Kumiss in the tent of a Kazakh chief
Editorial contextTravelling in Tartar dress with Kazakh guides, the factors reached the horde of the chief Jean Beek (Janibek Batyr). He sat on a carpet in his tent, rose to welcome them, drank a large dish of kumiss and made them drink too. The next page describes Kazakh felt tents, horse meat, drunkenness on fermented mare's milk, the dried cheese called 'crute', and their rule of never harming a guest while he is under protection.
This Tartar-chief was sitting on a carpet in his tent; he rose, and bid us welcome, and making us sit down with him, he took a large dish of kumees, which he drank, and made us do the same. We gave him some small presents, which he immediately divided amongst the company.
About Kazakh ('Kirgeese') Tartars of the Lesser Horde
Continue in this sourceJonas Hanway's history of British trade over the Caspian1743 to 1745 · 17 passagesStone ruins that an old Tatar called tombs of a people who left for China
Editorial contextAlong the Uy frontier line Rychkov notes ruins of stone buildings, some still whole. An old Tatar of Iset province told Lieutenant-Colonel Rennenkampf, from his ancestors' tradition, that the peoples who once lived here had moved away to China, and that the standing buildings were nothing but cemeteries of their notable men. An early record of local explanations for steppe ruins.
in various places there are ruins of stone buildings, some of which are still whole. About these, one very old man among the Tatars living in Iset province told Lieutenant-Colonel Rennenkampf, from the tradition of his ancestors, that the peoples who lived in these places in ancient times went away into the Chinese state. The buildings still visible are nothing other than the cemeteries of their notable people
Working translation
Original wording
въ разныхъ мѣстахъ находятся развалины каменныхъ строеній, изъ коихъ нѣкоторыя понынѣ еще въ цѣлости. О сихъ изъ живущихъ въ Исетской провинціи Татаръ одинъ престарѣлой человѣкъ Подполковнику Ренненкампфу по преданію предковъ своихъ объявлялъ, яко бы въ древнія времена жившіе въ сихъ мѣстахъ народы отошли въ Китайское государство. Оныя донынѣ видимыя строенія не что иное, какъ знатныхъ ихъ людей кладбища
About Siberian Tatars of Iset province (as informants); unknown earlier inhabitants
Keep in mind
Oral tradition passed through two intermediaries.
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Welcomed at the Tatar village of Birna
Editorial contextAfter a near-fatal sledge accident, Chappe reached Birna, a Tatar village. Villagers came out a verst to meet him with signs of friendship, led him to their headman (chosen, he says, for his merit without any election) and gave him a meal of honey, butter and vegetables. Their houses were as clean as Siberian ones were dirty; they lived much like their neighbours except that they were Muslims.
At last I reached Birna; this village is inhabited by Tartars. Several had come out a verst from their village to meet me … They had prepared a kind of dinner for me consisting of honey, butter and a few vegetables. Their houses are as clean as those of the Siberians are not. For the rest, they live in much the same way, except that they are Mahometans.
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Original wording
J'arrivai enfin à Birna; ce Village est habité par des Tartares. Plusieurs étoient venus au-devant de moi à un werst de leur Village … Ils m'avoient fait préparer une espece de dîner qui consistoit dans du miel, du beurre & quelques légumes. Leurs maisons sont aussi propres que celles des Sibériens le sont peu. Au reste, ils vivent à-peu-près de la même façon, excepté qu'ils sont Mahométans.
About Muslim Tatar villagers
Continue in this sourceChappe d'Auteroche's journey to Siberia1761 · 11 passagesTatar women's sugar-loaf caps, and equal marriages
Editorial contextChappe describes the dress of the Tatars of Birna: the men in wool tunics, long robes and boots with shaved heads, the women in shorter robes and tall sugar-loaf caps sewn with copper coins and glass beads. Wives shared most of their husbands' work and were treated gently, with 'perfect equality' between them, which he contrasts with the seclusion of Siberian Russian wives.
The dress of Tartar women differs little from that of the men: it is shorter, and the belt is worn over the robe. Their headdress is a cap, often shaped like a sugar loaf, covered with kopecks and glass beads … They share most of their husbands' work; the husbands treat them gently; a perfect equality reigns between them.
Working translation
Original wording
L'habillement des femmes Tartares differe peu de celui des hommes : il est plus court, & la ceinture est par-dessus la robe. Leur coeffure est un bonnet, souvent fait en pain de sucre; il est couvert de copecks & de grains de verre … Elles partagent la plupart des travaux de leurs maris : ceux-ci les traitent avec douceur : une parfaite égalité regne entre eux.
About Muslim Tatar villagers
Keep in mind
A one-day visit; the plate 'Tartares des environs de Kazan' in the same volume illustrates the dress.