Since many people get to Sochi by plane or go through this resort to Abkhazia, probably every 3rd Russian had a chance to explore Adler. The Imereti lowland is the southeastern third of the vast Sochi region. Once upon a time, the ancestors of the Abkhazians and the ancient Greeks coexisted peacefully in it, who first accepted the power of Byzantium, and then the Ottoman Empire. They were replaced by Russian Old Believers and Armenians. Aboriginal settlements have disappeared from the map in connection with the construction of venues for the 2014 Olympics. As well as two successful state farms that left us only their names. The private sector and the agrarian plain have been replaced by stadiums, creative expositions, a Formula 1 track, entertainment complexes and sun loungers…
You can easily find here luxury apartments for rent, a cozy hotel (of any size and category) or an elite hotel in Sochi on the seashore. Entire guest cities have grown up around the Olympic and resort and entertainment sectors.
Geographic location, nature and climate
The location that will be discussed is a 7.5-kilometer plain, the interfluve of the mountain rivers Mzymta and Psou. In administrative terms, this is the most southeastern patch of the Sochi urban district, which includes several blocks of the Adler microdistrict (the nature of their infrastructure is described above). This also includes the Sovkhoz Rossiya microdistrict bordering Abkhazia. From the north, the lowland is already limited by hills overgrown with forests (the residential sectors of Blinovo, Zorka, Selsoviet and Veseloe lie on the foothills). The southern borders of the object are two Imeretinsky bays, separated by an "Olympic" cape.
The weather in the Imeretinskaya lowland is the same as in the entire space of the Caucasian humid subtropics (in this zone, in addition to Sochi, there are coastal parts of Abkhazia and Georgia). Talk about 5 degrees above zero in winter and 25 in summer. As well as the ideal ratio of sunny and cloudy days and 2,000 millimeters of precipitation per year. Strong winds bypass this place. The water is suitable for swimming from May 16 to September.
The weather in the Imereti lowland also explains the composition of the flora and fauna. Imeretinka is covered with carian figs, winged lapina, pyramidal anakamptis, rare species of reed (in the Colchis swamps), eucalyptus, plane tree, as well as walnut, laurel and hornbeam (in the foothills). 26 species of birds (migratory meadow and marsh) and 17 animal names.
Sights of the Imereti lowland
Imeretinskaya lowland - park. Entertaining, sports, resort, culture and recreation, and even historical in places (there are museums, after all). And the undeveloped pieces of Imeretinka are special natural areas. That is, as a natural park, the Imereti Lowland is protected by the relevant articles of the law. 1300 hectares of tracts fall under their action. However, first things first.
Olympic Park
First of all, the Imeretinskaya lowland is known to compatriots as an ideally round cape between the Upper and Lower Imeretinskaya bays. It was made that way on purpose. Indeed, inside now there is a low-lying Olympic cluster, in which six stadiums and the Training Arena are inscribed in an ideal circle. In the center is the Olympic Square (torch and fountain), and on the territory leading to the local railway station, there is a Formula 1 track.
Sochi park
The Imeretinskaya lowland in Sochi is also considered the location of a unique complex of children's and extreme attractions, as well as a Ferris wheel ("Wheel of Time"), from which the entire valley between the mountains, the sea and 2 reservoirs is viewed. Inside the fenced fairy-tale town: the Zmey Gorynych roller coaster, as well as the Firebird, which is amazing in its height. 15 harmless fun. They also managed to cram a landscape theme park, three bistros, a pond and even a dolphinarium here. Outside - a bright hotel-castle "Bogatyr" and a test for the very brave "Quantum Leap".
Natural ornithological park
In its center (already across the road from the Olympic circuit), the Imeretinskaya Lowland has a protected swampy meadow (Colchis swamps), where such rare birds as the whooper swan, the mute swan, one of the Red Data Book varieties of the bustard, as well as many other endangered (in including migratory) fauna. The territory is fenced, has warning stands and signs.
Park "Nekrasovskie Lakes"
To the south, if you pass the Sochi Park Hotel quarter, the Imeretinskaya lowland will show its other reserved tract. Two lakes were named after the village of the Old Believers (Nekrasovo). By the way, the elite sector of residential apartments, located to the south, has the same name. Reservoirs are surrounded by lawn, streets, benches.
