The Winter season went by soon, and the pleasant and invigorating spring season commenced.

            Pşımef sensed the changes in the coastal region with the arrival of the Spring. To him all were totally novel. The arrival of Spring coincided with the appearance of commercial vessels in the horizon; and at the Bay of Tsemez business activities suddenly intensified. People of different nationalities filled the streets and the shabby buildings of the small township. 

            Incidentally with the advent of the Spring season the Geriyiko brothers Şemiz and Ali were not to be seen around in the town. After a brief inquiry Pşımef found out that the two had gone to the north, to the frontiers, along with a group of popular youth. 

            While most of the people of the Coast were busy with daily routine; certain enthusiastic people, aware of the developments along the River Kuban, were involved in the hit-and-run assaults against the Russian and Cossack colonies. 

            The young Basti soon realized that life at the Coast was not as tranquil as it had appeared to him at the beginning. It was extremely fluid, in fact. The people whom he had noticed engaged in daily routine, could instantly change to highly dynamic individuals.

            He was rather offended that Şemiz and Ali had left him without a notice. 

            Though Pşımef did not want others find out his dismay; he could not help expressing his feeling to Geriyiko Seyin at an appropriate moment.

            Yet Seyin did not appreceiate Pşımef’s reaction; and tried to appease his him.

            - It is too early for you to appreciate the development here; and to get involved in certain movements. Nevertheless there are a lot of other things that you should attend to

            Seyin wanted to see to it that first of all his guest should have a house of his own . In the first week of April he engaged a couple of constructors, and got the construction work started. 

            The Geriyikos provided the constructors with whatever material they needed. Stone, timber and other items where moved to the meadow. Pşılı Marde and his elder son were placed at their disposal as manual helpers.

            A not too deep foundation was excavated, and a firm stone-foundation was laid. Save two chimneys, the whole structure was built with timber. 

            The timber part of the construction progressed more rapidly. The large tree-trunks placed one on top of other to form a rectangle, held together by perpendicularly fixed timber pillars.

            By the end of June there emerged a double storied bungalow, with windows and window blinds. Then followed construction of annexes such as storage, a stable and a hey-shed; on top of which guest rooms and a dwelling for Marde and his family were to be built.

            Psımef was least concerned with the construction work. Daily he went down to Tsemez. He watched the vessels entering the harbor, wandered at the market place, and did shopping, if there were anything worthwhile to buty.

            Towards the end of June there came Şavay, the manager of the Çemko, farm from the Psifabe Valley. With him he brought 20 horse-load of goods to be marketted, mostly course textile and expensive fur.

            Pşımef had already disposed off the goods that had been brought by his uncle Smyl. He bartered off the latest supplies within a short time in exchange for the items Şavay had been asked by the people at home to bring along.

            As Summer approached, Pşımef realized that he had not yet enough men with him. While seeing Şavay off, he told him what he needed. 

            - Covey my request to Smayl to send me some men. I would like to have Zaruk and Ortan from Çemko. I would very much appreciate if Smayl were to send to me one of his sons.

            He pondered for a moment, and went on:

            - May be I can hire some hands locally. But I want men who know and trust me. As I do not have enough men with me, I can not timely communicate with the Valley. 

            Goşmıd talked little with Şavay. She seemed offended and dismayed by the the peoples in the Valley. She patiently listened to the news Şavay had brought. 

            The Basti colony in Tsemez had been feverishly busy during the Summer months. 

            Koce Kızı¹  seemed more absorbed than her son. She worked hard for she was determined to settle down at the coast. She continually supervised the building work personally. She offered food and drink to the builders and the labor. She explained her preferences directly to the men doing the job. 

            Basti Smayl arrived at the Coast in the middle of September. He could not believe his eyes. His son Janbek, who had accompanied him, was virtually enchanted.

            Smayl had come to Tsemez to see with his own eyes what he was told by Şavay. What he saw was beyond his expectation. The green area surrounded with wooden fence had changed altogether. In the north-western part of the meadow there stood two bungalows with smocking chimneys, and the rest. 

            So now at last there was a place at the Coast, where the Basti visitors from the Psıfabe Valley could stay. No more they had to be hosted by friends or had to stay with strangers at random. 

            In fact it was Smayl’s own idea. His vision, courage and hard work had crowned him with success. Elated as he was over the achievement, he walked in to the courtyard. 

            Goşamıd forgot her fatigue as she moved in to her newly built house that smelt fresh saw-dust. Unlike her usual posture, she looked lively and confident. 

            She received her brother-in-law cheerfully. She asked how the Bastis and her own people were doing back at home. She told him she wanted to know everything that had happened in the Valley, be it good or bad. 

