b o o k Thofe peafants who furniih poft horfes are called yarn-
— i—jJhics, and enjoy fome peculiar privileges. They are obliged
to fupply all couriers and travellers at a moil moderate price,
namely, in thedeareft parts at I'-d. and in many other parts
at id. per verft * for each horfe ; and, in co.ropenfation, they
are exempted from the payment of the poll-tax, and from
being enlifted as foldiers; notwithftanding thefe immunities,
the price they receive for their horfes is fo inconfiderable,
that they always produce them with the greateft reluitance.
The inftant a traveller demands a fupply o f freili horfes, the
yamfhics affemble in crouds, and frequently wrangle and
quarrel to fuch a degree, as to afford amufement to a perfon
who is not inlpatientto depart. Theirfquabblesanddifputes
upon this occafion are fo remarkable as to have llruck all
travellers who have given any account of this country.
Chanceler, the firft Engliihman who landed at Archangel,
and went from thence to Mofcow, could not fail to obferve
this circumftance, which equally prevailed at that period as
at prefent t. “ Expreffe commandement was given, that
“ poft-horfes ihould bee gotten for him, and the reft of his
11 company, without any money. Which thing was, of all
“ the Ruffes in the reft of their journey, fo willingly done,
“ that they began to quarrel, yea, and to fight alfo, in ftriv-
“ ing and contending which of them ihould put their poft-
“ horfes to the iledde.”
In this defcription, however, Chanceler has made a ludicrous
miftake; for the objedt of their fquabbles was not to
“ premature marriages are o f very little ufe “ their endeavours. It is only the inhabi*
“ to the ftate ; for which reafon, methods “ tants o f /fome o f the provinces in Ruflia
“ t o 'g e t the better o f this cuftom. have ! “ thatHill retain this bad cuftom.” P. 333.
“ been fought for, and I hope will food take Antidote. ,
“ place: the biihops are attentive, to pxe- * Three-quarters o f a mile.
“ vent thefe marriages as much as poffible, f Hackluyt’s Voyages, vol. I. p . 247.
“ and have o f late fucceeded greatly in
obtain
obtain, but to decline, the honour of furnifhing him with
horfes. The fame fcene is frequently renewed at prefent ;
as I have occafionaljy qbferved that an hour’s unremitted altercation
produced.no effecft, and that the poft-mafter at
length obliged the yamfhics to fettle the intricate.conteft by
drawing lots. Indeed, as I have before remarkeddy it is
abfolutely neceffary for any foreigner, who withes to travel
with expedition, not only to be provided with a pafiport, but
alfo to be accompanied with a Ruffian foldier. The latter,
immediately upon his arrival at the poft-houfe, inftead of
attending to the arguments of the peafants, or waiting for
the flow mediation of the poft-mafter, fummarily decides the
bufinefs by the powerful interpofition of his cudgel. The
Boors, quickly Jilenced by this dumb mode of argumentation f,.
find no difficulty in adjufting their preten fions, and the
horfes almoft inftantly make their appearance.
In our route through Ruffia I was greatly furprized at the
propenllty of the natives to fingiug. Even the peafants, who
ailed in the capacity of coachmen and poftilions, were no
fooner mounted than they began to warble an air, and continued
it, without the leaft intermiffion, for feveral hours-
But what ftiJl more aftoniffied me was, that they performed
©ccafionally in parts ; and I have frequently obferved them
engaged in a kind of mufical dialogue, making reciprocal
queftions and refponfes, as if they were chanting, (if I may
lb exprefs myfelf), their ordinary converfation.
The poftilions Jîng, as I have juft obferved, from the be--
ginning to thé end of a ftage ; the foldiers Jing continually-
during their march ; the countrymen Jing during the molt
* .f ; .356.
V o l . I,
f Arguraentum Bacullmim.
IL IT laborious'