Imereti yacht port
A yacht marina, a universal sea terminal and elegantly equipped beaches of the Imeretinskaya lowland make up its immediate coastal edge. The sea station is universal - both for cargo and passenger transport. And the yacht marina is considered the largest in Russia. A nautical club has also been built here. Several leisure facilities for yachtsmen, surfers and other water extremes.
Parks "Southern Cultures" and "Imeretinskiy"
It should be noted that the weather in the Imeretinskaya lowland favors the preservation of unique relic plants and the planting of subtropical and tropical trees, shrubs, and flowering flora. Ancient landscape gardens include well-groomed thickets and plantings of firs, pines, cypresses, rhododendrons, hundreds of flowers. There is a pond with swans and fish. Finding "Southern Cultures" and "Imeretinsky" is easy. You will find a double "paradise" between the residential areas of the Mzymta embankment and the Olympic Park. These are the bus stops "Park Southern Cultures" and "Imeretinsky Quarter".
Imereti resort
As mentioned, the bathing recreation areas on Imeretinka are well equipped. There are 10 of them. Almost each has towers of the Ministry of Emergencies (rescuers with equipment and a paramedic on duty), a rental office for sun loungers and sun umbrellas, and showers. But toilets, locker rooms and rubbish bins are located in all sections of the Imereti Riviera.
Mzymta beach
The beaches of the Imereti lowland, like this one, are distinguished by the fact that they are both sea and river at the same time. So, the westernmost bath lies along the mouth of the Mzymta, at the relay tower. The water is colder here. But what picturesque views! Its length is only 100 m, however, the width of the strip is the most record-breaking - over 70 m.
Beach "Imeretinsky"
The next 150 meters belong to the Imereti Club. For 400 rubles. spend all day here! Capacity 90 people Sun loungers, umbrellas, cafes, sports and playgrounds, sanitary cabins and water activities. There are also animators.
Radisson Blu Beach
Admission is free, but all services are paid. The size is 200 by 30 m. Considering all the beaches of the Imeretinskaya lowland, this one will be chosen by those vacationers who need not only a toilet, lifeguards and sun loungers, but also water attractions, decking and paddling pools.
Rosa Khutor Beach
Surveying this piece of water area of the bay, it should be noted: you can get to it directly from the main stadium of the Olympic zone - "Fishta", you just need to cross the roadway. After the specified "zest" we emphasize: at your disposal is what was on the previous beach. We also add that the space is long (400 m.), And the pebbles are small.
Olympiyskiy Beach - Gorki Gorod
As an Olympic and entertainment park, the Imeretinskaya Lowland will give odds to similar complexes in Western Europe and the USA. This is recognized by the foreigners themselves. The double beach area covers the rest of the coast of the round Olympic Cape. Vacationers get here from a stop named after the specified stadium.
Sirius Beach
Equipped indoor beach and entertainment complex. Designed for pupils of the educational center of the same name (his name is in the title, and the passage from the final bus is 125C and 135). It stretches for 175 meters - to the harbor of Sochi-Park.
Beach "Sochi-Park" (the beach of the hotel "Bogatyr")
Then we are met not by attractions, but by the Sochi-Park beach, the brand of which is far from the size. Resort advantages - very small pebbles (at the very edge of the water), a smooth entry into the sea, its own lifeguard tower and bathrooms. The entrance is free. If you wish, pay only for extreme fun - a banana, a jumping pillow, a jet ski.
South Star Beach
This is the coast, which is looked after by employees of the hotel complex of the same name. Therefore, it is always clean here, and for customers it is still free. The length of such a pleasure is 450, the width is 35 meters. The bottom without holes, grows gradually. And the pebbles are comfortable here.
Velvet Seasons Beach
Named after an elite residential complex, which occupies a decent-sized block. For tenants of "velvet" apartments all inclusive. The size is the same.
The beaches of the Sovkhoz Rossiya microdistrict (former Psou)
Now it is 3 beach areas. And yet, the natives stubbornly continue to call this farm (some service here is common with the "Velvet Seasons") - "Psou". The main attraction of the intricately curving 2-kilometer coastline is the fence through which the neighboring state, Abkhazia, is viewed.
The Imereti lowland is a unique opportunity to relax without any uphill climbs, to enjoy an analogue of the humid, bright and fragrant Colchis lowland (Abkhazia and Georgia), which is no different in terms of characteristics, to recall the 2014 Olympics ...
