160 FORESTRY IN EASTERN RUSSIA. 



think. I have seen several grand Mahommedan edifices 

 which they have begun to build, and were not able to finish. 

 They don't worship and honour either their Allah or 

 their Prophet much with their pockets. But of all the 

 bare and wretched poverty I have ever seen, as you pass 

 through the Tartar and Kalmuck villages, it beats all. 

 And yet there are plenty of rich merchants among them ; 

 but they have all quite a propensity for petty pedling in 

 preference to hard work. The first time I heard their 

 muezzins calling out from those tall aiad slender minarets 

 the summons to prayer, I enquired of a Tartar gentle- 

 man I was with, what it all amounted to, and he replied 

 with great gravity, " Allah is great and good. Allah 

 is one, and Mahomet is his Prophet. Haste all ye faithful 

 to his temple, and worship before him !" And they well 

 and willingly obey the call ; for while that trumpet voice 

 resounds far and wide you will see them hurrying from all 

 parts, some even running from fear of being too late I 

 wonder how many of us run for fear of being too late for 

 the first offering of praise and prayer? They have a 

 reverend patriarchial look about them in their long flow- 

 ing green kholats, ponderous snow-white turbans, and soft 

 green embroidered boots. As soon as they are all assembled, 

 and that human bell ceases to ring, you immediately see 

 another remarkable scene. All the streets are again astir, 

 but this time it is with the veiled wives and daughters of the 

 devotees, paying their flying gossipping visits, while their 

 husbands and fathers are at prayer, on rude conveyances 

 very like what you see lomovoi isvoschiks have here, only 

 lighter, with a board, a carpet, and a cushion thrown on 

 the top. The veils are only shawls or large handkerchiefs 

 worn over the top of their fur caps. The old and not 

 very nice make no attempt at concealment, but the young 

 and would-be beauty, fat, fair, and fifteen, after taking a 

 good peep at you through the opening of her guady 

 shawl, generally finds some excuse for throwing it open as 

 she is passing you, while she pretends to rectify some part 

 of her attire, affecting not to see you : she does not 



