^74 S» John Ch 
raon Road purely to gtatify their Currofity, nor indeed 
m fuch a Country as this would that be always fafe. 
And laftly. The common Reports of mofi; of thefe 
Countries place both them and their Inhabitants in fo 
fo bad a Light, that few have any Curiofity to be better 
acquainted with them. Our Author’s Journey was by 
mere Accident, he took this Route to Perfia as the molt 
convenient at that Time for his Purpofe ; and it was alfo 
by Accident Af. de la took many Years after 
the fame Route, and their Accounts agree, generally 
fpeaking, very well ; but fome Points in both feem to 
Hand in Need of Explanation. 
Our Author has given but a very fhort Account of 
the Crim Partars^ and therefore it is neceffary to fay 
fomething more of them. Authors differ very much 
as to the Condition of this Nation, that is to fay, whe- 
ther they ought to be confidcred as tree and indepen- 
dent, as Allies, or as Subjects to the Inllead of 
endeavouring to difcufs thefe Qudfions, we fhall 
leave them to the Decifion of the Reader, after report- 
ing a few Matters of Fact, There are not many Towns 
in this ‘Tartary^ and in thofe that have any Fortreffes, 
the Turks have Garrifons. The Tdartar Princes are 
rarely admitted into, and never allowed to lodge in 
them. Caffa, we have elfewhere fhewn, was once a 
very fine City, and is ftill a good Port, which is in 
the Power of the Turks \ fo is Baluclawa, which is ftill 
a better 'Port, and, if we may depend upon the Turk- 
ijh Writers, is not exceeded by any in the World, ei- 
ther for the Depth of Water, or Security from Winds. 
The Town of Chirck^ upon the Streights of Daman^ 
has alfo a very fine Port, but it is an open Place, ,ancl 
belongs to the Tartars. The Capital of this Country, 
properly fpeaking, is Bafcia Sarai., which is the Refi- 
dence of the Khan, was taken by the Ruffians in the 
late War, and totally deftroyed. The Khan of the 
Tartars though a Sovereign Prince, is appointed and dc- 
pofed by the Grand Signior, but he is always fucceeded 
by a Prince of his own Family, and this prelumptive 
Succeflbr, whether he be the Brother or the Son of the 
reigning Prince, is ftiled Sultan Galga. The fecond 
Prince of the Family is ftiled Hor Bey., the third Nora- 
din Bey, and the reft of the young Princes have particu- 
lar Titles. It is to he obferved of the Tortars in gene- 
ral, that even the meaneft and moft ftupid of them is fo 
much Mafter of his Genealogy, as to know exadtly of 
what Family he is defcended, and to what Tribe his 
Family belongs. The Truth of the Matter is, that 
they refemble exadUy Highland and Irtjh Clans, and like 
them, are commanded by Chiefs. 
Every diftind Family or Clan of the Tartars is by 
them ftiled Horda, and the chief Murfa, or as others 
write it, Mirza. Amongft the CrimTartars there are four 
great Tribes, to which all their Hords belong, and the 
Chiefs of thefe four Tribes are the Councellors of the 
Khan, without whofe Confent he can undertake No- 
thing of Importance. Hereditary Right is the funda- 
mental Law of all the Tartars, and the Dignity of Mir- 
za, or Chief, defcends from Father to Son. The Khan 
of Crim Tart ary can bring eighty thoufand Men into 
the Field, but his Contingent, when called to afiift the 
Grand Signior, confifts of thirty thoufand Horfe. All 
the World knov/s, that thefe Tartars are very far 
from being handforae, but they are, generally fpeak- 
ing, brave, hardy, active, and enterprizing, and their 
Horfes refemble them, for worfe looking, or better 
Beafts for Service, the World does not produce. As 
for Riches, they confift in Horfes and in Slaves and as 
for their Manner of Living, it is equally coarfe and 
barbarous in the Opinion of all other Nations, and ho- 
nourable and happy in their own. They are very hof- 
pitable and kind to one another, fo that every Man is 
at home in his Neighbour’s Houfe. Neither are they 
lefs ciVil and refpedtful to fuch Strangers as come among 
them, who are very welcome to what they have, and 
%vould be as welcome if they had more. One Thing is 
remarkable, when any Stranger comes to their Tents, 
he is ferved by their Children, and not by their Slaves, 
let the Quality of the Mafter be what it will. A Gen- 
tleman who was in the Service of Charles XII. palftng 
ardin’j- Travels Book III. 