0The Olympic Park was built exactly where I once loved to walk and next to the bay in which I always swam in splendid isolation.
Several times I tried to follow the same route and find my once favorite place. Almost succeeded.
The picture during the day, to put it mildly, is nothing - glass, concrete and asphalt with occasional splashes of greenery. However, the pre-set sun works wonders, and if you are going to take a walk there, then go in the late afternoon. At the end of the post there will be pictures before, and now some fresh photos with explanations.
For starters, an inspiring sea view from a large ice palace
Exactly in this place there was an emerald-green plain and reeds higher than my 172 (the only Colchis swamps in Russia - a stopping place for migratory birds and one of the key ornithological territories of Russia).
Now the tile is vibrating underfoot (I still haven’t figured out the reason for the vibration), and a view of 3 structures:
On the left is a large ice palace, on the right is the Puck ice arena, and the furthest in the center is the Fisht stadium.
The stadium got its name from the mountain peak of the same name in the western part of the Main Caucasian Range (translated from the Adyghe language, the word "fisht" means "white head")
Mountain View. The painted hangar on the right is the back of the Fisht Stadium. And there are trees behind the tourists, you see? This is an Old Believer cemetery enclosed by a high fence, it is located between the Fisht Stadium and Torch Square.
Sea view from the same spot.
Directly at the rate of new houses on Parusnaya Street, there used to be a holiday village.
Another view of the sea.
Reflection of the sunset in a large ice palace. He has a secret glazing. During the day, the glass is mirrored and nothing but a reflection of the surrounding space is visible there. As soon as it starts to get dark, the mirror properties gradually disappear and you can already look inside.
Sea view from inside, very futuristic building.
View from the end, the wall of a large ice palace in the section, so to speak). These metal laces are lined with glass on the outside and are part of the supporting structure for the roof of the stadium.
And a couple of photos from the past.
Imeretinskaya lowland (2006), untouched by the construction, see what color the sea is in the lower left corner, there was the cleanest water in the Sochi region. Photo taken
Now this place looks like this, there is simply no greenery. Photo from here
The same place in 2010, the construction site has already been deployed, fenced off... and carefully guarded!
I wonder from whom? There were several such installations along the perimeter of the construction site.
There will be no conclusions yet, I showed you only a tiny piece of a vast territory. To be continued, as well as my personal opinion about what we have lost and what we have gained.
As they say, don't switch.
The Olympics have passed, and the strength test of all coastal Olympic facilities has also passed. The area passed the test in winter, competitions and tourists. But what now? In the Imereti lowland, preparations for the Formula 1 competition are in full swing, and people are already swimming on the shore.
What does this place look like now? Let's see?
1. The coastal cluster of Olympic venues today is the quietest and most deserted place. 
2. When looking in all directions - empty. Rare, rare people run past. 
3. In the center, everything is even and clean. 
4. Rare visitors are photographed for memory. 
5. In most open spaces, only traces of construction equipment are visible. 
6. But why is it so empty here? Because people just have nothing to do here now? Not only. 
7. For example, let's take a look at the tracks made in the colors of the Olympiad rings. There are few people here. And they go to the open exits. It's hard to tell from the photos, but in fact, the territory of the construction site of the racing track is fenced off. Plus, there is a strange fence around the territory, even in those places where nothing needs to be built. 
8. Is that why no one is here? There is a fence behind the houses. 
9. Why is there no one on the square? Because to enter here you need to forgive two fences with holes. 
10. And all this despite the fact that in the center of the square there is a mini-cafe and some entertainment. I don't understand why it's all fenced off. 
11. Here, against the backdrop of a large ice arena, you can see some building materials. In this part, almost everything is ready for the race track. Rare places of work - turns and former lawns. 
12. The closest hotel to the place. Clearly, the demand for numbers is now minimal. 
13. Rare cars in this area - builders and organizers of the open day in Sochi. 
14. Here you can see the fence. 
15. And here is the end of sports facilities and a lonely car in front of the hotel. To get here, you need to know all the open passages. 
16. The future attraction is an amusement park. 
17. Hotel "Azimut". 
18. We are moving from the Olympic venues to the Black Sea coast. The passage consists of two demolished sections of the fence near the guard's booth. 
