_The Description of the_ Crim-Tartars; _their Houses and Carts, their
Idolatry in their Lodgings_
{MN-1} Now you are to understand, _Tartary_ and _Scythia_ are all one,
but so large and spacious, few, or none, could ever perfectly describe it,
nor all the several kinds of those most barbarous People that inhabit it.
Those we call the _Crim-Tartars,_ border upon _Moldavia, Podolia,
Lithuania,_ and _Russia,_ are much more regular than the interior parts of
_Scythia._ This Great _Tartarian_ Prince, that hath so troubled all his
Neighbours, they always call _Chan,_ which signifieth Emperour; but we,
the _Crim-Tartar._ He liveth for the most part in the best Champion Plains
of many Provinces; and his removing Court is like a great City of Houses
and Tents, drawn on Carts, all so orderly placed East and West, on the
right and left hand of the Prince's House, which is always in the midst
towards the South, before which, none may pitch their Houses, every one
knowing their Order and Quarter, as in an Army. {MN-2} The Princes Houses
are very artificially wrought, both the Foundation, Sides, and Roof of
Wickers, ascending round to the top like a Dove coat; this they cover with
white Salt, or white Earth, temper'd with the Powder of Bones, that it
may shine the whiter; sometimes with black Felt, curiously painted with
Vines, Trees, Birds, and Beasts; the breadth of the Carts are eighteen or
twenty Foot, but the house stretcheth four or five Foot over each side,
and is drawn with ten or twelve, or for more state, twenty Camels and
Oxen. {MN-3} They have also great Baskets, made of smaller Wickers, like
great Chests, with a covering of the same, all covered over with black
Felt, rubbed over with Tallow and Sheep's Milk, to keep out the Rain;
prettily bedecked with Painting or Feathers; in those they put their
Houshold Stuff and Treasure, drawn upon other Carts for that purpose. When
they take down their Houses, they set the door always towards the South,
and their Carts thirty or forty Foot distant on each side, East and West,
as if they were two Walls: The Women also have most curious Carts; every
one of his Wives hath a great one for her self, and so many other for her
Attendants, that they seem as many Courts as he hath Wives. One great
_Tartar_ or Nobleman, will have for his particular, more than an hundred
of those Houses and Carts, for his several Offices and Uses, but set so
far from each other, they will seem like a great Village. {MN-4} Having
taken their Houses from the Carts, they place the Master always towards
the North; over whose head is always an Image like a Puppet, made of Felt,
which they call his Brother; the Women on his left hand, and over the
chief Mistriss her Head, such another Brother, and between them a little
one, which is the keeper of the House; at the good Wives Beds-feet is a
Kids Skin, stuffed with Wooll, and near it a Puppet looking towards the
Maids; next the door another, with a dried Cows Udder, for the Women that
Milk the Kine, because only the Men Milk Mares; {MN-5} every Morning those
Images in their orders, they besprinkle with that they drink, be it
Cossmos, or whatsoever, but all the white Mares Milk is reserved for the
Prince. Then without the door, thrice to the South, every one bowing his
knee in honour of the Fire; then the like to the East, in honour of the
Air; then to the West, in honour of the Water; and lastly to the North, in
behalf of the dead. After the Servant hath done this duty to the four
quarters of the World, he returns into the House, where his Fellows stand
waiting, ready with two Cups, and two Basons, to give their Master, and
his Wife that lay with him that Night, to wash and drink, who must keep
him company all the day following, and all his other Wives come thither to
drink, where he keeps his House that day; and all the Gifts presented him
till night, are laid up in her Chests; and at the door a Bench full of
Cups, and drink for any of them to make merry.
* * * * *
{MN-1} _The description of the_ Crim-Tartar's _Court._
{MN-2} _His Houses and Carts._
{MN-3} _Baskets._
{MN-4} _Their Idolatry in their Lodgings._
{MN-5} _Cosmos is Mares Milk._
* * * * *