolation,
told
him
that
it
was
well
done,
and
that
all
was
right.
Shaverdy
Khan
of
Ganja,
at
that
time
next
in
power
to
prince
Heraclius,
had
enticed
away
two
of
the
five
chiefs
of
Carabagh,
Hatam,
and
Ousup,
to
remove
from
their
country,
and
settle
at
Shameor
on
the
confines
of
the
Shamshadin
tribe,
who
were
on
the
north,
the
Khan
being
on
the
south,
and
the
Armenians
in
the
middle.
Thus
he
lay
meditating
their
destruction;
and
by
his
Persian
cunning,
gained
Hatams
heart
to
his
interest,
intending
to
make
away
with
Ousup,
who
being
apprized
of
the
stratagem,
fled
with
his
son
Beglar
to
the
Shamshadin
clan
for
protection.
They
happened
at
that
time
to
have
revolted
from
Shaverdy
Khan,
through
some
misunderstanding,
or
act
of
oppression,
which
saved
the
lives
of
Ousup
and
his
sons.
The
Khan
finding
no
other
means
to
quell
the
rebels,
sent
over
to
the
Jamaiat,
or
republic
of
the
Charr
Lazguis,
(in
one
of
whose
villages
Emin
then
lived,
)
to
come
to
his
assistance,
and
chastise
the
Shamshadin
tribes.
The
Lazguis
then
told
Emin,
that
as
they
were
going
to
persecute
Sheya,
(or
the
sect
of
Ali,
)
it
would
be
a
proper
time
for
him
to
join
them.
He
consented,
and
set
out
with
eighty
elders
of
them,
followed
the
main
body
of
about
four
thousand
horse,
who
were
to
march
on
the
second
notice
of
the
Khan,
m
case
the
Shamshadins
should
not
capitulate,
which
they
did.
Two
days
after
their
arrival
at
Ganja,
with
their
families
in
bonds,
only
keeping
the
Armenian
chief
and
his
son,
through
regard
to
prince
Heraclius,
who
had,
by
writing,
acquainted
them
that
they
were
under
his
Highnesss
protection,
the
Charr
elders
being
satisfied
with
the
Khans
presents,
were
just
going
to
return,
when
Emin
received
intelligence,
that
Husein
the
Zdahar
mountaineer
was
coming
at
the
head
of
two
thousand
horse
to
Ganja;
and
that
Shaverdy
Khan
had
written
for
Husen
to
send
him
to
Nakhchuan
to
enslave
the
Shaikhs
and
impoverish
the
Khan
of
that
province,
so
as
to
reduce
him
to
subjection.
Emin
knew
great
part
of
that
country
to
be
inhabited
by
helpless
Armenians:
he
staid
two
or
three
days
more
at
Ganja,
till
Husein
arrived
with
his
two
thousand
men.
Shaverdy
provided
him
with
two
Persian
guides;
and
they
set
out
the
next
afternoon.
In
one
day
and
a
half
they
crossed
the
Shamshadin
mountains;
and
about
eleven
oclock
reached
the
corner
of
a
fresh-water
lake,
called
Gegham.
This
precipitate
marching
was
advised
by
Emin;
who,
while
in
Ganja,
had
intelligence
that
the
tribe
of
Colan
Curds
were
on
their
way
from
Iravan,
coming
to
the
protection
of
Shaverdy;
and
that
if
he
hastened,
he
might
lay
hold
of
them,
and
so
satisfy
the
Lazguis,
and
save
the
Nakhchuan
Armenians
from
slavery.
At
sun-set
they
pitched
on
the
bank
of
the
lake,
and
two
hours
before
sun-rise,
they,
according
to
custom,
cast
lots:
it
fell
to
Emins
party
of
forty
Turkmans,
or
Turks,
who
were
Hajy
Mustaphas
own
subjects,
(among
whom
Emin
quartered,
)
to
march
before
as
the
van-guard;
and
an
hour
after
sun-rise,
they
discovered,
at
a
great
distance,
thirteen
horse-men
coming
along
the
lake.
Emin
perceived
with
joy
that
they
were
the
clan
of
Colan
Curds
belonging
to
Carabagh,
who,
since
Nadir
Shahs
death,
had
been
removed
to
Iravan
and
were
then
marching
to
the
protection
of
Ganja,
and
thought
they
should
fall
victims
instead
of
the
Nakhchuan
Armenians.
Emin
ordered
his
men
to
let
the
horses
go
on
full
gallop.
The
Curds
had
not
in
the
least
expected
to
meet
a
single
Lazgui;
and
on
seeing
Emins
party
near
them,
began
to
speak
to
one
another
in
Armenian.
