under Lord Hutchinson, imagined that they found their own temples in the ruins of Dendera, and
were greatly exasperated at the natives for their neglect of the ancient deities whose images are still
preserved; and they proceeded to perform their devotions with all the ceremonies practised in their
own land.” *
8. THE MONGOL-TARTAR FAMILY.
This vast family, which is called by the various names of Tartar, Mongol
and Scythian, now occupies nearly half of Asia and part of Europe, and is
composed of several branches speaking different languages, yet possessing a general
resemblance in their manners and personal appearance. In order to avoid repetition
we shall proceed at once to give some account of these several divisions.!
1. The Finnish Branch, or Tchndes. Of these the Finns inhabit the north
of Europe between the 60th and 65th degree of north latitude. Though a colony
from Asia, they have for many ages occupied their present seats, and are now
subject to Sweden. They are of middling stature, with broad faces, dark eyes
and sallow complexion. They have schools and academies, are slow hut shrewd,
and have made considerable progress in the arts and sciences.
The Ingrians resemble the Finns in exterior, but they are stupid, suspicious
and thievish, whence their poverty and vagabond habits.
The Cheremish inhabit the province of Kasan. They were originally a
pastoral and wandering tribe, and even now never dwell in towns; hut they have
assumed agricultural habits, though without industry or enterprise.
The Mordvines are settled on the rivers Oka and Volga in the government
of Kasan. They are of a brown complexion, with harsh hair, and lean face, of
inactive habits yet honest and hospitable.
The Votiaks, who also inhabit the province of Kasan, are of meagre person
and middling stature, and resemble the Finns more than any nation that derives
its origin from them.
The Vogouls, who dwell in the forests north of Mount Ural, are of a gay
disposition, honest, shrewd, and laborious, yet fickle and slovenly to excess. They
are a pastoral tribe, and the northern horde domesticates the reindeer. Other
communities of the Finnish stock inhabit the Russian province of Permia, where
they are called Permians.
* Anc. and Mod. Egypt, Introd. p. 20.—See also London Quart. Rev. XVI, p. 18. Jim. ed.
t The materials of this chapter are derived almost exclusively from Tobke’s Russia, passim,
and Abul Ghaze, History of the Tartars.—In distributing the Mongol-Tartar family into branches, I
have been chiefly governed by the difference in language, and have followed the first named author.
<2. The Mongols proper embrace several subordinate divisions, of which the
Calmucks, who are the most prominent, occupy the western section of the great
Mongol region. “ They are characterised by obliquity of the eyes, which are
depressed towards the nose, and by the rounded internal angle of the eyelids; by
their black and scarcely curved eyebrows; by the nose, which is altogether small
and flat, being particularly broad towards the forehead; by high cheek-bones, and
round head and face. A black-brown iris, large and thick lips, short chin, white
teeth, remaining firm and sound even in advanced age, and large ears standing off*
from the head, are universal. They are of middling size, and we see very few
tall people amongst them: the women are particularly small, and very delicately
formed.”* They have a good understanding and quick comprehension; are lively
and tractable, yet extremely improvident, and thievish, but not disposed to cruelty
even in their predatory excursions. They are divided into four principal tribes,
the Koschots, Derbets, Soongars and Torgots, which for a long time constituted an
independent and powerful nation; but their hordes, which are now subject to
Russia, at present inhabit the deserts between the rivers Don and Volga, and the
Ural river from Igris to the Caspian sea. They are part idolaters, part Christians,
and their religious rites are characterised by superstition and inconstancy.
The Burats. In the middle of the past century the Burats inhabited the
government of Irkutsk, almost from the Yenisei, along the Mongolian and Chinese
borders, to the Angara and Tufiguska, and thence to the lake Baikal, which latter
place appears to have been their primitive home. In personal appearance the
Burats much resemble the Kalmucks, yet they are less inclined to corpulency.
“ Their flesh seems sodden, and their countenance is pale and yellow. Their
bodies have very little solidity and strength. A Russian of the same size weighs
much more; and either in play or earnest, overcomes several Burats with ease.”f
They are indolent, dishonest, and spiritless, and have scarcely any possessions but
their flocks. Allied to the Burats are the Kalkas, who inhabit the country
between Siberia and the great desert of Cobi; a superstitious and uncivilised
people, who are said to present, in their domestic customs, a humiliating picture
of,human degradation.
3. The Tartar Branch. The Tartar hordes were originally derived from
Great Tartary, in other words from the vast territory between Siberia and the
mountains of India, from the river Oural. to Mongolia, one part of which is now
comprehended in Soongaria. Yet at this time they have ceased to maintain their
Pallas, in Lawrence’s Lectures, p. 556. t Tooke, Russia, IV, p. 132.