5« A S I A T I C R U S S I A .
CHAPTER HI.
C i v i l G e o g r a b u y .
Mannersand Cuftoms.— Language-Literature.^— Education.— Cities atidtfowns.
■—Manufactures and Commerce.
THÉ manners and cuftoms of Afiatic Kuflia vary with the numerous
tribes, by whom that extenfiy^region is-peopled. The Tatars
C ustoms, properly fo called, are the moft numerous, nob only remaining.in their
ancient kingdom of Sibir,' but conftituting many other tribes |in the
weft, as the Nogays, the Kirgufes or Kaizaks, the' Balhkirs, And' other
tribes as far as the fources of the river Ob. Next in importance' are the
Monguls, of whom one tribe,-the Kalmuks, are fount! to the weft of
the Cafpian j while the others, called Burats, • Tquguts, &c. are chiefly
around the fca of Baikal. Yet further to the eaft are the Mandlhurs,
or Tungufes. Such are the three radically diftin£t divifiqns .$fi men»,
whom former European ignorance clafled under the general name of
Tartars.,;"
The. manners of the Tatars, who are thé'lame people with the Huns
of antiquity, are -minutely defcribed by thofe authors who.Jiave delineated
the fall of the Roman empire, prior to which period rthey fëem
to have been abfolutely unknown to the ancients, • though many
modem authors have erroneoufly confounded them with the Scythians
of Herodotus, and other Gothic tribes, who were afterwards van*
quifhed, or expelled by the Tatars. Nor are the Seres a mild ind'uftri-
ous race to be regarded as Tatars, but as, perhaps, northern Hindoos.*
It would be fuperfluous to enter into a detail of the manners and cuftoms
* The Bucharian language has not been inveftigated.
of
C H A P . m . - S C i Y l : L > R A P H Y . - 5 *
.©f the various ■’nations* ini Afiatic >Ruffia, for which the reader may-be ^AARH„EM
-referred to the works .of Pallas, and other receijt, travellers, In fo ample Custom,.
a theme fhe!.d¥Equtty<i'»; to fele&,;^nd’‘ the manners .of-the fylonguls Mongol,,
may be-chefen as :a. fpecimen.'dThofe of .the Ruffian empire are wholly
N ornadicrheir»sbei;dsv confiding,'of t*h<afes,t campj&rinsdn, -ft*eeP> an£^
goats.- The women- rtari vl&ther; >,{Mgl the’-nuainary ^oots,. prepare '-the
winter prdKrifiofts£: dried ot-'falted, aYid! diftil' the feoumifs; ©r fpfiit -cf
mare’s milk. The mfen-hunt th'e fob^^rbus'be^ftspaad game, 'that roam
ihron^h the vaft'wfldsi.^Their1 tentVarVformed'df a kind-of felt, and
in 'iom’e-pat'ts they-e’red little:%|^!es,: eibd thfe pjptefts feavealfo wooden
hc^efe afound th^i temples. '■ * The Kal'milfes a#JcfMd£dfintb-1:hree ranks ;
th^nobilltyV whom they call white" Mnra*jsthe ’comhfcislT^P52»
are5 bpHdmenv'anfl termed' Wash- bones’; and 4 jr e deft ending
from both,' Who' are free.1 In like manner 'the^ rioble Ikdi^s are called
white fleffi ; and 'the'common -wdriien black“'ffefti:• but'peiff^-rtie's’'are.
onty ’replc&uedf by ‘fh^ Tones. The -power of the faidfhd, or- chief
prmcev 'cpnfifts fotefyuh^he number and 6p\ilencl'of his territory
being "of no eTimationV To5 wide a. reg&rb Thdfe'fufcje&s form
an30|«^i: dividfetl .into Tmakk frdm tjo ‘^0^^o' fa'fntlies teach Imik
being commanded by a Saifjan, *VHj5bfe.j If tbere^e a greatl&ham or
emperor, the princes are Only guided iii affairs of geherai'importance.
The tribute Is about a''tenth part of tlm\ and other
property ;!/but on the firft fummonsf every man muff
back ^before dbe ptm,ce; who Tifmilfe|*thofe w.hp afe unfit fo^ the^
fatigues of war. The weapons are’ bows; lance^and fables,^nfl'foffidd
tipies fire mmf; auftfie nSr warriors "arS Jjofhed in'mail ofintef-
woven rings, like that(ufed In Europe tiff the ffieenth ^mjpry. Bm
they cannot oppofo regular armies, and are •,
- their allies.«if •:|rik«KdKt 'ttttTlCS •*' a tLjP&i# ?ii
' The Monguls are | i W M ftature^wt\h flat wlag^ Tmall, •
iablique qyes,* duck;Ups?' and a b ^ ^ J T h c >
* Xshedyi afcending tow a ^ ’the terajiles,'hVe,t^e.<Ciun<^e;f fe*nja'-'a‘ peculiar feafmc of the- :
IgoMuls and Maudflmrs. -..The Tatar eye is brail, -but f a i t , or horizontal.,*
H 2 ears