Emin
thinking
them
to
be
Christians
told
them,
to
run
away
if
they
could.
No
sooner
had
they
turned
the
heads
of
their
horses,
than
they
began
to
speak
Curdish;
and
Emin,
recovering
from
his
mistake,
took
all
the
thirteen
alive;
when,
behind
a
small
rising
ground,
about
a
quarter
of
a
mile
off,
were
moving,
richly
dressed,
the
whole
of
their
tribe:
but
before
all
the
two
thousand
Lazguis
could
come
up,
Emins
forty
Turkmans
fell
on
with
sword
in
hand,
killed
many,
and
took
prisoners
the
defenceless
women,
children,
sheep,
and
cattle;
the
fighting-men
retreated,
and
began
to
fire
briskly:
but
when
the
two
thousand
main
body
came
up,
they
rushed
on
like
ravenous
wolves,
killed
two
hundred
and
fifty,
and
took
the
rest
alive;
amounting
in
all
to
eight
hundred
and
fourteen
slaves,
men,
women,
and
children;
with
eight
thousand
sheep,
two
thousand
black
cattle,
and
six
hundred
mares,
each,
in
that
country,
worth
one
hundred
tumans.
Shaverdy
Khans
two
Persian
guides
were
terrified;
they
had
made
flattering
promises
all
the
way
to
the
Lazguis,
on
purpose
to
vex
Emin,
saying,
that
every
one
of
them
should
have
an
Armenian
boy
and
girl
for
his
share;
not
imagining
that
their
eighteen
female
relations
in
the
clan,
besides
kinsmen
and
other
males
of
the
same
religion,
would
fall
into
the
hands
of
those
monsters.
Their
expectation
of
seeing
the
poor
Christians
in
misery,
turned
to
mourning
and
lamentation
for
them.
Then
they
considered
that
Emins
intention
in
exhorting
the
men
to
march
with
that
celerity,
was
to
make
Mahomedans
a
prey
to
Mahomedans,
and
to
save
some
thousands
of
helpless
Christians.
Let
this
suffice
to
show
the
reader,
how
far
Emin
singly
has
run
into
danger
to
serve
his
poor
countrymen
against
those
barbarous
nations;
but
he
is
sure
that
the
richest
of
them,
if
they
should
chance
to
understand,
will
be
the
first
to
deny
it:
Such
is
the
effect
of
money
acquired
by
base-minded
people,
resembling
half-starved
cows,
driven
into
a
meadow
of
fine
grass,
where
after
filling
their
bellies
with
it,
they
prance
and
kick,
thinking
they
can
gallop
like
Arabian
horses.
The
magnitude
of
the
booty
gratified
them
exceedingly;
the
ready
cash
in
gold
and
silver,
amounting
to
twelve
thousand
tumans;
and
on
an
equal
division
among
them,
each
mans
share
came
to
six
tumans.
A
horses
rich
harness,
and
other
silver
furniture,
was
made
a
prize
by
Husein
the
Lazgui
chief,
to
the
value
of
sixty
tumans.
Emins
share
was
almost
as
much,
which
he
distributed
among
his
own
men.
All
that
he
took
was
but
half
a
pound
of
butter
for
his
breakfast.
In
that
destructive
affair,
a
Curd,
on
a
sorrel
horse,
after
fighting
sword-in-hand
for
ten
minutes,
finding
he
should
be
overpowered,
caught
hold
of
his
wifes
hand
like
lightning,
and
lifted
her
behind
him;
when
some
of
the
men
endeavouring
to
snatch
her
away
from
him,
he
returned
his
beast
to
the
left-about,
and
rushed
on
them
like
a
provoked
lion,
wounding
several
of
the
Lazguis:
then
he
turned
again,
and
rode
off
without
being
hurt.
In
that
close
quarter,
or
confused
fight,
a
very
stout
man
on
foot
clapped
the
muzzle
of
his
piece
to
Emins
breast,
and
snapped
it,
but
it
did
not
go
off.
His
men,
seeing
that,
cut
the
fellow
to
pieces.
A
woman,
with
her
beautiful
daughter,
about
fourteen
years
of
age,
with
spears
in
their
hands
for
about
fifteen
minutes
fought
like
Amazons,
killed
two
of
the
Lazguis,
and
wounded
some,
preserving
their
honour
like
angels;
but
fell
at
last,
to
the
astonishment
of
all
the
savages.
Their
Mulah
came
with
the
Koran
in
his
hands,
craving
mercy;
which
Emin
seeing,
he
slackened
the
men
a
little
from
their
fury,
and
said,
"What
are
you
about?
