Porteft Traveh in Georgia, Persia, ifc. 



638 



which I now beheld, arose from n^li- 

 gence of this kind, and soon extended 

 Itself over a space of forty vversts ; con- 

 tinuing its ravages for many days, con- 

 suming all the outstandinp corn, ricks, 

 hovels, in short, every thing in its 

 devastating path : the track it left was 

 dreadful. 



COUNT PLATOPP. 



On being ushered as a stranger into 

 an apartment, where I was met by tlie 

 Attaman's secretary, (the only person 

 in his establishment who could speak 

 French,) I mentioned my name to him, 

 and the good gentleman's joyous sur- 

 prise was no unpleasant token of his 

 chiefs welcome. 1 did not delay being 

 conducted to the Attaman's presence ; 

 and words cannot express the hospitable 

 greeting of the kind old man. He em- 

 braced me, and repeatedly congratulated 

 himself on the events, wliatever they 

 might have been, which had induced 

 ine to change my route to that of his 

 territoi-y. When he could spare me to 

 proceed, he said, he would pledge him- 

 self that I should have every facility 

 in his power to bring me to Tiflis in 

 safety. The police officer of Tcherkask 

 being in the room, was ordered to pro- 

 vide me suitable quarters in the town ; 

 but the Attaman's table was to be mine, 

 and he commanded an equipage to be 

 placed entirely at my disposal. I urged 

 that my stay must be short; but he 

 would not hear of my leaving him till 1 

 bad shared with him the honour of a 

 visit he was then exjjecting from his 

 imperial highness the (J rand Duke 

 Michael. Anxious as 1 was to lose no 

 time in crossing the Caucasus, I could 

 not withstand persuasions flowing from 

 a heart so kindly to myself, and grate- 

 ful to my country. He expressed, in 

 the most enthusiastic language, his 

 sense of the attentions bestowed on him 

 by all ranks of persons during his stay 

 in England, in the year 1814 : he said, 

 that independent of private respect for 

 individuals, he must always consider 

 himself fortunate when circumstances 

 biought any Englishman into the 

 Donskoy country, to whom he might 

 evince his gratitude. 



I passed the remainder of the day 

 with my venerable host ; and on my 

 return to the city, found most com- 

 fortable quarters, to which, in my ab- 

 sence, my carriage, servants, &c, had 

 been carefully transferred. All were 

 placed under a guard of lionour, which 

 was to hold attendance there during my 

 stay at Tcherkask. 



Next morning Count PiatofT called 

 upon me to see how his hospitable OMt 

 ders had been fulfilled. He took me to/ 

 dine with him at his house in Tcher-*' 

 kask, whither he was going to inspect ■ 

 tlie preparations he had ordered forb 

 welcoming bis imjx^rial highness tlie(> 

 Grand Duke Michael. ir 



The hour of dinner, in this countiy,j 

 is generally two o'clock : but Couu^t 

 Platoff alwaj's diaed at five, or some- 

 times a little later. The manner of 

 serving the repast differs in nothing 

 from the style at Moscow, excepting 

 that more wine is drank. The «ines 

 most in use, came from the Greek is- 

 lands ; j'et his Excellency boasts his 

 own red and white champaigns of the 

 Don, which, when old, are hardly infe^ 

 rior to the wines of that name in Fi-ance* 

 I drank at the Attanmn's table another 

 sort of red wine, as excellent as any 

 from Bourdeaux. It is made by a fa- 

 mily of German', wliom his excellency 

 brought from the Rhine. And, from 

 these specimens, I have little doubt 

 that were the like culture of the grape, 

 and similar treatment of the juice when 

 pressed from the fruit, pursued through- 

 out the country, the Donskoy vineyards 

 would produce wines that might rival, 

 not only those of Greece, but of France 

 and Germany. 



Game is abundant here, and of the 

 most delicious sort, particularly bus- 

 tards, pheasants, partridges, &c. &c. 

 Fish, too, is in equal plenty ; and as a 

 luxury, sturgeon holds an eminent 

 place. Indeed, good cheer of all kinds 

 is procured at a very moderate expense ; 

 and if I may be allowed to judge by the 

 liberal examples I saw, the botmties of 

 nalure are neither neglected nor churl- 

 ishly appropriated by the natives of the 

 Don. 



COSSACK WOMEW. - •'« 



The usual female appearance is short? 

 stature, faces of strong Tartar features, 

 with eyes, however, almost invariably 

 large and dark. The style of dress i* 

 decidedly fashioned from the east, A 

 sort of chemisette, (or small shift.) of 

 coltmred linen, buttoned round the 

 neck, and with sleeves to the wiist ; a 

 pair of trowsers, of similar stuff, are 

 covered by a silk caftan, reaching as 

 low as the ancles. This upper garment 

 is fastened from the neck to the bottoni 

 of the waist, with buttons of Small 

 pearls, in form and workmanship like 

 those in gold or silver from the Brazils. 

 The waist is bound with a gh-dle also, 

 ornamented with pearls, an<r frequently 

 clasped 



