98 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



masons with his own hand at this work. What is 

 the greatest bliss in this world ? This question 

 having been once propounded among the sages and 

 chief men, the Khan replied : " It is to vanquish the 

 foe, to outrage his wife before his eyes, to slaughter 

 his children, and then to torture himself to death." 

 The sovereign's opinion exactly coincided with that of 

 the people. 



Such is the character of the race that first perhaps 

 deserved the name of " tamers of horses." 



The Calmucks, a principal branch of the great 

 Mongol stock, are more widely dispersed over the 

 globe than any other, even the Arabs not excepted. 

 Tribes of this people occur over all the countries 

 of Upper Asia, between 38 and 52 north latitude, 

 and from the most northern bend of the Hoang-ho to 

 the banks of the Volga. They are the Hippophagi, 

 or eaters of horseflesh, of Pliny, and the more ancient 

 historians. They have very large settlements in the 

 neighborhood of Taganrok, and there Dr. Clarke 

 had an opportunity of studying their habits and ap- 

 pearance. Calmuck men and women were continually 

 galloping their horses through the streets of the town, 

 or lounging in the public places. The women, he 

 says, ride better than the men, and a male Calmuck on 

 horseback looks as if he was intoxicated, and likely 

 to fall off every instant, though he never loses his 



