194 
CHAP. 
IV. 
' ' 
BAKTCHESERAI, 
intend the care of their education ; reciting with 
audible voices passages from the Koran, or 
busied in copying manuscript lessons placed 
before them. The dress of the Karaites differs 
little from that worn by the Tahtars. All of 
them, of whatsoever age, suffer their beards to 
grow; but among Tahtars the beard is a dis- 
tinction of age, the young men wearing only 
whiskers. The Karaites wear also a lofty thick 
felt cap, faced with wool : this is heavy, and 
keeps the head very hot. The Turks and 
Armenians often do the same; and in warm 
climates this precaution seems a preservative 
against the dangerous consequences resulting 
from obstructed perspiration. 
We were surprised to see vine-leaves sold in 
the streets, particularly as they are abundant 
in the country ; but this article is in very great 
demand, for cookery. Their minced meat is 
rolled up in vine-leaves, and sent to table in 
the form of sausages. 
From this interesting colony we returned, by 
a different road, along the tops of the mountains, 
to Baktcheserai ' . Concerning this place, it is 
(1) “ Batehiserai is entirely inhabited by Tahtars, Jews, and 
Armenians, and is the most populous place we saw in the Crimea. 
It has several mosques, besides a very fine one in the seraglio, with 
two 
