The True Travels, Adventures, and Observations of Captain John Smith into Europe, Asia, Africa, and America: From Ann. Dom. 1593 to 1629Smith, John
History
The True Travels, Adventures, and Observations of Captain John Smith into Europe, Asia, Africa, and America: From Ann. Dom. 1593 to 1629
Smith, John
Smith, John, 1580-1631; Voyages and travels
{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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account