            Goşemıd was anxious about her aged mother. She was pleased as she was told that her mother was in good health.

            In the Basti world there has always been a certain distance between the male and the female members of the family. Smayl used to talk very little with his sister-in-law at Çığızaç, the Basti home village.  Now things were very much different. Goşemıd incessantly posed questions and Smayl answered her comfortably. The two had a lot to talk about in the presence of the children, who listened to them in complete silence.

            Goşemıd narrated how busy they had been during the Spring and the Summer months; and how they had built the house. She told him how helpful the Geriyikos had been to them all that time. “I don’t know how we can repay for the good they did to us, ” she concluded.

            Geriyiko Sayın invited Smayl to have dinner at his place immediately when he was informed of his arrival. Goşemıd reciprocated the invitation with a dinner party for the following evening. She had been planning to invite the Geriyikos since she had move to her new house. The arrival of her brother-in-law presented an fine opportunity.

            Goşemıd saw to it that Pşılı Marde slaughtered a lamb on the occasion. She did her best so that the party be up to the occasion. She arranged separate tables for the elders and the youth.

            The male guests talked for long hours after the dinner. Geriyiko Hazret inquired Smayl about the Nathos of the Psıkuy village. 

            He was aware, as his brother Seyin was, of the once strained relations between the Batis and the Nathos. He was curious as to the way Basti Smayl would talk about the Nathos. 

            Smayl told him that the Nathos had grown to a very large and prominent family, and that the grand children of Natho Shalak had built a new quarter in the outskirts of Psıkuy.

            Geriyiko Şemiz, at a appropriate moment, begged his father’s permission to change the subject of conversation. He said the Russians had been constantly bringing in settlers to the Teman region and to the areas north of the River Kuban, and added that the situation seemed to worsen in the near future.

            The young man was interested to find out what was happening in the east. He gazed at Smayl and inquired about the developments beyond the Psıfabe Valley. 

Smayl told him that the situation in the Eastern basin of the River Kuban and in the Kabardey region was no different. “There were certain incidents in the regions of the Kemguy and Besleney tribes”, he added regretfully.

            - The Cossacks cross the river on the pretext of hunting, and herd away the horses and cattle they may come across on their way.

            Pşımef could not bear it. He stirred at his seat. “It had been all evident that this would happen!”, he interjected.

            Smayl momentarily cast a gaze at the young Basti, and went on:

            - During the Summer the Bey of Kemguy sent his men to the Psıfabe Valley to seek our help to check the intransigence of the Cossacks. Perhaps we shall have to do something about it. Otherwise they (the Cossacks) might cross Kuban and seize our land. 

            Şemiz narrated the raids they had carried out in the Teman region last Spring, and let it be known that if informed in advance, his party could provide support. Hazret turned his long ring of prayer beads several times as his son spoke. He quietly listened to what his son and others said, without raising his head.

            The growing Russian menace was the only subject talked about the whole evening. Bu none could put forth a concrete solution to the problem. 

            Pşımef advocated similar views as what Genar, the son of his uncle, had pursued. He wanted to bring home that without a centrally commanded campaign no victory could be expected. A central leadership was essential to put up an effective resistance, he maintained. He was very sorry; because the prevailing circumstances were not conducive to realization of his scheme.

            Smayl stayed over a week at the Coast. He daily visited the harbor accompanied by Pşımef, bartered the goods he had brought, repaid his debt to the Geriyikos and presented gifts to Hazret and Seyin.

            The thoughtful Basti had left home well prepared.  He had brought along his son Janbek and his pşılı Ortan to be stationed at the coast. However, he did not bring along Zaruk, disregarding Pşımef’s request.

            Pşılı Vaze had two sons. His elder son Zavur had been Lasmar’s stable-boy for a long time, and had accompanied him at the battle of Anapa, where they got lost. It would be unfair to deprive the old man of his second son, Smayl had judged before departing home for Tsemez.

            When Smayl finished preparations for his return journey, he delivered his advice his son and his nephew. His words reflected his decisive mood. 

            - Do not expect more from me! Do not attempt to expand too quickly to alarm the people around you. For the time being keep up the image of a mediocre family. Bear it in mind that there is a rational limit to the growth in income!

            The intelligent Basti had observed how greedy the major families at the coast were; and had gauged the extent of the rivalry and contradictions amongst them. He had sensed the danger involved in untimely competing with them. He let the two young Bastis know his assessment of the situation and the possible pitfalls in some length.

            Smayl departed the Coast by the end of September. He was accompanied by five of his men attending the horses loaded with goods he had picked up from the Bazaar of Tsemez. The ones he left behind, kept on gazing after him unhappily for a long time. 

