A Truthful History

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PRINCE TSITSIANOV'S CAMPAIGN IN JAR AND BAYLAKAN, THE PUNISHMENT OF LESGHINS

At that time the Lesghins of Jar and Baylakan due to their old customcontinued committing evil deeds and causing great harm to Georgia. They plundered a numberof districts and took prisoners. H. Ex. Prince wrote preaching letters several times andadvised them kindly:

-It has been the age of Vali s' rule so far and now is theera of [Russia's] great empire. Stop your evil and harmful actions [against Georgia]!

(106b) But they did not calm down, the Prince took his army and decidedto subdue them. He advanced towards Daghestan. On hearing this Lesghins assembled todefend themselves and came to the bank of the Alazan (Qaniq) to prevent their entrance. But the group did not know that it was impossible to fight with thorns against lightning. Man cannot avert the calamity sent by God. When the Russian army reached the bank of theAlazan and immediately started crossing it like a falcon hunting a pheasant. They assumedthe noise of the cannons and guns firing upon them to be a lovely melody: [Russians]smashed the army and made the rest to retreat to Baylakan. They destroyed Baylakan - theirsafe refuge, too.

However, some were killed and some - taken prisoners. Since theyreceived their utmost punishment, nobody dared to perform an evil action or capture bootyfrom Georgia. A regiment, under the command of Major General Guliakov, was to stay in Jarand prevent the hostile actions of Lesghins. (107a) A year later the Prince returned toGeorgia.