-
Do
you
not
know
how
the
Sharis
learned
men
abused
the
second
Khalif
Omar?"
They
answered,
"No.
"
He
added,
"They
have
published
a
scandalous
story;
would
not
acknowledge
the
supremacy
of
Ali,
who
has
excommunicated
him,
and
transformed
him
into
a
woman;
in
which
condition,
he
was
married
to
a
miller;
and
after
having
brought
forth
two
boys
and
a
girl,
was
changed
again
to
a
man.
"
Emin
could
not
finish
the
story,
before
the
Mulah
and
his
Koran
were
cut
to
pieces.
Only
six
or
seven
of
the
Curds
run
into
a
cave
on
the
rising
ground;
and
defending
themselves
with
their
guns,
wounded
one
of
Emins
men,
and
were
saved
from
either
being
taken
or
killed.
The
loss
on
the
Lazguis
side
was
but
a
few
men,
and
on
the
side
of
the
enemy,
250.
The
free-booters,
not
contented
with
the
plunder,
which
consisted
of
money,
large
coppers,
and
kitchen-furniture,
beds,
and
pieces
of
silk,
stripped
men,
women,
and
children;
tied
the
mens
hands
behind
them,
and
setting
the
women
on
horse-back,
were
returning
home.
Emins
band
told
him,
there
were
some
Armenians
among
the
slaves
and
there
happened
to
be
a
boy
about
ten
years
old,
riding
behind
one
of
them:
-
they
said,
he
was
an
Armenian.
Emin
inquired
of
the
boy,
two
or
three
times,
who
he
was,
and
what
was
his
name?
The
poor
creature,
hearing
the
Armenian
language,
between
affliction
and
joy,
could
not
speak
a
word,
but
burst
into
tears,
which,
like
small
shot,
darted
on
the
back
of
the
man;
a
scene
of
so
moving
a
kind,
he
never
beheld
in
his
life:
himself,
likewise,
began
to
weep
as
he
went
on,
overpowered
by
sympathy
and
grief;
and
neither
of
them
could
utter
a
syllable
for
some
time.
At
last
the
poor
boy
told
him,
that
his
name
was
Beglar;
and
that
there
were
many
Armenians,
but
what
number
he
could
not
exactly
tell;
their
dress
being
the
same
with
that
of
the
Curds,
it
was
not
possible
in
such
a
crowd
to
distinguish
them.
Those
terrible
savages,
observing
Emins
compassion
for
his
countryman,
could
not
help
sympathizing
with
him,
and
comforted
him,
by
saying,
it
was
the
fortune
of
war:
nor
would
it
have
been
difficult
to
save
them,
had
his
own
band
of
forty
men
been
Armenians;
so
that
by
dividing
the
slaves,
he
could
have
taken
them
for
his,
and
his
mens
shares,
and
then
have
set
them
at
liberty.
Thus
has
he
been
unsuccessful
in
all
his
undertakings,
being
alone,
and
labouring
in
vain.
He
did
not
despair
from
it;
but
trusted
in
God,
setting
his
brains
to
work
to
find
some
means,
not
only
to
save
his
poor
countryman,
but
the
clan
of
the
Curds
too,
though
very
wicked,
and
by
profession,
according
to
all
accounts,
murderers
of
merchants,
and
robbers
of
caravans;
but
they
were
not
so
excessively
cruel
as
the
Lazguis,
who,
that
very
day,
in
the
evening,
reached
the
foot
of
the
mountain,
and
the
road
at
the
corner
of
the
lake,
where
they
entered
into
a
meadow
adjacent
to
it,
and
there
they
halted
to
rest
for
the
night.
Here
they
began
to
torment
the
captives.
Husein,
the
commander
of
the
Lazguis,
sent
Emin
a
present
of
two
beautiful
ladies;
one
of
them
wife
of
the
Chragh,
or
chief
of
the
Curds;
the
other
about
sixteen
years
of
age,
lately
married,
and
the
chiefs
daughter-in-law;
but
he
would
by
no
means
accept
them,
sending
them
back
with
the
fellow
who
brought
them.
Husein
sent
the
poor
creatures
back
a
second
time,
with
only
silk
red
shifts
on,
bare-footed,
and
without
any
covering
on
their
heads,
(their
tears
streaming
from
their
black
antilope
eyes,
)
with
a
message,
that
they
were
the
handsomest
among
all
the
slaves;
and
that
if
he
did
not
like
them,
he
might
go
and
chuse
any
two
he
pleased.
