TO THE CAPITAL OF THE CRIMEA. 
169 
When our army was encamped near Alexandria, 
during the late campaign in Egypt, the soldiers 
preserved some of these animals in boxes, and 
fed them like rabbits. 
From Ahmetchet the distance is only thirty Bukicht- 
versts 3 to Baktciieserai, once the residence 
of the Khan, and the Tuhtar capital of the 
Crimea. As it was our intention to make the 
tour of all the south part of the Peninsula, we 
lost no time in setting out for this place. We 
met several caravans, principally laden with 
cucumbers, of such immense length and size, 
that the statement of their dimensions will per- 
haps not be believed. We measured some that 
were in length above two feet. There is no 
article of food so grateful to a Russian as the 
salted cucumber ; and all the inhabitants of the 
Crimea cultivate the plant for tho sake of the 
pickle it affords. They have varieties of this 
vegetable, which are unknown in England ; 
among others, one that is snow-white ; and it is 
this singular variety which attains the astonishing 
size before mentioned, without either running 
to seed or losing any of its crisp and refreshing 
flavour. The country, as we advanced, be- 
came more diversified with wood. Near to the 
CHAP. 
IV. 
(3) Twenty English miles. 
