CIRCASSIA. 



479 



rircassia. imported partly from Persia, partly from Kubesha, to the 

 \-y ' na tions inhabiting the Caucasian mountains. The hel- 

 met and the arm-plates, from the former of which a net 

 of ringlets hang down as far as the shoulders, are manu- 

 factured of polished steel. In the girdle there are usually 

 stuck a dagger and pistols ; and the bow and quiver are 

 fastened round the loins by straps. In common visits, 

 the coat of mail is worn under the upper dress, the head 

 is covered with an ordinary cap, and the only armour 

 used is a sabre. Without the sabre, persons of wealth 

 and rank never leave their houses ; nor do they venture 

 beyond the limits of the village, without being complete- 

 ly arrayed, and having their breast-pockets supplied with 

 ball-cartridges. When persons of the lower classes do 

 not carry a sabre, with other arms, they provide them- 

 selves with a strong staff, two arshines long, on the top 

 of which is fixed a large iron head, and on the lower 

 end a sharp iron pike, of the length of about eighteen 

 inches. This iort of dart they are accustomed to throw 

 with much expertness. In their dress, generally, there 

 seems not to be a very scrupulous adaptation among the 

 people in this rank of life, between what they wear and 

 the state of the weather, as it is not unusual to see them 

 walking in the fields, dressed in their shaggy felt cloaks, 

 called Burke, even in the warm days of summer. In- 

 stead of the material mentioned, these cloaks are some- 

 times formed of sheep-skins. They are fastened at the 

 neck with a string ; and, not being large enough to cover 

 the whole body, they are necessarily turned round upon 

 it, according to the state of the wind and weather. 

 Appear- The Circassians are, upon the whole, a handsome race 



ance of the of peopfe. The men, especially in the higher classes, are 

 mhabi- mostly of a tall stature, thin form, but Herculean struc- 

 Mnt * t ture ; they are very slender about the loins, have a small 



foot, and uncommon strength in the arms. Some of 

 these particulars in their conformation are not produced, 

 however, altogether independently of artificial aid. It 

 is a practice here, to compress the waist as much as pos- 

 sible from early infancy, for the purpose of securing 

 that uncommon thinness between the loins and the 

 breast, which is so prevalent a characteristic of the peo- 

 ple of this country ; and the unusual smallncss of their 

 feet, is no doubt the consequence, in some degree, of 

 their forcing them, as they are accustomed to do, in the 

 tightest manner within their Morocco slippers. Yet na- 

 ture has not been unkind to this people. The males, 

 for the most part, possess a truly Roman and martial 

 appearance, though not entirely unmarked with traces 

 indicative of the existence in some of them of a mixture 

 of Nagai blood. The women, if not uniformly Circas- 

 sian beauties, are yet generally well formed, have white 

 skins, smooth clear complexions, beautiful black eyes, 

 with dark brown or black hair, which they dispose ele- 

 gantly in tresses on the two sides of the face, and regu- 

 lar features. The loveliness of their countenances, which 

 are always in full view, it not being the custom here, as 

 in most of the other provinces in these parts to have the 

 face covered, is rendered yet more attractive, through 

 the effect of their good humour, and the lively freedom 

 of their conversation ; and the tout-ensemble of an enga- 

 ging appearance is favoured by the elegance of the head- 

 dress. Altogether, the instances are few of an equal or 

 a greater proportion of beauty being to be found in an 

 unpolished nation. As in the case of the males, indeed, 

 nature is, with a view to this object, assisted as far as 

 may be, and seconded by art. According to the Circas- 

 sian idea of elegance of form, a woman ought to have a 

 very narrow waist, and the abdomen should protrude to- 

 ward the lower extremities. What is deemed, in these 



respects, the most advantageous conformation for a wo- 

 man, the girdle of chastity, before mentioned, may have **~~f~" 

 its use in realising. Its efficacy is at least conspicuous 

 in the astonishing smallness of waist that is here so pre- 

 valent. The shoulders indeed are, by the same means, 

 rendered proportionally broad ; but this defect is little 

 thought of, on account of the beauty of the breasts, 

 to which this treatment is equally subservient, and 

 which it is the fashion of this country very much to ex- 

 pose. In order to promote the same end, the girls are 

 very sparingly nourished, their whole allowance consist- 

 ing simply of a little milk and pastry. 



As to their rural and domestic economy, it is to be Rural and 

 observed, that the Circassians both cultivate the ground, domestic 

 and devote a considerable portion of their time to the a 

 rearing of cattle. Their principal species of grain is 

 millet, of which are made cakes, hasty puddings, va- 

 rious kinds of pastry, as well as the liquor called by 

 them hautkups. Maize, or Turkey wheat, is also much 

 cultivated, and used as a substitute for other food, espe- 

 cially during journeys, and on military expeditions. Se- 

 veral culinary vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, the 

 turnip-rooted cabbage, onions, gourds, and water-me- 

 lons, are likewise planted in gardens. The species of 

 domestic animals attended to are chiefly goats, sheep, 

 oxen, cows, and horses. The sheep, generally, are an 

 excellent race, of a white colour, and long tails, and pro- 

 duce a fine wool. The horned cattle are of a small size, 

 and are much employed in drawing the two-wheeled 

 carts used in the country, known by the name of Arbes. 

 The care of horses, as might be expected to be the case 

 among roaming and predatory knights, is in these parts 

 a very particular object of attention. In conducting 

 this business, which is prosecuted with a zeal and assi- 

 duity suited to its conceived importance, the Circassians 

 aim not merely at beauty, but also at strength, abi- 

 lity to endure hunger and fatigue, and :;t superior swift- 

 ness ; all qualities necessary to secure the success of the 

 expeditions of one kind or another in which they are 

 so frequeatly engaged. They pride themselves much 

 on the supposed excellence of their horses ; and almost 

 every princely and noble family boasts of a particular 

 breed, which is marked out and distinguished by the im- 

 pression upon the animals when young, of the character- 

 istic mark of the race. In this matter, so scrupulous is 

 the adherence to custom, so conscientious the regard to 

 the strictest rectitude, that any one who should attempt 

 to burn a character' expressing noble descent on a foal 

 of common extraction, would, for such a forgery, forfeit 

 his life. The Circassians rear, moreover, poultry of al- 

 most every species, such as chickens, geese, ducks, and 

 especially Indian fowls of a peculiar size and beauty. 

 They pay considerable attention to the cultivation of 

 bees, on account of the intoxicating quality of the mead, 

 which is their favourite beverage. These bees they keep 

 in hives placed on stocks, and carry them along with 

 them as they remove and change their habitations. 



The manufactures or commerce of the Circassians 

 seem to be but inconsiderable. The points of their ar- 

 rows are the only articles of iron which are wrought up 

 by themselves. Their women make a very strong thread 

 of wild hemp, but are not acquainted with the art of 

 weaving linen. Of the wool produced in the. country, 

 part is carried to market in a raw state. Of the finer 

 portions of the remainder, the women prepare very good 

 cloths, but which are narrow, and remain tin dyed. Of 

 such cloth, there are manufactured entire upper iV'oses 

 for sale. The black and coarse species of wo'.i -d 

 for felt cloaks, which are of a textuie singularly 