At
this
Emin
could
not
help
losing
his
patience.
He
sent
back
the
victims
a
second
time;
and
immediately
after,
sent
his
man
to
Husein
with
a
reprimanding
message,
in
these
terms:
"I
am
come,
by
the
order
of
my
master,
to
tell
you,
that
you
are
very
wrong,
and
even
wicked,
to
offer
those
women
to
him.
You,
that
command
so
many
hundred
men,
should
not
so
imprudently
set
the
base
example
among
your
troops
of
defiling
slaves,
and
becoming
defiled
yourself:
the
consequence
of
which
diabolical
action,
my
master
hopes,
will
be
the
vengeance
of
God
upon
your
head;
so
that
neither
you,
or
your
men,
may
be
able
to
carry
a
single
child
to
Dagistan.
"
The
man
came
back,
and
said,
that
when
he
had
delivered
the
message,
Husein
took
the
miserable
objects
to
himself,
for
fear
of
mutiny,
hanging
his
head
down,
and
saying
not
a
word;
but
those
who
were
present,
cried
out,
"Allah!
Allah!"
commending
Emin,
and
saying,
he
was
Gods
own
man.
This
making
a
great
noise,
600,
out
of
2,
000,
who
were
Turkmans
with
their
centurions,
left
Husein,
-
never
approached
the
slaves,
but
preserved
them
from
dishonour;
and
changing
their
stations,
came
and
pitched
their
tents
by
Emin.
Through
the
whole
night
was
heard
the
lamentable
crying
of
females
from
grown
women
down
to
girls
six
years
old,
who
did
not
escape
brutal
treatment.
The
hands
and
the
arms
of
the
men
were
tied
behind
them
with
raw
thongs,
which,
for
half
an
hour,
are
somewhat
easy,
while
they
are
fresh;
but
when
they
become
dry,
begin
to
pinch
the
flesh,
causing
exquisite
pain,
which
continually
increases.
The
shrieking
noise
of
some,
and
the
groans
of
others,
shewed
what
torture
they
went
through
all
night,
till
sun-rise.
In
that
manner
they
were
treated
every
night,
till
they
were
out
of
the
reach
of
the
country
where
hostility
had
been
committed.
And
when
the
Lazguis
were
in
their
own
mountains
every
man
claimed
his
share
of
slaves,
either
to
sell,
or
keep
working
in
the
house.
Seventy
years
ago,
these
Lazguis,
through
the
necessity
of
gaining
a
livelihood,
and
the
baseness
of
Mahomets
religion,
began
to
enslave
the
Georgians.
Their
abstinence
in
regard
to
slaves
had
been
remarkable;
and
an
order
was
always
observed
among
them,
with
as
much
strictness
as
if
it
had
been
a
law
ordained
from
above.
It
was
death
to
any
one
who
offered
to
meddle
with
a
slave
woman,
unless
he
chose
to
marry
her.
But
when,
in
course
of
time,
the
Georgian,
the
Turkish,
or
Persian
children,
of
six
years
old
or
less,
preserved
from
being
sold
in
Dagistan,
were
made
free
by
adoption,
and
brought
up
to
manhood,
their
natural
impure
blood
prompted
them
to
that
horrid
custom
of
breaking
through
their
ordinance,
by
making
free
with
slave
girls.
The
German
noblemen,
to
this
day,
will
not
have
any
connection
with
their
own
female
servants,
however
handsome,
thinking
that
their
noble
blood
would
be
debased;
so
the
Arabs,
Tartars,
and
Turks,
who
made
such
extraordinary
conquests
at
first,
kept
that
rule
sacred:
but
when,
in
time,
they
became
more
polished,
they
lost
every
thing
that
was
rustic,
plain,
and
honourable.
The
softness
of
noxious
pleasure,
made
them
no
better
than
they
are
at
present
-
distrustful,
contemptible,
and
indigent.
The
next
morning,
the
rosy-cheeked
women
looked
as
pale
as
ashes.
On
the
march,
Husein
asked
Emins
opinion,
if
it
would
not
be
more
convenient
to
take
the
slaves
into
an
uninhabited
fort,
on
the
left
of
the
road,
which
was
almost
inaccessible,
and
sell
them
to
neighbouring
mountaineers,
or
their
relations,
whose
centries
on
the
hills,
at
a
great
distance,
were
observing
his
motions.
Emin
perceived
he
was
apprehensive
of
danger,
and
said,
"You
need
not
be
afraid,
Shaverdy
Khan
is
your
friend;
the
Shamshadin
tribe
are
the
Khans
subjects;
the
enslaved
Curds
are
the
subjects
of
Ibrahim,
Khan
of
the
Carabagh
Armenians,
an
enemy
to
Shaverdy,
who,
instead
of
being
angry,
will
be
much
pleased,
and
reward
you
with
great
presents.