through this Country in his Way to Bender, where that 
Monarch then was, lodged in' the Tent of a princioal 
Mirza, and when it was Time to go to Reft, his Son 
made _ up for the Stranger a Bed of Skins, by the Side 
of which he fet a little Stool, with a Pipe, a Box of To- 
bacco,^ and a Bottle of excellent Sherbet. In the Mor- 
ning he came and rolled up the Bed, prefented him 
Cakes, Butter, Coffee, and Milk, and brought him 
hkewife his Boots. The Father, who was a Kind of 
Prince, when the Gentleman exprefted fome Aftonifh- 
ment at his putting his Son upon fuch Offices, made 
him this Anfwer ; “ Friend, this World is a Lottery, 
“ in which there are many Blanks to a Prize-, though! 
“ have many Slaves, yet by the Fortune of War my Son 
“ may become a Slave ; it is fit therefore he ffiould 
leai n to behave in all Conditions j the Khan does 
“ the fame Thing and befides, let me tell thee, Stran- 
“ ger, that among the Tartars, we hold the meaneft 
“ Office done to a Friend as the higheft Honour, and 
‘‘ therefore never fnare it with our Slaves. 
As the Tartars are chiefly known to the reft of the 
World, by their Excurfions, ,we cannot deferibe them 
better, than by fliowing in what Manner they aft on 
fuch Occafions, wherein, without doubt, they difeover 
an extraordinary Genius for this Manner of makino- 
War, which however barbarous it may feem to us 
anfwers all the Ends of War to them, by furniftiin^ 
Slaves and Booty in Abundance, which fupplies theni 
with the Means of Happinefs in Time of Peace. It 
is very true that they run through great Hazards and 
Hardfhips in Time of War; but then thefe Hazards 
and Hardfliips are all that they luftain, for when they 
return to their Tents, they are free and independent, 
have neither Care nor Solicitude, but are Princes in 
their own Family, and live in what Manner they like 
beft, without any A pprehenfions or Conftraint. To us, 
indeed, even their Repofe and Luxury appears a moft 
ftiocking and hideous Courfe of Life ; but it appears 
otherwile to them ; and, after all, if there be anyThino- 
certain in this World, it is this, that the true Standard 
of Happinefs is Opinion. But to come to the Point ; 
every Tartar that goes into the Field, carries with him 
two Horfes, which are taught to follow without beino- 
led, and are confequently ufeful to, without embarraffino- 
their Mafter. On thefe Horfes they lay a Sack of Ry'e 
Meal, and another with Bifket and Salt, which is all the 
Baggage and Provifions wherewith they are encumbred. 
It is only a few of the Commanders that are provided 
with Tents ; the reft pafs the Night in the following 
Manner. They carry with them four fharp Stakes, 
which they drive into the Ground, and upon thefe they 
fix their Mantle, which ferves for a Bed ; their wooden 
Saddle fupplies the Place of a Pillow, and a coarfe, 
thick Cloth, which is thrown crofs the Horfes Back un- 
der the Saddle, becomes a Coverlid. The Horfes are 
tied to the Pickets with pretty long Cords ; and while 
their Mafters fleep, the Beafts very handily remove the 
Snow with their Forefeet, and feed upon the Grafs that 
is under it, taking now and then a Mouthful of Snow 
to moiften it. When a- Horfe tires, his Mafter cuts his 
Throat upon the Spot, and diftributes his Fleffi among 
his Friends, who make him the fame Compliment when 
Occafion offers. The beft Part of the Flefh they cut 
in Slices, of an Inch thick, and thefe they place very 
•neatly under the Saddle of the Horfe they ride upon. 
When they have travelled three or four Leagues, they 
difmount, turn all the Pieces of Fleffi, and mix them 
very carefully with the Sweat, which they turn up with, 
their Fingers, then to horfe again, and at Night they 
fup upon this dainty Difti, which they take ready drefs’d 
from under their Saddles, 
In this Manner they will traverfe two or three hun- 
dred Leagues of Ground, without ever lighting a Fire, 
which they carefully avoid, to prevent being difeover’d ; 
and they chufe the Depth of Winter for their Expe- 
ditinos that the Bogs, Lakes, and Rivers being frozen, 
they may avoid all Interruptions, and profecute their 
March with greater Expedition. Thus the Tartan 
march one hundred in Front, that is three hundred 
Horfes ; every one of them has two, which ferve for Re- 
lays. 
