ETHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT DAY. 177 



must be a heavy burden upon the people. Superstition prevails to a con- 

 siderable degree ; astrology, for example, is much practised. 



The lansuasre of the Calmucs is derived from the Monc^olian, but is inter- 

 mingled with many Tartar words. 



Of the hordes under the Russian sovereignty, that of the Derbets is the 

 8tron2:est, as thev have 10.000 kibitkas or families. The number of 

 Calmucs in the Russian Empire, taken collectively, amounts to about 

 100,000. 



The encampments of the hordes are subordinate to chiefs who pay 

 tribute (Taishis) ; and the Vice-Khan, who is chosen by Russia, governs the 

 entire people, consisting of the high-priesthood, the nobility, the inferior 

 priests, and the common people. In some countries, Spain for instance, 

 the nobilit}'- are distinguished according to blood, while the Calmucs are 

 classed according to flesh and bones ; the higher priesthood and the nobles 

 (say these people) have white bones, the inferior priests and the common 

 people black bones, and (by a classification somewhat similar) women of 

 rank are provided with white flesh, females of the ordinary classes with 

 black flesh. 



The Calmucs possess the senses of sight, hearing, and smelling in great 

 perfection ; those of taste and touch are not so good. Their memory is excel- 

 lent, and hence they quickly acquire foreign languages. They receive instruc- 

 tion in reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, astronomy, astrology, and 

 medicine, each camp having its schoolmaster (bashka). They are, to be sure, 

 not far advanced in these branches ; and in the medical sciences (chiefly in 

 regard to internal diseases) thev are verv deficient. 



The Calmucs must be pronounced rather short than tall. They are not 

 fleshy, but broad shouldered, have a broad flat face, a small flat nose with large 

 nostrils, narrowly opened eyes, and a short chin, long ears that stand ofi" from 

 the head, and always black hair. As they sit with their lower limbs crossed 

 under them, and ride a great deal, they are bandy-legged. Their habits are 

 extremely uncleanh^, and in the choice of food they do not disdain even cattle 

 that have died a natural death, entrails, cats, mice, grass, &.c. Bread is rarely 

 eaten by them, but a mixture of ryemeal and salt water is often used. Sour 

 milk, whey, a spirituous liquor manufactured of mares' milk and resembling 

 Avhiskey, tea, and water are their ordinary drinks. Both sexes are passion- 

 ately fond of smoking tobacco. 



They are, upon the whole, lazy and averse to work. Their principal occu- 

 pations consist in the rearing of their cattle, in the manufacture of their 

 kibitkas, their household utensils, and their horse trappings. The women are 

 more active, and prepare the furs, the felt, the clothing and boots, the whis- 

 key and cheese ; they also spin the wool of the camel sheep, weave tape, sad- 

 dle girths, &c. 



The herds of the hordes consist of a larsje number of camels and horses, as 

 well as cows, sheep, and goats. 



In their migrations, the kibitkas, utensils, and food of people of rank are 

 loaded upon camels, those of the poorer classes upon horned cattle, and the 

 women and children, on horseback, drive the herds. The horses of men 



349 



