36 
THROUGH KUBAN TAHTARY, 
chap, celebrated, is certainly prevalent among them. 
y — » Their noses are aquiline, their eye-brows arched 
and regular, their mouths small, their teeth 
remarkably white, and their ears not so large 
nor so prominent as those of Tahtars ; although, 
from wearing the head shaven, they appear to 
disadvantage, according to our European notions 
of beauty. They are well shaped, and very 
active ; being generally of the middle size, 
seldom exceeding five feet eight or nine inches. 
Their women are the most beautiful perhaps in 
the world ; of enchanting perfection of features, 
and very delicate complexions. The females 
that we saw were all of them the accidental 
captives of war, who had been carried oft 
together with their families ; they were, how- 
ever, remarkably handsome. Many of them, 
although suffering from ill health, from privation 
of every kind, and from sorrow, and being 
exhibited under every possible circumstance 
of disadvantage, had yet a very interesting 
appearance. Their hair was, generally, dark or 
light brown, in some instances approaching to 
black. Their eyes had a singular degree of 
animation, which is very characteristical of the 
Circassian people; this, in some of the men, gives 
to them an expression of ferocity. The finest 
paintings of the best masters, representing a 
Hector or a Helen, do not display greater beauty 
