CALMUCKS. 
435 
we examined were torn; and others were so °xv P ' 
much effaced by use, that we coidd only discern * * — 
some of the written characters; yet all of them 
were sufficiently entire to convince us that 
they were manuscripts, beautifully written upon 
coloured linen. It was therefore highly desir- 
able to procure one of these interesting docu- 
ments ; and we ultimately succeeded : but the 
acquisition was made with considerable diffi- 
culty. At first they would not suffer us even 
to touch them : being told, however, that we 
were strangers in the land, that we came from 
very distant western countries, and that we 
were not subjects of Russia, they entered into 
consultation with each other : the result of this 
was an assurance on their part, that if we would 
pay the Priest for the trouble of transcribing, 
a fac-simile of one of the banners then used iii 
the camp should be brought to our lodgings in 
Taganrog. This manuscript, fairly written upon 
scarlet linen, was accordingly brought, in a 
very solemn embassy, and with many curious 
forms of presentation, by a party of the elder 
Calmucks, headed by their Priest, the whole 
party being in their best dresses. We had been 
absent ; and, upon our return, we found these 
strange-looking people sitting upon the bare 
earth, in the court-yard of the house where we 
lodged. As we drew near, the Priest, in a kind 
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