1801.] 
a red tuft on the crown of her yellow cap. 
Her hair was formed into many {mall 
plaits. 
As we approached the mother of the 
Prince, fhe raifed herfelf up a little from _ 
her fopha, bid us welcome by a nod of her 
head, and made us take our places near 
her; fome of the chefts being puthed for- 
ward to the right of the Princefs, to ferve 
as feats for the ladies. ‘ 
The crowd of people, who had followed 
us, remained on the outfide of the kibitk. 
Befides the Prince and his family, feveral 
“other perfons of both fexes, belonging to 
the court-retinue, were with us in the tent. 
- The Princefs opened the converfation by 
inquiring our names, age, condition, and 
the like. 
In the mean time, a leather flatk, full of 
fpirits, and a {mall fet of China cups and 
Saucers, in a {mall wooden cheft, probably 
the moft precious furniture the Princels 
was poflefled of, was brought out. Some 
of the fpirituous liquor, which the Cal- 
mucs diftill from four mare’s milk, was 
poured into one of the faucers, and hand- 
ed to the company. Moft of our party 
sefufed this fingular liquor. I endea- 
voured, from curiofity, to drink a little of 
it, but could ‘not reconcile myfelf to the 
tafte of it;.I could, however, perceive 
that, if, drunken in large quantities, it 
muft be very intoxicating. M. Police- 
mafter Hammel, however, who by a long 
zefidence among thefe people had become 
accuftomed to their manner of life, took 
a hearty draught of this welcoming pota- 
tion. 
M. Pallas then, in order to treat the 
company with fomething more palatable, 
had fome of the wheaten bread and wine, 
which we had brought with us for break- 
faft, fetched from the carriage, and pre- 
fented to the Princefs, to the Prince; and 
to his fitter. As the Calmucs cultivate no 
corn, the bread was a great rarity to them, 
and they devoured it with much appetite. 
“The Prince and young Princefs. gave a 
part of what they had received from M, 
Pallas to thofe ftanding neareft them, and 
thefe again divided it with their neigh. 
bours, fo that each received only a {mall 
morfel. In thé fame manner they pro- 
ceéded with the wine, which the priefts 
efpecially feerned very much to relifh; the 
Prince being the only one of the company 
who refufed it. But his mother, who, in 
handing about the wine, had been forgot- 
ten, requefted us herfelf to give her fome. 
All the Calmucs prefent then received from 
‘the priefts out-of round brafs bottles, 
Remarks on the Calmucs, their Manners and Cuftoms. 
41} 
which they conftantly carry about with 
them hanging on the left fide of their gir- 
dies, a few drops of holy water, with 
which’ they purified their mouths, and 
then {pit it out again. ; 
We could not help remarking the un- 
mannetly behaviour of the prielts and the | 
attendants of the court, who, even in the 
prefence of the Prince and his family, were 
not afhamed to commit indecencies which, 
in countries only a little civilized, we fhould 
hardly pardon in the loweft vulgar; for 
fome of thofe ftanding behind us fhocked 
our ears with the pretty loud explofions of 
their overcharged ftomachs. 
About! nine o’clock, we went with the 
Prince, and the crowd of people who had 
remained on the outfide of his tent, to the 
kibitk which was fitted up to ferve for a 
temple. Like that of the Prince, it was 
made of -white felt, and perfectly refeme 
bled it in fize and fape. - Oppofice to the 
entrance, there flood, in the back-ground, 
on an altar, about three feet high, fever 
cups full of water, and above them the 
principal ‘divinities were hung up, being 
painted in a variety of ridiculous\ forms, 
with divers claring-colours, on parchment. 
Round the fides of the tent hung the other 
pretty numerous pictures of their gods, 
confifting only of black outlines drawn on 
parchment. The ground was covered 
with carpets. Eight priefts performed the 
fervice. Their lone wide garments were 
made of orange-coloured nankin; from 
their right fhoulders to the left thigh they 
‘wore red belts, faftened toa girdle of the 
fame colour, whence depended the little 
brafs bottle for holding holy water. Their 
clofe-fhaven heads were covered with yel- 
low, flat, round hats; and their boots 
were of yellow Morocco leather. 
The laics, who take no part in the di- 
vine fervice, but leave the whole to be 
performed by the priefts, who compofe 
almof a fourth part of the nation, remain- 
ed on the outfide of the kibitk, and lifted 
up the felt, that they might have a view 
of the whole. ‘The eight prieits having 
feated themfelves, with their legs crofled, 
in two rows from the altar towards the 
door, two of them began the fervice 
with wooden pipes, on which they for 
fome time preluded in horrid diflonance : 
the whole then joined in a chant, which 
perfectly correfponded with the preceding | 
mufic. The chorus being finithed, the 
two priefts again began their cat’s mufic, 
and two others joined in the concert on 
two horns, with wide mouths, and four 
yards long; and two-others had fmall 
a _ drums 
a 