19. And here is the sea! 
20. On May 16, they already swam boldly here. 
21. In this area, the water turned out to be very clean, in contrast to the place where the Mzymta flows into the sea. 
22. A beautiful promenade with a separate bike path stretches along the entire coast. 
23. The bike path was in very little demand. 
24.
25. Various small design elements. 
26. We are moving towards the border with Abkhazia. The embankment narrows a little. 
27. There were definitely a lot of people - fishermen! 
28. In the afternoon, the air temperature is above +30, and they are here! 
29.
30. And now what I liked the least. With ennoblement, the embankment becomes sandwiched with fences. There are more people here, there are old residential buildings nearby, hotels with tourists. And you feel squeezed into some strange framework. 
31. Somewhere there arrived. 
32. And here it seems like you need to sit on a bench and admire the sea. But who likes to admire the sea, if at the eye level of an ordinary person there is a fence with thick rods? 
33. And behind the fence, the view is noticeably better. 
34.
35. And finally - a piece of the old part of this place. Historically, there were state farms here. One large area is called "Sovkhoz Rossiya". 
36. And on this I will finish today's story! 
Thank you for your attention! Stay in touch!
You can read other May entries about Sochi and its surroundings in my blog!
In the Imeretinskaya lowland, which stretches along the Black Sea coast for 8 km between the mouths of the Mzymta and Psou rivers, an unprecedented destruction of the natural communities that had previously formed there occurred, but a natural disaster in this biotope, unique for our country, was avoided.
Swan lakes are part of the natural ornithological park in the Imeretinskaya lowland. The density of the bird population is very high here, during the year the presence of 56 species of birds is noted, including 11 rare and endangered. In the photo: Swan Lakes in 2007 and 2015
Colchis swamps
The landscape uniqueness of the Imereti lowland was noted at the beginning of the last century by prominent scientists of that time, Professor A.N. Krasnov and Academician I.P. Borodin, speaking about the need to preserve the Colchis swamps here. Such a relic landscape was found on the Caucasian coast only in one more place, much to the south, in the Poti region.
In the first decades of Soviet power, the development of the lowlands only accelerated. Over time, the nesting species, described at the beginning of the century by the researchers of the fauna of the Black Sea region A.A. Brauner, K.V. Launitz, A.E. Kudashev, in particular the osprey, the white-tailed eagle and the gray heron. Active plowing of land led to a reduction in the areas of forests and Colchis swamps, in their place appeared meadows, fields, thickets of shrubs, drainage channels, small lakes. But all this created favorable conditions for stopping migratory and wintering birds here. Their numbers and species diversity increased, especially in cold, snowy winters or during prolonged cyclones. At the end of the last and the beginning of the present centuries, mass accumulations of geese, ducks, herons, wood pigeons, quails, various waders and small passerine birds were observed more than once in the Imeretinskaya lowland.
Robin Erithacus rubecula is a small songbird from the flycatcher family, its ringing song is one of the most beautiful bird songs.
Photo: Natural Ornithological Park in the Imereti Lowland
Construction and birds
In 2007, a large Olympic construction began in the Imeretinskaya lowland, it was here that the main ice palaces and stadiums of the XXII Olympic Winter Games were to be located. Under pressure from the public, who advocated the preservation of the Colchis swamps, and with the support of the Russian Geographical Society, the creation of a specially protected natural area of regional significance, the Natural Ornithological Park, was included in the Sochi Application Book as a measure to compensate for the negative impact of the Games on the environment. In fact, it is the same Olympic facility as stadiums, only designed to preserve the ecosystems of the Imereti lowland.
The Natural Ornithological Park in the Imereti Lowland was established in 2010. For obvious reasons, its total area of 298.59 hectares is not a single protected area, but consists of 14 disparate sites (clusters) ranging from 1 ha to 72.41 ha. Eight of them are located directly in the Imeretinskaya lowland (Adlersky district of the city of Sochi), and six more up the Psou river valley in the Nizhneshilovsky rural district.
The management of the natural park is carried out by a specially created state institution of the Krasnodar Territory with a staff of 21 people. The main areas of activity are ensuring the functioning of the park, observing the regime of special protection, research work and environmental education of the population. In order to create comfortable conditions for birds, employees carry out a number of biotechnical measures: regular laying out of feed throughout the year, installation of feeders, artificial nests and shelters. These activities play an important role, especially during the cold winter months, when the concentration of birds in the natural park is maximum.
