PALLAS’S TRAVELS 
Syed ee - 
the most part, however, there is a con- 
siderable mixture of Turkish blood, even 
among their highest nobility ; and the 
inhabitants of the southern vallies, by 
their strong beard, light hair, and pe- 
culiar features, evince how far they are 
removed from the pure Tartar race. 
The dress of the wealthier classes re- 
sembles that of the Circassians or Poles, 
except that the head is covered with a 
cotton cap, generally of a green colour, 
and edged with black or grey lambskin. 
‘he women are handsome, and wear 
long garments of silk, richly adorned 
with ermine, fur, or gold lace; they 
tinge the nails of the teet and hands of 
an orange colour, and are very skilful 
in the use of cosmetics. 
« Male and female slaves are not common 
in that country; but the nobility support 
numerous idle attendants, and thus impoye- 
wish their estates; while their chief pride 
€onsists in rich and beauiiu!. apparel for 
fhemselves and theit wives ; and in handsome 
equipages to ride into town; being accom- 
panied by a train of domestics, who follow 
them on ever; excursion, though the chief 
-emplovment of the latter is that of giving 
their master his pipe, at bis demand ; stand- 
~ ing in his presence, or assisting him to dress ; 
and, in all other respects, living in the same 
indolent manner as their lords. Another 
‘Source of expence is the purchase of elegant 
.swords, and especially of excellent blades; 
the distinction between the different sorts of 
which, together with their names*, consti- 
tutes among the nobles a complete science. 
They ate also great admirers of beautiful 
and costly tobacco-pipes, together with ex- 
pensive mouth-pieces of milk-white amber, 
that are likewise used by the Turks, and of 
tubes of curious woods ; but the Aa//ian, 
of the pride of the Persians is scarcely known 
here; and the Tartars only employ small 
| @mamental bowls made of clay, which are 
; SB almost every nmiement filled with fime-cat 
 keaftobaceo. The generality of these noble 
| _ lords, or mutses, were so ignorant, that they 
rap could neither read nor write; and, instead of 
_ Signing their names, they substituted an 
a Bepresion of their rings, on which a few 
; urkish words are engraven. Some of thé 
_ young nobility, however, are beginning to 
_ &tady not only the Russian language, of 
4 ee: they perceive the necessity ; but also 
apply themselves more sedulously to reading 
id writing, and thus-become more civilized. 
he expence of wearing apparel for the women 
shut up in their harems is, according to theit 
‘manner and fortune, little inferior to that of 
J 
” 
THROUGH RUSSIA. 105 
Europeans ; with this single differenee, tha 
the fashions among the former are not liavle 
tochange. Even the wives of the common 
Tartars are sometimes dressed in silks and 
stuffs, embroidered with gold, which are 
imported from ‘Turkey. In consequence of 
such extravagance, and the extreme idleness 
of the labouring classes (who only exert 
themselves for procuring the necessary sub- 
Sisience), there are very feyv wealthy indivi- 
duals among the Tariars. Credulity and 
inactivity are the principal traits in the Tartat 
character. To sit with a pipe in their hands, 
frequently without smoking, for many hours 
on a shady bank, or on a hill, though totally 
devoid of ali taste for the beauties of nature, 
and leoking straight before thein ; or, if at 
work, to make long pauses, and above all to 
do nothing, constitute their supreme enjoy- 
ments: forthis mode of Jife, a foundation is 
probably laid by educating their boys in the 
harems. Hunting alone occasionally excites 
a temporary activity in the murses, who 
pursue their prey with the large species of 
vreyhound, very common in the Crimea } 
or with falcons and hawks.” 
The soil and climate of the Crimea 
are treated of at length, and a very sa- 
tisfactory account is given of the agri- 
euiture and horticulture of the Tartars: 
the principal articles of cultivation in 
the fields are winter and spring wheat, 
and a species called the Greek or Arnaut 
wheat; it is distinguished from the pres 
ceding by being of a bright yellow co- 
lour, and semi-transparent. » It is im- 
ported in large quantities to Turkey and 
Italy, where it is employed in preparing 
the best macatoni. Rye and barley are 
grown in considerable quantities; but 
oats only on the shore of the sea 5f 
Azof, where indeed they generally turfi 
out very ill. Common millet and fox- 
tail grass are used green as fodder for 
horses, or the seeds are collected for 
human food, and as the chief ingredient 
of the intoxicativg ‘drifk called Busa 
Chick pease, flax, and tobacco are also 
important crops. Artificial irrigation is 
universally practised in the Tartar gare 
dens, which in consequence yield vast 
quantities of maize, Bucharian millet, 
melons, cucumbers, and gourds. ‘The 
egg-plant, hibiscas esculentts, with all 
the common vegetables of Europe, are 
also in general use. 
The vine is an objéct of sedulous culs 
ture, and twenty-four different varieties 
_ * « The principal names of the blades, partly manufactured at Damaseus até in Turkey, 
_and partly of those made in Persia, areas follow: Ters-Maimun (in which the human face 
appears totally distorted, whence it derives its name, signifying a distorted ape) ; Kirk 
 Merduen, or forty steps; Chorassan, Sungur, Tayan, &c.” 