Never
mind;
go
on
till
you
are
in
a
better
place,
where
grass
and
water
will
be
in
plenty
for
the
troops.
"
Husein,
the
stupid
Lazgui,
listened,
and
was
highly
pleased
with
Emins
counsel,
not
knowing
that
he
would
pay
dear
for
it.
Had
Emin
advised
him
to
go
to
the
fort,
with
2,
000
armed
hardy
Lazguis,
they
would
have
been
very
well
accommodated
with
grass
and
water;
and
having
so
many
thousand
heads
of
sheep
and
cattle,
would
have
sold
their
old
slaves,
and
carried
away
the
young
and
handsome
ones
in
the
night
on
horse-back.
When
they
came
to
an
open
place,
surrounded
with
high
mountains,
exposed
to
the
Shamshadinians,
Emin
told
them
to
pitch
there;
and
after
about
an
hours
rest,
there
came
to
him
an
Armenian
secular
priest,
at
the
head
of
sixty
Armenians,
men,
women,
and
children,
all
in
the
hands
of
the
Lazguis.
They
began
crying,
and
begging
to
be
saved
from
their
misery.
Emin
told
them,
he
was
but
one
man;
nor
had
it
in
his
power
to
afford
them
the
smallest
assistance.
"Go,
"
said
he,
"pray
to
God,
who
alone
has
power
to
deliver
you
from
your
miseries!"
He
then
spoke
to
the
Lazguis
to
take
them
away
from
his
sight.
A
little
after,
the
Curds,
who
were
stationed
not
quite
forty
yards
off,
came
to
see
him:
several
of
them
understood
Persian.
Emin
comforted
them,
saying,
"The
twelve
Imams
will
help
to
deliver
you.
"
During
all
the
three
days
in
which
the
troops
made
a
halt
there,
Emin
ran
a
great
risque
every
night,
by
loosing
several
of
the
Curds,
and
ordering
them
to
go
to
the
Shamshadins,
advising
them
to
come
in
a
body,
and
surprize
the
Lazguis,
about
three
oclock
in
the
morning
while
they
were
sleeping
stark
naked,
like
dead
men;
and
promising
them,
by
his
faith,
that
he
would
not
head
the
Lazguis
upon
any
account.
He
might
then
have
let
loose
all
the
grown
men
among
the
Armenians,
if
he
had
pleased;
but
he
acted
cautiously,
fearing
that
the
savages
would
suspect
him
as
their
fellow
Christian.
To
make
the
troops
rest
satisfied,
he
told
them,
that
though
he
could
not
help
being
sorry
for
their
misery,
yet
he
could
not
but
say,
the
Armenians
richly
deserved
to
be
made
captives.
Why
did
they
not
stay
in
Iravan?
or,
what
business
was
it
of
theirs
to
join
the
Colan
Curds?
They,
touching
their
noses
with
their
fore-fingers,
said,
"Alah
-
Alah!
-
what
a
just
man
he
is!"
To
please
him,
they
used
the
Armenians
with
some
humanity;
and
bringing
all
their
able-bodied
men
before
him,
he
drew
his
sword,
and
laid
it
upon
the
scabbard,
to
form
a
cross,
which
he
ordered
them
to
kiss,
and
swear
by
it,
that
they
would
not
run
away.
This
he
did,
in
order
to
save
them
from
the
torture
of
the
night,
in
having
their
hands
and
arms
lashed
with
straps.
The
honest
Armenians
stood
to
their
oaths,
did
not
violate
the
confidence
of
the
Lazguis,
and
slept
free
from
pain,
no
one
of
them
running
away,
which
afforded
great
joy
to
Emin,
and
gave
him
hopes
that
his
countrymen
would,
one
day
or
other,
by
Gods
providence,
be
free
in
this
world,
and
happy
in
the
next.
He
was
also
very
glad
to
find,
that
even
the
savages
had
learned
the
honesty
of
their
hearts,
and
their
firmness
in
the
Christian
faith;
conceiving,
that
if,
after
swearing
on
a
sword
and
scabbard,
shaped
into
a
cross
upon
the
ground,
they
would
stand
so
true
to
their
words,
they
would
more
resolutely
bleed
under
the
cross,
when
displayed
on
military
ensigns.
O,
ecclesiastics!
if
you
but
let
them
break
the
chain
of
superstition
and
ignorance,
you
will
see
how
bravely
they
will
attack
the
enemies
of
Christ!