A number of sections of the natural ornithological park in the Imeretinskaya lowland were not affected by the Olympic construction and are preserved in their natural state, forming "protected islands" surrounded by tourist infrastructure. Photos from 2006 and 2014
Photo: Natural Ornithological Park in the Imereti Lowland
Natural ornithological park
From the former vast seaside lowland, now there are small areas of natural park with lakes, meadows and shrubs, surrounded by roads, buildings, sports and recreational facilities. As a result of large-scale development, the total area of natural and agricultural landscapes has decreased by 15 times. As a result, the absolute number of birds has expectedly decreased. Compared to the period of 20 years ago, now (data for the middle of 2017) 42 species of birds have ceased to be observed here. 13 species, which were quite widespread earlier, no longer winter in this territory. 8 species have disappeared from the nesting population.
But, as our studies have shown, even in the post-Olympic period, the lowland remains attractive for nesting, migratory and wintering birds. There are 16 species of birds that have not previously been found in this area. Among them are black-tailed swallow, red-rumped swallow, masked shrike, yellow-fronted wagtail and desert wheatear. Before the Olympics, 25 species included in the Red Books of the Russian Federation and the Krasnodar Territory were celebrated here. Now there are 17 species in this group of birds. Regularly occurring species include the little cormorant, Egyptian heron, loaf, white-eyed duck, white-headed duck, stilt, little bustard, and pale mockingbird.
Undoubtedly, most of the changes that have occurred in the bird population are associated with an unprecedented scale of anthropogenic transformation of their habitat. But thanks to the protective measures taken within the framework of the possible, a natural disaster was avoided. Moreover, the composition and structure of the local ornithocomplexes continues to demonstrate the preservation of common features of the bird fauna of the Black Sea plains. The results of our research indicate that the Imereti Lowland remains attractive for nesting, migratory and wintering birds. Their modern communities as part of a natural ornithological park correspond to the status of this specially protected natural area.
Lev Shagarov, Candidate of Geographical Sciences, Deputy Director for Research at the Natural Ornithological Park in the Imereti Lowland, Associate Professor at Sochi State University; Petr Tilba, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Leading Researcher of the Sochi National Park, Associate Professor of the Sochi Institute of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia
2014.
Geographical characteristic
In the system of physiographic zoning of the Caucasus (Gvozdetsky, Smagina, 1986; Devdariani, 1986), the Imeretinskaya lowland is part of the region of the Transcaucasian depression of the Colchis province (a subprovince of the Colchis foothills of the Sochi-Adler district, the continuation of which in Abkhazia is the district of the North Colchis foothills).
The Imereti lowland is part of a wide coastal plain between the Psou and Mzymta rivers. The plain is located in the altitude range from 0 to 50 m above sea level. The origin of the lowland is accumulative, it is composed of Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial, marine, lake and swamp deposits. The lowland is separated from the sea in some places by an elevated coastal sand bar. In the foothill part, the Imeretinskaya lowland rests on hills composed of Paleogene and Neogene rocks.
A feature of the region is the presence of deep swamps, which are lakes overgrown and filled with silt and peat. The Mzymta River had a significant influence on the formation of the Imeretinskaya Lowland, which, during periods of repeated large floods, formed narrow estuarine accumulations of pebbles far in front of the coastline.
On the territory of the lowland before the construction of the Olympic facilities of the 2014 Olympiad, there were settlements: Nizhne-Imeretinskaya Bay, state farms "Russia", "Southern Cultures", the village of Mirny.
Climate
In the region of the Imeretinskaya lowland, a rather high average annual air temperature of + 13 ° C is observed, which approaches the average annual temperature of the planet. This territory, due to the high absolute humidity of the air and the decrease in effective radiation, has an average annual temperature 3 ° C higher in relation to the solar climate, and 3-5 ° - in relation to the mid-latitude sum of the annual radiation balance, which equates it to areas located closer to the equator at 300-400 km. The average temperature of the coldest month in the village. Leselidze +5.5°C, the number of frost-free days in this area is from 250 to 294.
