Chap.XIII. o/Monfieur Tavernier. 155 



than their Horfcs-, but they are very hard to be tak'n j for when one of thefe Horfes 

 perceives that his Rider is flain, he follows thole that fly with all the twiftnefs ima- 

 ginable. Befidc that, thofe Hories being carri'd into other Countries, are prefently 

 Ipoil'd , and come to nothing. 



Their Cloathing is only a Sheep-skin, which in Winter they wear with the wool 

 next their Bodies^ in the Summer turning the other fide. They that are the Nobi- 

 lity of the Countrey, wear Wolves-skins, with a kind of Shirt, and Breeches of 

 courfe Fuftian of divers Colours, which the Taylor gets little credit by fha- 

 ping. 



Their Women are very white and well proportioned, but their Faces are broad, and 

 their Eyes little, fo that by thirty years of Age they become very deformed. There 

 is not a man but has two or three Wives, which they never choole but out of their 

 own Tribe. Every Tribe has a Chief; who is one of the Nobility of the Countrey, 

 and carries for his Banner a Horfe-tail faflen'dto a half-Pike, and dy'd into the Co- 

 lour belonging to the Tribe. When they march, every one knows where to place 

 himfelf, and how much ground jthey ought to take up for their Tribe and their 

 Cattel -j one Tribe never encroaching upon another. 



The Women and Maids are generally clad in a large Shirt that reaches down to 

 their feet Upon their Heads they wear a large wm$e Vail, their Foreheads being 

 bound about with a large black Handkerchief ty'd in five or fix Rolls. The Noble 

 fort of Women and Maids wear over this Vail a Bonnet open behind, which comes 

 clown upon their Foreheads like a thrco-corncr'd Cap : One of thefe Points ftands up 

 in the midft of the Forehead, lin'd with Velvet, Satin, or Cloth of Gold, and let 

 with fmall pieces of Gold and Silver, and fa lie Pearls, of which they alfo make 

 themfelves Bracelets : Their Breeches are of fingle-colour'd Cloth, and for Shoes 

 and Stockings , they only wear a Cordovan Boot of what Colour theypleafe, neatly 

 icw'd. 



When a young man intends to marry, it behoves him to give the Father and the 

 Mother of tne Maid a certain quantity of Horfcs, Bullocks or Cows , or other Cat- 

 tel, which is done in the preience of the greateflpart of the ancienteft of the Tribe, 

 and a Mouilah befidc When the Agreement is made, the young man has the liber- 

 ty to fee his Miftrefs, but not till then : For before, he has only the information of 

 her Mother, his Sifters , or fuch Women as were his own Friends. Befides the 

 three Wives which the man is allow'dto take, he may keep Ieveral female Slaves^ 

 but the Children are ftillflavcs, and can never inherit. Thefe Tartars are of a ve- 

 ry hot confutation, though not fo hot as the women. Both the one and the other 

 are very fair-haird*, but the men have little or no Beards: So that if there beany 

 one that has more Beard than ordinary, and can but write and read, they make him a 

 Mouilah. , 



Thefc people have no Houfes, but live in Tents, or in Waggons which are drawn 

 after them wherc-ever they go. The Tents are for the old people and little Chil- 

 dren , with their Slave* that attend them. The young women ride in Waggons 

 clos'd up with Boards, and to let in the Air, upon one fide they open a Window 

 that is made like a Lattice. In the Evening they arc permitted to fpend a little 

 time in the Tents. When the Girls have attain'd to the age often or twelve Years, 

 thev never ftir any more out of their Waggons till they are married, not fo much 

 as for the nccciTitics of Nature •, but in the middle of the Waggon there is a Plank to 

 be taken up ; and if it be in a place where they (lay, a Slave prefently comes and 

 elcanfes all underneath. The Maidens Waggon is eafie to be known , as being 

 painted with Flowers •, and generally there is a Camel ty'd to the Tail of it, beimear'd 

 with ieveral colours, and ieveral Noiegaysor Pofics of Flowers ftuck about the Head 

 of the Bcaft. 



The young men have alfo everyone their Chariot, wherein they only carry a Bo- 

 racho of Horfe-skin, containing about 38 Quarts, which they ufually fill with 

 Mares-Milk , which is very fowr. They have alio every one another Waggon next 

 to that wherein they ride themfelves •, wherein they carry Ieveral Boracho's full of 

 Cows-Milk, which is very fowr. At Meals they drink this Milk : But before they 

 povvr it out, they ftir it in the Boracho with a great Stick, that the Curd may mix 

 with the thin Milk. Butthe Mares-Milk is only for the Mafter and Miftrefs, though 

 before they drink of either? they mix it with water. When a Friend comes to fee 



them. 