Their
halting
three
days
in
that
defenceless
open
place,
was
owing
to
Emins
advice,
which,
though
treacherous
to
his
cannibal
Lazgui
comrades,
yet
was
just
to
the
distressed;
for
had
he
not
acted
such
a
part
in
those
circumstances,
and,
standing
mute,
had
suffered
those
miserable,
objects
to
be
carried
into
everlasting
captivity,
he
could
never
have
been
happy
for
the
rest
of
his
life.
Whether
right
or
wrong,
he
did
it
to
satisfy
his
own
conscience.
What
the
public
will
think
of
it,
he
is
not
sure;
but
he
is
in
hopes
they
will,
on
the
whole,
commend
it.
Husein,
on
his
first
arrival
at
that
place,
sent
Chragh,
the
chiefs
wife,
and
a
buffalo,
with
messengers,
to
Ganja,
a
journey
of
fifteen
hours,
as
a
present
to
Shaverdy
Khan,
whom
he
congratulated
on
the
downfall
of
the
Khans
enemies,
-
ignorant
that
they
had
come
for
his
protection,
though
they
formerly
were
Ibrahim
Khans
subjects,
belonging
to
Carabagh.
All
this
time,
Husein
flattered
himself,
that
Shaverdy
would
answer
him
with
applause,
and
a
khalat,
or
rope
of
honour;
but,
suddenly
in
the
morning,
about
two
hours
before
sun-rise,
the
Shamshadin
clan
and
the
Armenian
mountaineers
surprized
the
Lazguis
camp,
firing
vollies
from
three
different
sides
which
threw
the
wicked
Lazguis
into
such
confusion,
that
they
had
but
just
time
to
catch
their
horses
(killed
about
100)
of
which
they
took
250;
but
left
the
slaves
with
goods,
sheep,
and
cattle,
and
decamped
so
quickly,
that
not
a
single
child
could
be
carried
away.
Emins
horse
ran
away;
but
he
caught
a
fine
colt
belonging
to
one
of
the
Curds.
His
men
(missing
him
till
sun-rise)
helped
him
to
another,
stronger.
The
Lazguis,
pushing
on
to
an
eminence,
where,
as
they
were
not
pursued,
they
halted,
and
began
to
look
back,
like
wolves
whose
prey
had
escaped,
towards
the
surprizers
and
the
slaves
with
the
rest
of
the
booty.
They
could
easily
see
from
that
high
ground,
that
the
number
of
the
Shamshadin
clan,
with
the
Armenians,
was
but
600,
who
were
preparing
for
a
second
attack;
and
the
Lazguis,
their
panic
not
being
yet
over,
turned
their
faces
to
run
away.
Emin
and
his
men,
with
much
ado,
rallied
them;
telling
them,
that
if
they
went
in
that
disorderly
manner,
every
one
of
them
would
be
cut
off.
The
Shamshadin
clan
seeing
them
recovered
and
faced,
desisted
from
their
attack,
only
watching,
like
dogs,
the
Lazguis
motions.
Emin
advised
them
to
charge,
which
they
immediately
did,
killed
sixteen
of
the
Shamshadins,
and
were
near
making
an
end
of
them,
and
taking
the
booty
back
from
them.
He
then
made
them
retreat,
and
told
them,
that
it
was
sufficient.
"The
enemy,
"
said
he
"knows
what
you
are
made
of:
-
now
we
can
march
away
at
our
pleasure.
"
Emin
stood
behind
the
troops,
and
saw
the
Shamshadin
clan
moved
almost
out
of
their
sight;
then
he
followed
his
comrades,
overtook
and
passed
them,
riding
on
towards
the
river
Cur,
and
thence
to
Dagistan.
He
advanced
almost
four
miles
before
them,
and
reached
the
foot
of
a
mountain,
whence
he
discovered,
on
the
right,
at
the
distance
of
about
four
miles,
a
large
body
of
men,
before
the
opening
of
the
Shamior
Meadow.
He
did
not
then
know
who
they
were;
but
was
afterwards
told
it
was
Shaverdy
Khan,
with
18,
000
Persians
and
Armenians
standing
in
wait
for
the
Lazguis,
but
not
courageous
enough
to
move.
Had
he
marched,
he
might
have
cut
off
every
soul
of
them,
having
before
sent
his
son
Mahomed
Husein
Khan
to
the
ford
of
the
Cur,
to
prevent
their
passing.
Had
he
pursued
and
attacked
their
rear,
he
would
have
made
a
complete
business
of
it.
