CALMUCKS. 
319 
ought therefore rather to be called a shirt, than chap. 
a coat, of mail. The most beautiful of these are „ 
manufactured in Persia, and valued at the price 
of fifty horses. The cheaper sort are made of 
scales of tin, and sell only for six or eight 
horses each ; but these are more common 
among the Chinese, and in the Mogul territory. 
Their other arms are lances, bows and arrows, 
poignafds, and sabres. Only the richer Calmucks 
carry fire-arms : these are therefore always 
regarded as marks of distinction, and kept, 
with the utmost care, in cases made of badgers’ 
skins. Their most valuable bows are constructed 
of the wild-goat's horn, or of whalebone; the 
ordinary sort, of maple, or thin slips of elm or 
fir, fastened together, and bound with a covering 
of linden or birch bark. 
Their amusements are, hunting, wrestling, Recrea- 
. tions and 
archery, and horse-racing. They are not condition 
addicted to drunkenness, although they hold 
drinking parties, continuing for lialf-a-day at a 
time, without interruption. Upon such oc- 
casions, every one brings his share of brandy 
and koumiss; and the whole stock is placed upon 
the ground, in the open air ; the guests forming 
a circle, seated around it. One of them, 
squatted by the vessels containing the liquor, 
performs the office of cup-bearer. The young 
