The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
The Tartares are very deformed, litle of bodie for the moste parte, hauyng
great stiepe eyes: and yet so heary on the eye liddes, that there sheweth
but litle in open sight. Platter faced and beardlesse, sauyng vpon the
vpper lippe, and a litle about the poincte of the chinne thei haue a feawe
heares as it were pricked in with Bodkins. Thei be communely all slendre in
the waste. Thei shaue the hindre haulfe of the heade, rounde aboute by the
croune, from one eare to another: compassyng towarde the nape of the necke
after suche a facion, that the polle behind sheweth muche like the face of
a bearded manne. On the other parte, thei suffre their heare to growe at
lengthe like our women: whiche thei deuide into two tresses, or braudes,
and bryng aboute to fasten behinde their eares. And this maner of shauyng,
do thei vse also that dwelle among theim, of what nacion so euer thei be.
Thei theim selues are very light and nimble: good on Horse, but naughte on
foote. All from the moste to the leaste, as well the women as the menne:
doe ride either vpon Geldynges, or Kien, where so euer thei become. For
stoned Horses thei occupie none, ne yet Gelding that is a striker, and
lighte of his heles. Their bridelles are trimmed with muche gold, siluer,
and precious stones. And it is compted a ioly thyng among theim: to haue a
great sort of siluer sounded belles, gynglyng aboute their horse neckes.
Their speache is very chourlishe and loude. Their singyng is like the
bawlynge of Woulues. When thei drinke, thei shake the heade: and drincke
thei do very often euen vnto dronckennesse, wherein thei glorie muche.
Their dwellyng is neither in tounes ne Bouroughes. But in the fieldes
abrode, aftre the maner of thauncient Scithians in tentes. And the
ratherso, for that thei are all moste generally catteill mastres. In the
wintre time thei are wont to drawe to the plaines, and in the Somer season,
to the mounteignes and hillie places for the better pasture. Thei make
theim Tentes, or elles rounde cotages of wickres, or of Felte vndersette
with smothe poles. In the middes thei make a round windowe that giueth them
lighte, and letteth out the smoke. In the middes of the Tent, is their
fire, aboute the whiche their wife and their children doe sitte. The menne
delight muche in dartyng, shootyng, and wrastelyng. Thei are merueilous
good hunters, to the whiche thei go armed at all pieces. And assone as thei
espie the beaste, thei come costing together rounde aboute and enclose her.
And when euery manne hath throwen his darte, or shotte his arrowe: whilest
the beast is troubled and amased with the stripes, thei steppe in to her
and slea her. Thei neither vse breade ne bakyng: table clothe ne napkin.
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