Flora and fauna
The Imeretinskaya lowland is the only landscape of the Colchis lowlands and marshes in Russia, their extreme northern variant. As of 2009, the data of the analysis of the vegetation of the swampy-peaty lowland, carried out in the Abkhazian part of the plain, showed that the floristic commonality with other phytolandscapes of Abkhazia is very low and amounts to 19% for alder forests and only 5.9% for the main core of wetland vegetation characterized by a sharp ecological localization. It should be noted the unique species of flora and fauna known in the Russian Federation only, or mainly in the Imeretinskaya lowland. Several tens of plant species and 17 species of various animals are listed in the Red Books of various levels.
Due to the geographical location of the Imereti lowland, the peculiarities of its landscape elements, unique avifaunal communities have formed here. In total, 214 species of birds were recorded on the territory of the Imereti Lowland, most of which are wintering and migratory. The Imeretinskaya lowland is one of the few regions of the Black Sea region where 26 rare species of birds are found, listed in the Red Book of Russia. Significant concentrations of wintering birds (up to 3 thousand individuals per 1 sq. km) were periodically noted in the Imeretinskaya lowland, migrating to the Black Sea coast from the plains of Ciscaucasia in cold, snowy winters. In such years, the interfluve of the Psou and Mzymta is one of the few, and for some species the only stopping point and waiting for adverse weather conditions.
The uniqueness of the Imereti lowland was recognized by the tsarist government, in 1911, assigning it the status of a specially protected natural zone.
Currently, 179 species of birds are found on the territory of the natural park; they nest here, winter or stop during migrations. 18 of them are listed in the Red Book of the Krasnodar Territory and 16 species are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation
Development of the territory of the lowlands and modern use
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The Imereti lowland occupies an area of about 1300 hectares.
On the territory of the lowland there are the remains of a Christian church of the 9th-10th centuries, on the basis of which it is currently planned to arrange a museum.
One of the first in the region of the Nizhne-Imeretinskaya Bay, Nekrasov Cossacks formed the village of Marlinsky, most of the population of which was resettled in the village of Nekrasovskoye in 2011, since their houses and land plots were seized for Olympic needs.
At present, the main sports facilities of the coastal cluster of the XXII Winter Olympics in Sochi, the Olympic Park, a theme park, a large number of hotels, and a railway station have been built on the territory of the Imereti Lowland. Also, at the mouth of the Mzymta, the port of Sochi Imeretinsky was built, which is planned to be converted into a yacht marina after the Olympics.
In order to maintain the status of a key ornithological area of international importance, as well as to preserve, restore, reproduce wildlife and their habitat, a natural ornithological park was created in the Imeretinskaya lowland with a total area of 298.59 hectares. The natural ornithological park consists of 14 clusters, 6 of which are located on low-mountain hills in the Psou river valley and 8 more - directly on the Imeretinskaya lowland.
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Literature
- Igor Petrovich Balabanov, Semyon Prokopevich Nikiforov, Igor Stepanovich Pashkovsky.. - M .: Nedra, 2011. - 281 p. - ISBN 5836503885, 9785836503888.
- Akatov V.V., Akatova T.V., Bibin A.R., Grabenko E.A., Yeskin N.B., Zagurnaya Yu.S., Zashibaev M.V., Kudaktin A.N., Loktionova O .A., Perevozov A.G., Spasovsky Yu.N., Tilba P.A., Timukhin I.N., Tuniev B.S., Tuniev S.B., Chumachenko Yu.A.- Krasnodar: Kopi-Print LLC, 2009. - 93 p.
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An excerpt characterizing the Imereti lowland
Across from Nikolai there was greenery and there stood his hunter, alone in a hole behind a prominent hazel bush. The hounds had just been brought in, Nikolai heard the rare rut of the dog known to him - Voltorna; other dogs joined him, now falling silent, then again starting to drive. A minute later, a voice was heard from the island on the fox, and the whole flock, having fallen down, drove along the screwdriver, in the direction of the greenery, away from Nikolai.He saw galloping red-capped snipers along the edges of the overgrown ravine, he even saw dogs, and every second he expected a fox to appear on the other side, in the greenery.
The hunter, who was standing in the pit, set off and released the dogs, and Nikolai saw a red, low, strange fox, which, having fluffed out a pipe, hurriedly rushed through the greenery. The dogs began to sing to her. Here they approached, here the fox began to wag in circles between them, more and more often making these circles and circling around him with a fluffy pipe (tail); and then someone's white dog flew in, and after it a black one, and everything was mixed up, and the dogs, with their backs apart, slightly hesitant, became a star. Two hunters jumped up to the dogs: one in a red cap, the other, a stranger, in a green caftan.
