DON COSSACKS. 
bardly conceive that brandy might be so ob- 
tained ; but to prove it, they tapped the still, 
as upon a former occasion, presenting a tuft of 
camel’s hair soaked in brandy, that we might 
taste, and be convinced. During the latter 
part of this day’s journey, we observed many 
dromedaries, grazing. We halted for horses at 
Dubovskaia. Immense caravans were passing 
towards the Ukraine. The very sight of their 
burden is sufficient to prove the importance of 
cultivating the steppes, where Nature only re- 
quires solicitation, in order to pour forth her 
choicest treasures. We noticed trains of from 
sixty to a hundred waggons, laden entirely with 
dried fish, to feed the inhabitants of the South of 
Russia, who might be supplied with better food 
from their own land than from all the rivers of 
the Cossacks. 
We proceeded to Grivinskaia, and here passed 
the night; having travelled sixty-eight miles 8 this 
day, notwithstanding the delays curiosity had 
occasioned. In the morning of June l Qth, we 
came to Tchestibaloshnia, meeting frequent par- 
ties of Calmucks ; and through Tuslovshaia, to 
the town of Axay, upon the Don, a settlement 
(2) One hundred and two versts. 
