Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 2, 1851).djvu/84

style of riding is such, that they sit with the feet drawn up, towards the saddle, so as to be able to turn round easily to either side; and if anything should happen to fall which they wish to pick up, they can lean upon their stirrups and easily lift it; and they are so skilful in this manœuvre, that they can perform it while their horses are galloping. When attacked with spears, they avoid the adversary's blow by suddenly lowering themselves on the opposite side, only holding on to their horses with one hand and foot. When they go out on ravaging expeditions to the neighbouring provinces, each man takes with him two or three horses as a supply, so that when one is tired out he may use one of the others: they lead the weary horses meanwhile by the hand. Their bridles are very light, and they use whips instead of spurs; they only use geldings in warfare, because they consider them more capable of sustaining fatigue and abstinence. The men use a similar dress to that of the women, except that the latter cover the head with a linen veil, and wear linen breeches like those of sailors. When their queens go into public they are accustomed to cover their faces; but the rest of the people, who live a roving life in the fields, wear dresses made of sheeps' skins, which they never change until they are entirely worn out and ragged with long use. They never stay for any length of time in one spot, for they consider it a great calamity to be obliged to remain long in the same place; hence, when they are angry with their children, and wish to utter a heavy imprecation against them, they are accustomed to say, "may you abide in one place continually like a Christian, and inhale your own stink!" So that when they have consumed the pasture which they may find on one spot, they migrate elsewhere, together with their cattle, wives, and children, which they always lead about with them in marshy places. Those, however, who live in towns and cities follow another course of life; when they are engaged in a war at all of a