About
twelve
horsemen
just
at
that
moment
sprung
forward,
playing
with
Emins
party,
firing
and
running
back,
to
amuse
and
delay
them:
but
Emin
knew
better,
and
went
on
till
they
came
to
a
sort
of
broken
ground;
and
then
returning
the
fire,
eleven
of
them
ran
away;
but
one
followed
them
almost
five
miles,
to
the
bank
of
the
river
Cur.
As
the
ford
was
guarded
by
500
Persians,
commanded
by
Mahomed
Husein
Khan,
son
to
Shaverdy
Khan,
Emin
thought
it
necessary
to
change
the
course
and
marched
with
his
men
down
to
the
water-side,
where
there
was
no
fording-place.
In
swimming
over,
one
of
his
men
was
drowned.
His
horse,
turning
back,
fell
into
the
hands
of
the
man
above
mentioned.
About
a
quarter
of
a
mile
from
the
river,
on
a
high
ground,
he
halted,
to
observe
the
motion
of
the
2,
000
Lazguis,
who,
after
two
hours,
came
down,
and
fell
upon
the
back
of
the
500
Persians,
killed
several,
and
forced
their
way.
As
he
observed
them
passing
the
river,
he
ordered
his
men
to
march
on,
which
they
did,
from
eleven
in
the
forenoon
to
ten
at
night,
and
halted
by
another
river
called
Ghabry,
not
so
deep
as
the
Cur,
where
he
rested
the
whole
night.
The
next
morning,
as
they
were
preparing
to
set
out,
he
discovered
a
great
body
of
troops
coming
out
from
behind
a
mountain
on
his
left,
and
took
it
for
granted
they
were
Georgians.
The
men
asked
Emin,
what
was
to
be
done?
He
answered,
"Fight
them,
and
die
like
men!
-
you
see
they
have
the
advantage
of
us
in
every
respect,
the
mountain
is
on
their
back,
and
their
number
is
great:
-
we
have
no
shelter,
but
a
very
large
open
plain
before
us:
-
should
we
fly
from
them,
they
will
pick
us
up
like
wild
game.
Though
our
undertaking
be
desperate,
yet
we
shall
fall
like
brave
soldiers,
and
leave
no
room
for
the
world
to
reflect
that
Emin
and
his
forty
Turkmans
behaved
in
a
dastardly
manner,
and
fell
like
women.
"
They
approved
the
proposal,
and
said,
"Please
to
set
the
example.
"
No
sooner
had
he
heard
that
word,
than
he
drew
his
sabre,
and
charged;
his
men
did
the
same,
and
followed
the
mistaken
enemy.
Who
should
they
be
but
a
party
of
Lazguis.
Seeing
a
handful
of
men
galloping
furiously
towards
them,
they
suspected
it
to
be
prince
Heracliuss
advanced
picket,
and
fell
into
such
confusion,
that,
instead
of
running
away,
they
began
to
whip
their
horses
against
the
steep
rocks,
tumbling
and
rolling
down
like
barrels
of
water,
crying,
"Aman
allah!
Heraclius!
Heraclius!"
Emin,
finding
them
to
be
his
comrades,
could
not
keep
himself
from
laughing;
and
was
amazed
to
find,
how
much
these
barbarous
savages
dreaded
the
princes
name;
like
the
children
in
France,
who,
when
they
cried
in
their
cradles,
were
quieted
by
their
mothers
telling
them
that
Marlborough
was
coming.
Let
the
candid
reader
therefore
judge,
and
approve
Emins
speaking
the
truth
like
an
European
gentleman,
in
recording
the
meritorious
character
of
his
enemy,
prince
Heraclius,
who,
with
the
late
patriarch,
Simon
of
Armenia,
were
the
cause
of
all
his
adversities.
The
Lazguis
then
begged
Emin
to
keep
them
company,
and
not
to
advance
so
great
a
way
before
them.
To
this
he
consented:
the
road
being
then
separated,
his
men
went
to
the
right
and
he,
with
the
savages,
proceeded
to
the
left.
When
they
came
nearer
to
the
confines
of
Kissekh,
the
first
district
to
Kakhet
Georgia,
Husein,
the
captain
of
the
Lazguis,
told
Emin
to
take
care
of
himself,
and
keep
near
him,
for
the
men
had
a
bad
design
on
his
life;
that
they
wanted
to
kill
him,
thinking
that
he
had
money,
and
was
a
Caffer.
He
smiled
with
great
composure,
and
said,
"What
then
will
become
of
you,
if
Heraclius,
at
the
head
of
10,
000
Georgians,
should
meet
you
in
this
open
place,
where
no
mountain
or
shelter
is
to
be
found?
