ETHNOLOGY OF THE TRESENT DAY. ] 83 



Finns. They are small and weak, have broad, inexpressive countenances, 

 yellow hair passing into reddish, and thin legs ; they are timid, good-natured, 

 and very honest. Both sexes dress in furs. 



The Samoyedes {pi. 1, Jig-. 12) live in North-western Asia and North- 

 eastern Europe, and are mostly very small in stature. Their head is compara- 

 tively large, the face flat, mouth wide, eyes long and narrow, and ears very 

 large ; complexion of a brownish yellow^ color, and glistening with grease ; 

 hair black and bristly. The dress consists of furs. The hardest work falls to 

 the lot of the women. Rearing live stock, especially reindeer, is the principal 

 occupation of the Samoyedes. They worship a number of gods, and the sun 

 and moon are adored as inferior deities. 



The Inhabitants of the Turkish Etnpire. 



The Turkish Empire comprehends provinces in Europe, Asia, and Africa. 

 European Turkey has an area of 144,000 square miles, and the population is 

 estimated at about 1,700,000 Turks or Osmanlis. The remaining inhabitants 

 are very numerous, consisting of Greeks, Slavonians, Wallachians, Arnauts, 

 Jews, Armenians, Gipsies, &c. Asiatic Turkey, with an area of 337,000 

 square miles, is inhabited, besides Turks or Osmanlis, by Greeks, Armenians, 

 Lasi, Georgians, Arabs, Jews, Turkomans, Kurds, Nosairs, Druses, Maronites, 

 and Gipsies. 



Mohammedanism is the established religion ; other religious denominations 

 (rayas) are tolerated, but obliged to j)ay a capitation tax (karatch). The 

 Turkish Empire is an absolute monarchy, and the Grand Sultan Padishah) 

 possesses the highest temporal and spiritual power. The throne is hereditary 

 in the male line alone. The imperial court is denominated the Sublime Porte. 

 The governors of provinces are called " beglerbegs." " pashas of two or three 

 horse-tails," and '' sandshaks ;" the government of some districts being, how- 

 ever, committed to " voivodes" and " agas," who are entirely independent 

 of the first named functionaries. The divan is the Sultan's cabinet council. 

 The minister of public worship and instruction is called Grand Mufti ; the 

 prime minister of state and war, Grand Yizier ; and the minister of foreign 

 affairs, Reis-Effendi. The Grand Mufti and the higher priesthood, who are 

 also learned in law, constitute the corps of the Ulema, and form a part of the 

 divan. 



The Turks call themselves Osmanlis, since the name Turk signifies a 

 rude man. The Ottomans are descended not from one people, but from 

 many. When their progenitors under Osman founded the Ottoman Empire 

 in Asia Minor, the conquerors intermixed with the vanquished nations, 

 who had embraced Islamism. la the south-eastern portion of European 

 Turkey alone, do they constitute the majority of the inhabitants. Of true 

 Tartar descent, they have not yet stripped off all traces of Tartar manners. 

 Though wanting in taste, they can claim credit both for intelligence and 

 heart ; and though rude and unpolished, indolent and covetous, they are, 

 on the other hand, temperate, plain, and friendly. For a long time accus- 



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