Macay Tartar travelling with his Khibitka, or Tent, upon Wheels, shewing that the Hamaxobi of Herodotus crist at this dy CHAP. XIV. CHAP. XIV. Visit to the General in chief of the Cossack Army. VOYAGE DOWN THE DON, TO AZOF AND TAGANROCK. Visit to the General in chief of the Cossack Army-Em- THE morning after our return to Oxai, we received a message from General Vassili Petrovich Orlof, Commander in the the Cossack service, whose name was Mamonof. The Some CHAP. XIV. CHAP. XIV. Some peculiarities, Some peculiarities, which distinguished the manners of our ancestors, and are still retained in the ceremonial feasts of antient corporate bodies, might be observed. The practice of drinking toasts, and rising to pledge the security of the cupbearer, was a remarkable instance. Another Another very antient custom, still more prevalent, is that of bowing and congratulating any one who happens to sneeze. The Cossacks of the Don always did this. When we took leave of the General, he said, if we preferred returning by water, for the sake of variety, we might use his barge, which was prepared, and waiting to convey us. Being conducted to it, we found it manned by ten rowers, and decorated in a most costly manner. It was covered with fine scarlet cloth; and Persian carpets were spread beneath a canopy of silk. The current being in our favour, we embarked, and were speedily re-conducted to our quarters in Oxai. Embarkation for the Sea of Azof. The next morning we took our leave of the Don Cossacks, and, having placed our carriage on board a barge, sailed delightfully down the river (often looking back at the fine view of the town of Oxai and Tscherchaskoy) to Nakhtshivan, an Armenian colony established about twenty years before our arrival, and which had attained a very flourishing state, even in that short period'. Its inhabitants were derived from (1)“ A verst (by land) from the fort of Rostof, is a large Armenian town, called Nakitchivan, after the antient town of that name. We spent the evening in looking over it. They affirmed that it contains 1500 families. It has four churches, and two very large bazars, which are very much crowded, and have great appearance of industry. We had a letter to one of the principal inhabitants, who had the rank of Colonel, and whose son was one of Mr. Andre's pupils (of Rostof), and our interpreter. His from the Crimea. They had about four hundred shops, which were all placed in one great covered building, after the manner of those in Moscow. The towns near the mouths CHAP. XIV. Armenian His name was Abraamof. I found that Armenians usually expressed their names in this manner, from the Christian names of their parents, yet with the termination in of, which is a mark of gentility. This man had two sons in the Russian navy; and possessed the reputation of great wealth. He knew Lazarof, who sold Orlof the great diamond; and described in strong terms the misery and anxiety the Armenian had felt while it remained in his possession. His house was well furnished, and had a billiardtable, and many other European luxuries: all however sat cross-legged, except the master, whose dress also was something after the European mode. He had several curious sabres and poignards richly ornamented, which he exhibited with much pride. He said himself and the greater part of his fellow townsmen had emigrated from the Crimea during the disturbances there; that they had this situation given them, and a charter, by which they had the same privileges as their countrymen at Astrachan. The principal trade of the town is in leather. The women are almost all veiled, but those we caught a glimpse of were very beautiful. Their veils were very carelessly disposed, and they betrayed no timidity. The men are also handsome; but they have a Jewish expression in their countenance. The Russians declare they have all a natural unpleasant odour, like that we attribute to the Jews. They dislike them greatly; and have a proverb, Two Jews equal one Armenian; two Armenians one Greek; two Greeks one Devil.' The Armenians, it is well known, are a very favoured sect by the Russian Government; and many of the noblest families have a mixture of their blood. Of these are Dolgorucky and Bagrathion. Joan the First gave the title of Knas to great numbers of Armenians, and permitted to all a free trade and settlement, with full liberty of worship, and even of making their processions openly. They have a magnificent church in Petersburg, and many in Astrachan and Casan. Their enterprize and activity are well known. Mr. Anderson of Petersburg told me he knew one who had been twice to Bassora, and once to Sarmacand and Tibet. I asked Abraamof if such journeys were common; and if they could take an European with them as their servant, or in any other disguise. He answered both these questions in the affirmative. He himself had been in Georgia, and many parts of Turkey, but never further. We observed several Mahometans, at least persons in green turbans, which no Armenian would wear." Heber's MS. Journal. As the green turban is a mark of high distinction in Turkey, and the Armenians of Nakhtshivan are under no fear of offending Mahometans, I suspect (for I noticed the same costume in the place) that they are worn merely on account of the freedom they enjoy. E. D. C. Ꭱ Ꭱ CHAP. XIV. General View of the South of Russia. mouths of the Don present the traveller with a most novel All the South of Russia, from the Dnieper to the Volga, and even to the territories of the Kirgissian and Thibet Tartars, with all the North of the Crimea, is one flat uncultivated desolate waste, forming, as it were, a series of those deserts which go by the name of Steppes. The very earliest adventurers from the civilized parts of Europe to |