Steppe nomads who flee from smallpox
Editorial contextChappe was told by several people that the nomadic 'Tartars' south of Siberia hardly knew smallpox and dreaded it so much that a sick person was left alone in a tent with food while the camp moved elsewhere. Those who came into Siberia caught it at once, and many died. Chappe says he checked the story as best he could but could only rest it on trustworthy witnesses.
Various people assured me of the singular fact that the wandering Tartars south of Siberia hardly know this cruel disease at all. They have such a horror of it that if someone catches it, he is left alone in a tent with provisions, and the others go and camp elsewhere. The Tartars who come into Siberia are attacked by it almost at once
Working translation
Original wording
Différentes personnes m'ont attesté le fait singulier, que les Tartares vagabonds situés au Midi de la Sibérie ne connoissent presque point cette cruelle maladie. Ils en ont une si grande horreur, que si quelqu'un en est attaqué, on le laisse seul dans une tente, avec des provisions de vivres, & l'on va camper ailleurs. Les Tartares qui pénetrent dans la Sibérie en sont attaqués presque aussi-tôt
About 'wandering Tartars' of the steppe south of Siberia
Keep in mind
Hearsay, as Chappe admits. 'Tartares vagabonds' probably means Kazakh and other nomads of the steppe frontier.
Pipes, Chinese tobacco and watermelon with Kazan's Tatar governor
Editorial contextOn arriving at Kazan Chappe was received by the governor, a Tatar prince. They sat round a table covered with a fine carpet; four long pipes and a porcelain jar of Chinese tobacco were set out, then local liqueurs, preserves, fruit and a watermelon so delicious that Chappe ate nothing else and took home seeds, which failed to grow in France.
I arrived at Kazan on the first of October. A Tartar prince was its governor … we sat down round a table covered with a fine carpet: four large pipes were placed on it and a porcelain jar full of Chinese tobacco; I smoked for a few moments. Then local liqueurs were served, preserves with fruit, and a watermelon
Working translation
Original wording
J'arrivai à Cazan le premier Octobre. Un Prince Tartare en étoit le Gouverneur … nous nous assimes autour d'une table couverte d'un beau tapis : on y plaça quatre grandes pipes & un vase de porcelaine rempli de tabac de la Chine : je fumai quelques instants. On servit aussi-tôt des liqueurs du pays; des confitures, avec des fruits & un melon d'eau
About a Tatar prince serving as governor of Kazan
Kalmyks and Mongols as heirs of Chinggis Khan's Tartars
Editorial contextAfter recounting how China destroyed the Zunghar Kalmyk state in 1757, Chappe says the other Kalmyk branches kept the courage they had under Chinggis Khan, whose conquests were made with these peoples, and that the Mongols between China and Siberia descend from the same Tartars. Here 'Tartar' means the Mongol-speaking peoples as a whole.
Several other branches of the Kalmyks still live in that part of Asia. They have kept the courage and bravery they had in the time of Chinggis Khan and his successors. It was with these peoples that those princes made so many conquests and laid down the law to Asia. The Mongols situated between China and Siberia descend from the same Tartars and are no less courageous.
Working translation
Original wording
Plusieurs autres branches des Calmouks habitent encore dans cette partie de l'Asie. Ils ont conservé le courage & la bravoure qu'ils avoient du temps de Gengis-kan & de ses Successeurs. C'est avec ces Peuples que ces Princes firent tant de conquêtes & donnerent la loi à l'Asie. Les Mongales situés entre la Chine & la Sibérie descendent des mêmes Tartares, & ils ne sont pas moins courageux.
About Kalmyks (Oirats) and Mongols
Keep in mind
Chappe learned of the Zunghar collapse from Kalmyk refugees and Russians in Siberia; his view of the Kalmyks as Chinggis Khan's own army is a loose generalisation.
Votyaks are not Tartars
Editorial contextStopping at the Votyak hamlet of Sowialova, Chappe notes that some authors had counted the Votyaks among the Tartars, but that he could see no connection between the two peoples. It is a small example of a traveller correcting the catch-all use of the word.
