Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 edition. Excerpt:...me to be the cause of this.... Yes, Akhmet Khan hated me and sent his henchmen to kill me, but I escaped from them. Then he calumniated me to General Kliigenau. He said that I told the Avars not to supply wood to the Russian soldiers; and he also said that I had donned a turban--this one--" and Hadji Murad touched his turban--"and that this meant that I had gone over to Shamil. The General did not believe him, and gave orders that I should not be touched. But when the General went to Tiflis, Akhmet Khan did as he pleased. He sent a company of soldiers to seize me, put me in chains, and tied me to a cannon. "So they kept me six days," he continued. "On the seventh day they untied me and started to take me to Temir-Khan-Shura. Forty soldiers with loaded guns had me in charge. My hands were tied, and I knew that they had orders to kill me if I tried to escape. "As we approached Mansooha the path became narrow, and on the right was an abyss about a hundred and twenty yards deep. I went to the right--to the very edge. A soldier wanted to stop me, but I jumped down and pulled him with me. He was killed outright, but I, as you see, remained alive. "Ribs, head, arms, and leg--all were broken! I tried to crawl, but grew giddy and fell asleep. I awoke, wet with blood. A shepherd saw me, and called some people who carried me to an.aoul. My ribs and head healed, and my leg too, only it has remained short," and Hadji Murad stretched out his crooked leg. "It still serves me, however, and that is well," said he. "The people heard the news, and began coming to me. I recovered, and went to Tselmess. The Avars again called on me to rule over them," said Hadji Murad, with tranquil, confident pride,...