CALMUCKS. 
rats, &c. drying in the sun, and quite black. 
Within the tent we found some women, although 
it were difficult to distinguish the sexes, so 
horrid and inhuman was their appearance. Two 
of them, covered with grease, were lousing 
each other ; and it surprised us, that they did 
not discontinue their work, nor even look up 
as we entered. Through a grated lattice, in 
the side of the tent, we saw some younger 
women peeping, of more handsome features, 
but truly Calmuck, with long black hair, hanging 
in thick braids on each side of the face, and 
fastened at the end with bits of lead or tin. 
In their ears they wore shells, and large pearls 
of a very irregular shape, or some substance 
much resembling pearl. The old women were 
eating raw horse-flesh, tearing it off’ from large 
bones which they held in their hands. Others, 
squatted on the ground within their tents, were 
smoking tobacco, with pipes not two inches in 
length, much after the manner of Laplanders. 
In other respects, the two people, although 
both of Eastern origin, and both nomade tribes, 
bear little resemblance. The manner of living 
among the Calmucks is much superior to that 
of the Laplanders. The tents of the former are 
better constructed, stronger, more spacious, 
and contain many of the luxuries of life ; such 
as very warm and good beds, handsome carpets 
