valiant. He extended his power even over the most distant of their hords.
The Kan of the Calmucks, who occupy a great part of the country, which lies between the Moungal and the Wolga, is so rich and powerful, that it is said he can bring an army of an hundred thousand men into the field. There is always a body of them in the Russian army. I have seen them, and can therefore describe them. They are rather short than tall; but strong, robust, courageous, and inured to fatigue. Their complexion is tawny; their faces flat, and their noses sunk to a level with their cheeks? only their two nostrils are striking, because larger than their eyes; these are so small, that they could not be perceived, if they were not extremely black and brilliant. They have scarce any beard, and their hair, of which they wear only a tuft on the crown of the head, is rough like a horse's mane. They wear a round bonnet with a border of fur in the Polish manner, and a kind of loose coat of sheep-skins, which comes down to the middle of their leg. They serve only on horseback; their arms are a bow which is larger, and arrows which are longer than usual. It is said that their arrows are so sharp-pointed, and that they make them fly with such force, that they will pierce a man through. They carry also a fusee, which hangs by their fide; and a lance, which they handle with great dexterity. They are all pagans: the name Calmucks is a kind of nick-name given them by the Mahometan Tartars, with which they are much offended. They want to be called Mogouls.
Those Tartars who are at present called Moungals, are situated, on one side, between these last people and the sea of Japan, and on the other between China and Siberia. It is of little importance to mention their several tribes.
Those that lie next to Poland, and who by their incursions into that kingdom, have made themselves better known than the others, are called Little Tartars, to distinguish them from those of Asia. Like these they are divided into several hords, each forming a different nation: The Kubans? the Tartars of the Crimea or Perecop; the hord of Oczakow; and that of Buoziack.
Besides these four species of Little Tartars, there is another very singular one, of which it may not be improper to take notice. They are situated in the heart of Lithuania. Some tribes of this people formerly threatened that duchy: Vitoldus, uncle of Flagellon, a bold and haughty prince, marched against them, and succeeded. He led captive into Lithuania many thousands of those Tartars of both sexes. He treated them mildly, and assigned them lands near Vilna to cultivate, which their posterity possess at this day. They have retained Mahometanism, and all their ancient customs; but they are less barbarous than those of the Crimea and its neighbourhood. They love work, are very sober, and of inviolable fidelity. The grandees of Poland are fond of having them in their service. They have escorted me in many journies, and it is from them I have received the following portrait of the present Tartars, who were originally one and the same people with themselves. They come into the world with their eye-lids