"What it is? thought Nicholas. Where did this hunter come from? It's not uncle's."
The hunters fought off the fox and for a long time, slowly, stood on foot. Near them, horses with their protrusions of saddles, and dogs lay on poles. The hunters waved their hands and did something with the fox. From there the sound of a horn was heard - the agreed signal of a fight.
- This is the Ilaginsky hunter, something is rebelling with our Ivan, - said the aspirant Nikolai.
Nikolay sent a stirrup to call his sister and Petya to him, and walked at a pace to the place where the hounds were gathering the hounds. Several hunters galloped to the scene of the fight.
Nikolai got off his horse, stopped near the hounds with Natasha and Petya, who had driven up, waiting for information about how the matter would end. A fighting hunter with a fox in toroks rode out from behind the edge of the forest and rode up to the young master. He took off his hat from a distance and tried to speak respectfully; but he was pale, breathless, and his face was vicious. One of his eyes was blackened, but he probably didn't know it.
- What did you have there? Nikolai asked.
- How, from under our hounds, he will poison! Yes, and my mousey bitch caught it. Come on, sue! Enough for the fox! I'll roll him like a fox. Here she is, in the torso. And this is what you want? ... - the hunter said, pointing to the dagger and probably imagining that he was still talking with his enemy.
Nikolai, without talking to the hunter, asked his sister and Petya to wait for him and went to the place where this hostile Ilaginsky hunt was.
The victorious hunter rode into the crowd of hunters and there, surrounded by sympathetic curious, told his feat.
The fact was that Ilagin, with whom the Rostovs were in a quarrel and process, hunted in places that, according to custom, belonged to the Rostovs, and now, as if on purpose, he ordered to drive up to the island where the Rostovs hunted, and allowed his hunter to poison from under other people's hounds.
Nikolai never saw Ilagin, but, as always, in his judgments and feelings, not knowing the middle ground, according to rumors about the riot and self-will of this landowner, he hated him with all his heart and considered him his worst enemy. Angered and agitated, he now rode towards him, tightly clutching the rapnik in his hand, in full readiness for the most decisive and dangerous actions against his enemy.
As soon as he rode beyond the ledge of the forest, he saw a fat gentleman in a beaver cap on a beautiful black horse, accompanied by two stirrups, advancing towards him.
Instead of an enemy, Nikolai found in Ilagina a representative, courteous gentleman, who especially wanted to get acquainted with the young count. Having approached Rostov, Ilagin raised his beaver cap and said that he was very sorry for what had happened; that orders to punish the hunter, who allowed himself to poison from under other people's dogs, asks the count to be acquainted and offers him his places for hunting.
Natasha, who was afraid that her brother would do something terrible, rode not far behind him in excitement. Seeing that the enemies bowed friendly, she rode up to them. Ilagin raised his beaver cap even higher in front of Natasha and, smiling pleasantly, said that the countess represented Diana both in her passion for hunting and in her beauty, about which he had heard a lot.
Ilagin, in order to make amends for his hunter, urged Rostov to go into his eel, which was a mile away, which he saved for himself and in which, according to him, hares were poured. Nikolai agreed, and the hunt, which had doubled in size, moved on.
It was necessary to go through the fields to the Ilaginsky eel. The hunters leveled out. The gentlemen traveled together. Uncle, Rostov, Ilagin secretly glanced at other people's dogs, trying not to let others notice it, and anxiously looked for rivals among these dogs for their dogs.
Rostov was especially struck by her beauty, a small purebred, narrow, but with steel muscles, a thin forceps (muzzle) and rolling black eyes, a red-spotted bitch in Ilagin's pack. He heard about the playfulness of the Ilaginsky dogs, and in this beautiful bitch he saw a rival to his Milka.
In the middle of a sedate conversation about the harvest of this year, which Ilagin started, Nikolai pointed out to him his red-spotted bitch.
- You have a good bitch! he said casually. - Rezva?
- This? Yes, this one is a kind dog, it catches, ”Ilagin said in an indifferent voice about his red-haired Yerza, for whom a year ago he gave his neighbor three families of courtyards. - So you, Count, do not boast of being hammered? He continued the conversation. And considering it polite to repay the young count in the same way, Ilagin examined his dogs and chose Milka, who caught his eye with her width.
