J4 A S I A T I C RUSS I A.
Manner? £ars' lire very large and prominent, the hair blaek, and the cothplekion
'Customs, of areddifli, or yellowifhBrown; but that of the women is clear, and
Of a heafthy white and red. They have Mprifing: of fight
and apprehenfion ; and, are dbeile, ‘h^ltaMe, beH^eena:, and
yolaptuom - Induftry is a virtue entirely female ; yfetigreat, and accompanied
with perpetual cheerfulhefs.. : j Their religious books are’ rathe
dialed of Tangut, or. Tibet, and there is a fchbolmafter in every
Imak, who imparts more knowledge to the boys than would be ex-
pefted. Marriages are celebrated at an early: age y and the bride brings
a dower in cattle/or fheep. The tent has a fire place in the middle;
and, in the defarts d«ed cow dung is ttfed for fuel, • The tents of the
nobles are hung with filk,' and the floor; covered with carpets..pf Perftaw
The houfehold utenfils are numerous-* and in the fuperior, tents are
veffels of pewter,- filver,; and- porcelain. The drefs cohfiftioli'a flat
yellow bonnet, while the head is fhayen except one lock. The trow-
fera! are wide* the veft of light fluff-with narrow fleeves, arid-a'’,gkdle
which fupports .the fabre, knife, and implements for '^fihoking
tobacco. The outer garment is of cloth, with wide fleeves, and linen"
is wound about {hp feet, over which are drawn bufkins of leather, generally
black or yellow. ’ Shirts are unknown: and/the dicefe of the,
women is the fame, but inftead of thejputer garment they wear a gown
without fleeves. The hair of the females is long, and plaitfed id ttbrog.
Animal food is abundant, and fometimes mixed with vegetable; -while
the general drink is watery but they fometimes indulge in fdur milk,,
prepared after the Tatarian manner,- butter milk, hnil kdhmill, but
mead and brandy are now greater favourites. When pafturagfe begins
to fail, the whole tribes flrike their tent8, geherally frohT teft to'fifteen
times in the.year, proceeding in-the fummejr to the horibmn-, attdriif
the winter to the fouthern wild'3. The' herds, men,-w6meh, arid
children, form a. regular prpcejfion; and are followed by the girls/
finging with harmony andfpirit. The amufements of thefe jovial wanderers
corifift in running faces oh korfeback, in which even the girls
excel; archery, wreftling, pantomime, dances, and the fongs of the
ydtrag women, generally accompanied by the lute, viplj and pipe, the
themes of their ditties bring gigantic tales of chivalry, and amorous
6 , ' adventufes
CHAP. III. C IVIL G E OGRA P H V. 5i
adventures and feptimentSV hut the melpdyr4s h'arfh and difmal. Cards
are-ndf unknown,."but chefsKs/the favourite game. The bodies of the
prindeS,' a;nd chief priefls’ burnt wifeh' ‘>ifia'rty'v Mpthhitieis; and the
totife afefetnerinaWs Walled, and ornamented with high'poles* aind fan-
taflte drapery.
Mr. Tooke'Ka& printed fom& duridriffpieces of Kalmuk poetry, front
■ Which a charaCteriftic fpricirri’Cri fhall be fele&ed, being ah elegy'oh the
feceffionrif ahord tin .the Volga*- which, difgufted by the Ruffian domination,
fought the proteriion b f China’/
S , t? The wafer df th’e .vafl5 odban,
, , yihgn f t has raged witJMtt-itfc fUry, becalrrjs itfelf again ;
.Jm This is thejoounelof the world ; and like-\yifelftili to forget.
f Ve^nifelierd?, ‘ witn tWe mafKvOTSc^wnef'T' ■
, .;. Thou jSfiSielii SeiHrchg, nffhe Vah’ as coirdiiftofy
.Riding, on thy^ndble-fedSilh-bay l^sorf? ; ^ .
The prince Zeliek following with his numerous troop, , j
5 ’ A h !J BtiafcUSkfiafl? etfndudr af(‘ifo\fr tne Tdr^fats I‘
.. Tltere (WfflfrtfCks,: oVtt- «<Me8,i anttVoilgh plades, I
The herds drag.themfeltes along,, and be«>me leaj, j , s
' lly flying over the land all c^tjed'iyiyi. fnhw and'feoft, ^ t . • '•(
'■f 'Atf! Ifow’ tfiddroves'trttt'&Ter'thedlrow'!
,i. -Now you are1 gofe thither and ebme to your reflang,place.
Why was there any puarr(el be,twe.en thee and^ie 'white^Khan ? * 't,,
Y e otherwife peaceful Torgots'Wween* theYaik and the Volga,
■ • How faV ye hbti retfettH •
A h ! di^lpvelj H^^^Mazakiafjpw.jikewifc become an orphan. . ,
’ A h ! thy many excellent yo^ng princes, '
■ Y e are noisl ^ hiaMiMei fm away d^ehthe YaiK.
' AKl! thd& welL arranged .troop .of Targets.
A'ftnow. perhap^arnved at the Irtjfch (Ertfchis). ,,
' ' A h '! 'hllpleiri^entaBle w S ’ f
Hi 'Thdu’eSc^nhit’&fliyfvfe'rtihrs ihaA;hiugf'd)'#ard3Altai, .*1
' j Ye .haVe-np njriicely wo mrn! atI?pn'g;y,qu | . t ,.
Fare ye well, ye who tiring up, the rear of the hord,
Princes Akfakal and Kirep l ”
l§ufch, with lome flight fiSades pf difference,, are alfd.the manners of
the'T^afafs, arid iWandilhurs'; and Rouffeau might, with far mote platfc*
fibility; have eriquired" concerning the" perfection', and happinefs of
* Ruflia<Cj8j^ 4 volsr !vo'. vol. iv. 66.. ,. ^
* 2 agarl' KAkiSBi die* name1 by which the'Rufllafl monarch is'£nown among-almoll all the
eafiern natibhi.' :'<r \
Manners
ASP
Customs.
man