Come,
then;
-
who
are
the
men
that
dare
attack
me?
I
know
your
Mahometans
to
be
ungrateful,
and
a
disgrace
to
the
name
of
Dagistan,
by
transgressing
the
hospitable
law
of
that
nation.
Those
men
are
not
true
Lazguis,
but
degenerated
and
corrupted
by
a
mixture
of
Georgian
blood.
Thence
it
is,
that
they
conspire
against
him,
who
has
made
each
of
them
master
of
six
tumans,
who
never
before
saw
a
single
rupee
in
his
life.
"
After
this
reprimanding
speech,
thirteen
of
the
savages
dismounted,
laying
hold
of
his
stirrups,
begging
his
pardon,
and
intreating
that
he
would
think
no
more
about
it.
Here
Emin
very
justly
thought
he
could
be
even
with
them
all,
and
bade
them
be
more
expeditious
on
the
march,
for
fear
of
the
princes
coming
out.
On
hearing
this
fatal
advice,
they
began
to
gallop,
whip,
and
kick
their
horses,
as
if
they
really
were
pursued
by
a
conquering
army.
The
consequence
of
such
a
hurly-burly
was,
that
three
hundred
of
their
horses
were
tired,
and
left
behind
upon
the
road.
The
Lazguis
in
general
are
not
good
horsemen,
nor
do
they
know
the
nature
of
them,
otherwise
they
would
not
be
so
stupid
as
to
lose
many
excellent
horses
by
beating
them.
This
happened
within
thirty
miles
of
Belican,
a
village
belonging
to
the
Gaugal
Lazguis,
where
Emin
found
two
Nakhiguan
merchants;
having
reached
it
after
great
fatigue
for
two
days,
without
any
rest,
from
the
mountains
of
Shamshadin
of
Ganja,
a
march
of
almost
one
hundred
and
twenty
miles,
of
which
the
caravan
commonly
makes
a
journey
of
six
days.
Emin
staid
in
that
place,
with
his
Armenians,
for
a
fortnight
pretty
comfortably;
when
Hajy
Mustapha
his
friend
came
down
from
the
mountains
with
his
family,
and
with
his
flocks
and
herds,
took
him
to
his
village
of
Catickh,
nine
miles
from
Belican,
where
his
relation
Mussess,
who
had
fallen
sick
and
was
left
behind
at
Dalubar
five
miles
from
Ganja,
came
to
him,
and
very
prudently
persuaded
him
not
to
remain
any
longer
among
the
Lazguis,
who
being
Mahometans,
and
thirsty
for
the
blood
of
Christians,
could
not
very
well
agree
with
Emins
disposition
and
principles,
since
he
would
always
rather
chuse
to
die
than
see
a
Christian
enslaved.
Here
it
is
to
be
considered,
that
the
excursion
he
made
with
those
Lazguis,
enslaving
the
Curd
clan
of
Colan,
was
of
happy
consequence
to
the
Armenians,
and
fatal
to
the
khan
of
Ganja,
whose
army
deserted
and
left
him
alone,
exclaiming
against
him,
and
saying,
that
he
was
an
enemy
to
the
Shiah
Musulmans,
and
had
brought
the
Lazgui
Sunies
to
enslave
the
Curds.
This
faction
afforded
the
two
Armenian
chiefs,
Hatham
and
Yusup,
an
opportunity
to
move
with
their
troops
from
Shameor
to
the
frontiers
of
their
native
country
Trashatzy
and
Charrabert;
Melck
Hatham
halting
at
Trinabad,
and
Yusup
at
Gedashen.
The
reason
of
their
stopping
in
those
two
villages,
(though
Armenians,
under
the
government
of
Ganja,
)
was
on
account
of
the
corn
left
behind
at
Shameor.
They
were
in
hopes
of
getting
it,
yet
weak
enough
not
to
foresee
that
Shahverdy
Khan
would
recover
from
his
distress;
therefore,
without
being
diligent
enough
in
three
weeks
time
to
carry
off
the
corn,
while
he
was
in
confusion,
they
set
themselves
down
contented,
feasting
and
drinking
wine.
Yusup
was
less
to
be
blamed
on
that
head;
for
Hatham
amused
him
by
fair
words
all
the
time;
since
he,
being
devoted
to
the
khans
interest,
was
kept
on
the
khans
side
by
the
force
of
bribes.
These
two
chiefs
exactly
resembled
two
stiff-necked
oxen,
one
of
them
pulling
to
the
right
and
the
other
to
the
left.