Sowialova is a hamlet inhabited by Votyaks. The peculiarity of this people and of their dress made me decide to stop there part of the day. Some authors have placed the Votyaks among the Tartars, but I recognised no relation between these two nations.
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Original wording
Sowialova est un Hameau habité par des Wotiakes. La singularité de ce Peuple & de leur habillement me détermina à m'y arrêter une partie de la journée. Quelques Auteurs ont placé les Wotiakes au nombre des Tartares, mais je n'ai reconnu aucun rapport entre ces deux Nations.
About Votyaks (Udmurts)
Nomads who asked to be fired on
Editorial contextBack in Paris Chappe heard from the Chevalier de Saint-Pierre that a large band of Tartars once approached a Russian fort on the Siberian lines. Warned that they would be fired on unless they withdrew, they held a council and sent word asking the commander to fire. After the first cannonade killed several of them they held another council and asked again, and only left after the third.
A large detachment of these Tartars approached the Siberian lines a few years ago; the commander of one of the Russian forts saw them and, not knowing what this band of Tartars intended, let them know he would open fire on them if they did not withdraw. The Tartars gathered, held a council, and sent to ask the commander to order the firing; it was done.
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Original wording
Un gros détachement de ces Tartares s'approcha, il y a quelques années, des lignes de Sibérie; le Commandant d'un des Forts Russes les ayant apperçus, & ignorant l'intention de ces Tartares en troupe, leur fit savoir qu'il feroit faire feu sur eux, s'ils ne se retiroient. Ces Tartares s'assemblent, & après avoir tenu conseil, ils envoient prier le Commandant d'ordonner qu'on fit feu; on le fit.
About steppe 'Tartars' on the Siberian border
Keep in mind
A second-hand anecdote told in Paris, used by Chappe to argue that some nomads did not know firearms; nothing confirms it.
Hunting the vegetable lamb around Kazan
Editorial contextChappe searched everywhere around Kazan for the famous Borametz, the 'vegetable lamb' described in Abbe Lambert's natural history: a plant shaped like a lamb, with fleece, a little blood and flesh, that grazed the grass around it and died when the grass dried. He could not find it, nobody in Kazan knew it, and he calls it a ridiculous fable.
I searched everywhere around Kazan for the famous plant called Borametz, of which the Abbe Lambert speaks in his Civil and Natural History. … this plant resembles a lamb; it has all its parts, with a delicate fleece which women use to cover their heads. … Despite all my efforts I could never obtain this plant, which is unknown at Kazan.
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Original wording
Je cherchai par-tout dans les environs de Cazan la fameuse plante nommée Borametz, dont parle M. l'Abbé Lambert dans son Histoire Civile & Naturelle. … cette plante ressemble à un agneau, elle en a toutes les parties avec une toison délicate, dont les femmes se servent pour couvrir leur tête. … Malgré mes soins je ne pus jamais me procurer cette plante inconnue à Cazan.
Keep in mind
Chappe tested the legend and rejected it. He adds that a plant shown under that name at the King's Garden in Paris, which some authors class among the mosses, has nothing to do with the fable.
A Kalmyk idol that gave communion to the sick
Editorial contextChappe brought back Kalmyk Buddhist idols from Tobolsk and had their meaning explained by Kalmyk envoys and later by a Kalmyk lama in St Petersburg. Of the copper figure Otschirbany he writes that the god was sent from heaven to fight demons who had stopped the sun and moon, and that a channel ran from its mouth to its anus so that lamas could drop a sacred pill through it into a sick person's mouth.
This god is of the third order. He was sent from heaven to fight evil spirits that had stopped the Sun and Moon. … The mouth of this divinity connects with the anus by a vertical channel. The lamas or priests use it to give communion to the sick.
Working translation
Original wording
Ce Dieu est du troisieme ordre. Il fut envoyé du Ciel pour combattre de mauvais génies qui avoient arrêté le Soleil & la Lune. … La bouche de cette Divinité communique avec l'anus par un canal perpendiculaire. Les Lamas ou Prêtres en font usage pour donner la communion aux malades.
About Zunghar Kalmyks (Oirat Buddhists)
Keep in mind
Otschirbany is Vajrapani. Chappe owned and described the figure, but the ritual comes through interpreters and may be misunderstood.