B°n K The greateft part of the ftud was grazing in the plain : it
confifled of a large number of the fineft ftallions, and above
fixtv brood-mares, moft of whom had foals. The collection
was gleaned from the moft diftant quarters of the globe,
from Arabia, Turkey, Tartary, Perfia, and England. He obtained
the Arabians during his expedition in the Archipelago,
fome as prefents from Ali-Bey, others by purchafe or by
conqueft from the Turks : amongft thefe he chiefly prized
four horfes (two of which wre had noticed in the manege at
Mofcow) of the true Cochlean breed, fo much efteemed in
Arabia, and fo feldom feen out of their native country.
The count, after having politely attended us himfelf to
the ftud and about the grounds, regaled us with a moft
elegant entertainment, at which his vivacity lent charms
to his fplendour and hofpitality. In our return to Mofcow,
we made a circuit to a fmall village about fix miles
from the capital, where a villa was eredting for the emprefs,
called Tzaricino : it confifted, befide the principal building,
of eight or ten detached ftrudtures in the Gothic tafte, which
were prettily difperfed among the plantations. The fitua-
tion is romantic, a rifing ground backed with wood, and a
large piece of water embracing the foot of the hill.
I cannot forbear to mention in this place an aft of almoft
Eaftern magnificence, which this vifit fome time afterwards
occafioned. One morning in the enfuing winter, at Peter-
iburgh, one of the fineft among the Arabian horfes, which
Lord Herbert had greatly admired at Mofcow, was fent to
him, accompanied with the following note.
“ My Lord, I obferved that this horfe pleafed you, and
“ therefore defire your acceptance of him. I received him
“ as a prefent from Ali-Bey. He is a true Arabian of the
“ Cochlean race, and in the late war was brought by the
I Ruffian
« Ruffian fhips from Arabia to me while I was in the Archi- c h a p .
“ pelago. I wifli he may be as ferviceable to you as h e 1__,__
“ has been to me; and I remain, with efteem, your obedient
“ fervant, Count A l e x e y O r l o f T c h e s m in s k i .”'
This valuable horfe was fent from Peteriburgh by fea to
England, and is now in the Earl of Pembroke’s pofleffion-
At the clofe of an entertainment, which the count one
day gave us, at Mofcow, he introduced us to the fight of a.
Ruffian boxing-match, which is a favourite ddverfion among,
the common people. We repaired to the manege,, where
we found about three hundred peafants aflembled. They
divided themfelves into two parties, each of which chofe a
chief, who called out the combatants, and pitted them againit
each other : only a fingle pair was allowed to-engage at the-
fame time. They did not ftrip as with us, and had on thick
leathern gloves with thumb pieces, but with no reparations-
for the fingers. From the ftiflhefs of the leather they could
fcarcely double their fills ; and many of them ftruck open
handed. Their attitudes were very different from thofe ufed
by boxers in England : they advanced the left foot and fide
ftretched the left arm- towards the adverfary in order to repel:
his blows; and kept the right arm fwinging at fome dif-
tance from the other. They generally ftruck in a circular
direction at the face and head, never attacked the breaft or
fides, and feemed to have no notion of aiming a blow di-
reftly forwards. When any combatant felled his antagonift
to the ground, he was declared viitor, and the conteft between
that pair immediately ceafed. During our ltay we:
were witnefs to about twenty fucceffive combats. Some of
the men were of vaft ftrength ; but their mode of fighting,
prevented any mifchief from its exertion ; nor did we perceive
any of thofe fradlures and contufions in- which boxing-
6 matches