            Goşemid appeared not effected. There was no change in her cool and unperturbed looks. Poor Lendiş, however, was not like her. She missed her loved ones, and often her eyes filled up with tears. This time she did the same. She and her daughters Medey, and and Nefıj too, demonstrated unusual distress. The two young girls could hardly suppress the urge to cry before they reached home, where they loudly cried for quite some time. 

            As Smayl and his men disappeared from the sight, Pşımef and Janbek rode back to the town., each affecting to be at ease, though not quite successfully. The separation had effected them too. They returned home before evening.
 
 
 

O0O 
 
 
 
 

            The village of Kutak, where the small Basti family had settled down, was located about five or six kilometers inland. There was a Cape between the Sea and the village, extruding to the south. A small stream that run through middle of the village gave life to it. The flat ground had been in use for cultivation since very old times. The heights were thickly wooded, mostly covered with wild fruit trees. 

            The valley further inland, and the woods around, both were rich in fauna as well. In the Summer they had to make extra effort to protect the corn fields against damage by wild boar. 

            Pşılı Ortan had immediately noticed the natural wealth available in the surrounding area. Being a good hunter himself, he went around the woods both at the base of the valley and at the heights within a month’s time. Every evening he would return home with a lot of game. 

            The wild orchards that extended from the base of the valley up to the heights had fascinated Ortan most. With very little effort these could be put to use. 

            Ortan was married. He had left his family back home; for his departure for the coast was abrupt up on a surprise order of Smayl. So he had come down to the coast rather involuntarily and regretfully. Now that he was adapted to the environment, his misgivings were dispelled. Should he be able to persuade Pşımef to let him groom the wild orchards the way he planned, the area could be turned into a piece of paradise on Earth. It would help them to expand the Basti estate here.

            Pşımef’s business preoccupation did not interest Ortan very much. He was a down-to-earth person. He was more concerned with animals, horses in particular. He derived much pleasure out of hunting. 
 

            When he made up his mind as to what should be done, he disclosed his ideas to Goşemid. The family discussed the matter at length one evening after dinner.

            şımef in the end asked him, : “What is it that you would need to accomplish all that? 

            Ortan, pleased as he was for the positive conclusion, smiled, and replied,

            - Pickax, spade, shovel and a few workers; that is all!

            To be on the safe side Pşımef informed the Geriyikos of what they wanted to do, and asked if the Geriyikos had any objection.

            The wide area to the left of the valley was the property of the Geriyikos. Hazret and Sayın told Psımef he could do as he wished to. They helped the Bastis to employ the manual labor needed from the Nogays living between Tesemez and Anapa.

            The Nogays had taken shelter in the vicinity of Anapa when Ferah Ali Paşa ruled the area on behalf of the Ottoman State. A part of them had already adopted sedentary lifestyle. They existed in harmony with the neighboring Natuhay and Şapsığ tribes. Many of them, mainly the younger generation Nogays, were conversant in the Adige language. First of all Ortan got removed the trees on the natural terrace, beginning with those in the vicinity of the Basti district, leaving the steep terrain untouched. The terrain leveled off as it approached the base of the valley. Here he got the ground cleaned up, leaving a line of trees around the plots. At places with a single variety of fruit trees such as walnut and hazelnut, he got the extra ones cut down to let a space in between them; and groomed the healthy ones.

            By the time the of the first snowfall of the season the plan designed by Ortan was carried out in outlines. In the process several hundred trees were cut down, thereby a large quantity of material for building was gained. 

            The youthful man did not stay idle during the winter either. He got trashed on the spot he stems which he found good for being used as timber. He got them cut to appropriate lengths, and pilled them up according to size and quality. 

            Pşımef was surprised at the sight of the timber pilled up. He had not expected a by-product of that much value. He admitted that he had not watched closely enough what had been going on.
 
 

O0O
 
 
 
 

           A perfect division of labor had been automatically effected within the family. Ortan had had rolled up his sleeves, determined to build a vast farm land after the model of  the Çemko Farm.  Pşılı Marde and his wife Lendiş looked after the domestic animals. The children helped the couple. Pşımef and Janbek accompanied by Samir visited Tsemez every day.

            Goşemıd had an undisputed authority over all of them. She was the ultimate manger of the Basti estate at the Coast. 

            During the freezing windy days of the Winter season the traffic on the Black Sea waters used to virtually stop. The commercial vessels used to sail away from the harbor in the Autumn, leaving the port desolate.