- You have a good black-pie - okay! - he said.
“Yes, nothing, he’s jumping,” answered Nikolai. “If only a hardened hare would run into the field, I would show you what kind of dog this is!” he thought, and turning to the stirrup said that he gives a ruble to someone who suspects, that is, finds a lying hare.
“I don’t understand,” Ilagin continued, “how other hunters are envious of the beast and dogs. I'll tell you about myself, Count. It amuses me, you know, to take a ride; now you’ll move in with such a company ... what’s better already (he again took off his beaver cap in front of Natasha); and this is to count the skins, how many he brought - I don’t care!
- Well, yes.
- Or so that I would be offended that someone else's dog would catch, and not mine - I just would like to admire the persecution, right, count? Then I judge...
- Atu - his, - a drawn-out cry of one of the stopped greyhounds was heard at that time. He stood on a semi-mound of stubble, raising a rapnik, and once again repeated drawlingly: - A - that - him! (This sound and the raised rapnik meant that he sees a hare lying in front of him.)
“Ah, I suspect, I think,” Ilagin said casually. - Well, let's go, count!
- Yes, you need to drive up ... yes - well, together? Nikolai answered, peering at Yerza and at the red Uncle Rugai, at his two rivals, with whom he had never yet managed to equalize his dogs. “Well, how will my Milka be cut off from my ears!” he thought, moving towards the hare next to his uncle and Ilagin.
- Mother? Ilagin asked, moving towards the suspicious hunter, and not without excitement, looking around and whistling to Yerza...
“And you, Mikhail Nikanorych?” he turned to his uncle.
Uncle rode frowning.
- Why should I meddle, because yours is a pure march! - in the village they paid for the dog, your thousandths. You measure yours, and I'll take a look!
- Scold! On, on, he shouted. - Scold! he added, involuntarily expressing by this diminutive his tenderness and hope placed in this red dog. Natasha saw and felt the excitement hidden by these two old men and her brother, and she herself was worried.
The hunter stood on a half-hill with a raised rapnik, the gentlemen drove up to him at a step; the hounds, walking on the very horizon, turned away from the hare; hunters, not gentlemen, also drove off. Everything moved slowly and sedately.
- Where is the head? Nikolai asked, driving up a hundred paces to the suspicious hunter. But before the hunter had time to answer, the hare, sensing frost by tomorrow morning, could not lie down and jumped up. A flock of hounds on bows, with a roar, rushed downhill after a hare; from all sides, the greyhounds, who were not in packs, rushed to the hounds and to the hare. All those slow-moving hunters-snipers shouting: stop! knocking down dogs, greyhounds shouting: atu! guiding the dogs, they galloped across the field. Calm Ilagin, Nikolai, Natasha and uncle flew, not knowing how and where, seeing only dogs and a hare, and fearing only to lose sight of the persecution even for a moment. The hare was caught hardened and frisky. Jumping up, he did not immediately gallop, but moved his ears, listening to the scream and clatter that suddenly resounded from all sides. He jumped about ten times slowly, letting the dogs approach him, and finally, having chosen a direction and realizing the danger, he laid his ears and rushed at full speed. He was lying on the stubble, but in front there were greenery, on which it was marshy. The two dogs of the suspicious hunter, who were the closest of all, were the first to look and pawn behind the hare; but they had not yet moved far towards him, when the Ilaginsky red-spotted Yerza flew out from behind them, approached the dog at a distance, with terrible speed gave, aiming at the tail of the hare and thinking that she had grabbed him, rolled head over heels. The hare arched its back and pushed even harder. A broad-assed, black-spotted Milka came out from behind Yerza and quickly began to sing to the hare.
- Honey! mother! - Nikolai's triumphant cry was heard. It seemed that Milka would now hit and pick up the hare, but she caught up and swept past. Rusak retired. The beautiful Yerza settled down again and hung over the very tail of the hare, as if trying on how not to make a mistake now, to grab her back thigh.
- Erzanka! sister! I heard Ilagin crying, not his own voice. Erza did not heed his pleas. At the very moment when it was necessary to wait for her to grab the hare, he swung and rolled out to the border between greenery and stubble. Again Yerza and Milka, like a drawbar pair, leveled off and began to sing to the hare; at the turn it was easier for the hare, the dogs did not approach him so quickly.