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THE CBITT3AL SAUCASUS AND SWAWSTIA - 1951
Immediately to the south of European Hussia spanning the isthmus between the Black Hea. and the Caspian rises the great mountain range of the Caucasus,— one of the most interesting and beautiful parts of the earth, sometimes called "H'ature's ethnological museum" because of the varied peoples Tnho live among its valleys, it is today accessible to travellers and tourists as never before. Nevertheless although thousands of Americans go to the Soviet Union each sumrrer, comparatively few approach the Caucasus and but a small number of those who go to the mountains leave the main routes of travel. This is largely due to the fact that the region is little known beyond its imrr^ediate vicinity and consequently reliable in-^ormation about the district is scarce even in most parts O"^ the Soviet Union, Nevertheless, today is the time to see that district of the Soviet Union where the pri¬ mitive and the medieval may be seen side by side with efforts at twentieth century progress. A few years ago it was all primitive and much of it barbaric; in the future, perhaps very soon, it will be composed simply of backward twentieth century civilizations. I say, therefore, that now is the time to go there. The American traveller in the Caucasus is not following in the footsteps of thousands of his countrymen; he is in a sense pioneering through perhaps one O!" the richest sections in point of peoples and natural scenery of the world.
