women sat, while the younger preferred
the shade of a thicket. The priest took a loaf of bread in one hand, and
in the other, a large cup of shuat, (a kind of wine) and holding them out
towards the cross, blessed them. While he did this, men, women, and
children, knelt around, and bowed their heads to the ground. Afterwards,
the shuat and the bread were handed about amongst the company. But this
was only the beginning of the feast. Afterwards, a calf, a sheep, and two
goats were brought to the cross to be blessed. Then a little of their
hair was singed by a taper, and then they were taken away to be
slaughtered. Now the merriment began: some moved forward to cut up the
animals, and to boil their flesh in large kettles on fires kindled on the
green; many young men amused themselves with racing, leaping, and
hurling stones, while the elder people sat and talked. When the meat was
boiled, it was distributed among the sixty tables, and then the priest
blessed the food. And then the feasting began. Does it not seem as if the
Circassians must once have learned about Jesus crucified, and about his
supper of bread and wine, and about the Jewish feasts and sacrifices?
Once, perhaps, they knew the true religion, but they soon forgot it, and
though they still remember the _Cross_, they have forgotten _Christ_; and
though they still bless the bread and the cup, they know nothing of
redeeming love. Do you not long to send missionaries to Circassia? Well,
some good Scotch missionaries went there some years ago, but alas! the
Russians sent them away. Their thatched cottages may still be seen, and
their fruitful orchards, but they themselves are gone. There are,
however, a few German Christians in Circassia. They are not missionaries,
but only farmers, therefore the Russians allow them to remain. They have
a little church, where the Bible is read, and God is worshipped. You will
be glad to hear a few Circassians may be seen amongst the congregation;
they were converted by the Scotch missionaries, and they have remained
faithful amongst their heathen neighbors.

Circassia is situated between two seas:--

The Black Sea, and

The Caspian Sea.

What a wonderful place is the Caspian Sea. It is like a lake, only so
immensely large, that it is called a sea. The waters of lakes are fresh,
like those of rivers; but the waters of the Caspian are salt, but not so
salt as the salt sea. The shores of the Caspian are flat, and
unwholesome. You