            The same happened at the Bay of Tsemez. The locals used to pull their boats up to the beaches, and shut down the stores. The town used to be buried in deep silence. The seamen used to be ocupied with winter-long idle talk, while they emptied samovars²  full of tea and barrels full of maksima³  one after the other.

            Pşımef some times lent ear to the elders and at other times associated with the youth. He was generally in the company of Geriyiko Şemez and Ali. They would take him along wherever they went. 

            The Geriyikos Hazret and Seyin had grown old. 

            Hazret would not go out of his courtyard once the cool and moist days of late autumn began. Therefore he would not let his visitors depart him any earlier. Though himself was not good at conversation, he was a good listener indeed. He would like his visitors talk and help his distressed soul be comforted.  He would essentially think of a subject and with a few short sentences he would encourage the visitor to start talking. 

            That day too Hazret provided the lead-in-sentence and made Pşımef talk on any subject conceivable,

            At the outset Pşımef was pleased with the special interest the aged Geriyiko showed in him. Later, however, he was bored.

            Geriyiko Seyın was relatively a consistent and measured person. He was well aware of the psyche of the youth. He would stay with them for a short while and leave them by themselves before geting tedious. 

            Pşımef took particular pleasure in visiting Seyin; for there he could have a chance to see Şaziye. And obviously Ali, Seyin’s elder son, used to create the occasion for such visits. 

            Şemez and Ali both had elder brothers to attend to the affairs of their family. Hazret’s sons, Taşuk and Pezad, looked after the day to day affairs of the family. Seyin’s elder son Kasey assisted them. 

            Şemız and Ali were in charge of mainting the family assets rather than involving in actual productive labor. It suited their temperament. They were good at using all sorts of weapons. Were fond of the horse racing, be it purposeful or otherwise. They were familiar with every inch of the coast, the hinterland and the banks of the river Kuban. They had repeatedly raided the Russian lines and the Cossack settlements. They had many acquaintances among the Turkish, Armenian and Russian traders. Notwithstanding their carefree appearance, they would not give a dime to anyone in commercial matters. They left no stone unturned to conclude a business transaction profitably. They would not hesitate resorting to use of force if need be. 

            Şemiz was of a mercurial temperament. He had been in various parts of the Ottoman Empire. He had come face to face with death in the Balkans and in Egypt on a number of occasions. Had he been tactful and self-seeking person, he could rise up to the position of Paşa in the Turkish Army. He was, however, not a stable person. By temperament he could not stay long enough at a given place or in a given job. 

            Pşımef was an admirer of Geriyiko Şemez. Yet he avoided him. He dreaded a life so irresponsible as that of Şemez. He could not afford it; because he had an obligation with a set of objectives; and he had a family of his own, who expected him at home every evening. 

            Nevertheless he could not turn him down. At times the two would wander around for days together. They would go to the north and visit Şurukyiko Duğuj, to the south they would go to be hosted by the Indars; and accompanied by Indaryiko Nogay, they would go as far as the Zaziyikos. 

            Geriyiko Şemez helped recollection of a very old incident, which surprised Pşımef and the rest of the Basti family. It all happened entirely by accident. 

            There lived an aged person in the outskirts of Tsemez, named Trah. He lived in a small cottage on a terrace overlooking the sea. He had no one else with him other than his wife, at least fifty years younger to him. 

            Trah led a meager poor man’s life.  All though he was more than 120 years old; his emmory was in tact, he could stroll in the garden lawn without using a walking stick. He fed the chikens and looked after the bee-hives. He was respected by the residents of the coast. The well-to-do families provided for his needs.

            Once when there was a heavy snowfall, and everywhere was covered white with thick snow, Pşımef and Janbek had called on Şemez. He proposed, “I want you to meet a Thamate! Come along and let us pay him a visit”. 

            As usual, Geriyiko Şemez took his interlocutors for granted, did not let them have time to ask questions as to who the Thamate was, and what for they were going to visit him. No sooner he finished his sentence he mounted his horse, the Bastis followed him. Riding through a thick layer of sow, they reached Trah’s cottage. 

            While Janbek towed the tired horses to the shed. Şemiz and Pşımef proceeded towards the old man’s door. 

            Şemiz shoved off the sow pile over the four or five stepped stairs with his boots. At the same time he called aloud, “Nenof, nenof!”⁴. 
 

Soon the door opened. There appeared Trah’s wife. She smiled at the sight of Şemız.

             Is that you, cracy boy?

            Geriyiko approached the old woman, while trying to jostle the now off his boots. He ambraced her, and said, “Yes Nenof, it is me!”

            - Look here! I have brought you visitors!

            The old woman gazed at Pşımef and then at Janbek, negotiating the steps.