pellation, and the more modern one of Kirghises, held the Chinese in awe, and more than once shook that wonderful power to the foundations.

Their territories, in which they have numerous towns, extend from the river Oural and the Caspian Sea eastward as far as the Irtish, and the Altay Mountains, the natural wall of China. The sea of Oral, and Buckkaria bound them to the south. This once formidable people, now become the auxiliaries of Russia, did not appear better appointed for efficiency against European troops, than the Baschkirs. They were armed with bows and arrows, and badly mounted. Their cloaths were of the Eastern fashion, with blue kaftans and caps of various forms, some furred and others plain, of the Chinese shape. The Kirghises resemble their neighbours of China in the character of their faces, as well as in complexion and features.

The troops were divided into bands of a hundred men. At the head ́of each, an officer carried its respective standard; not much unlike, both in colour and pattern, a common checqued silk handkerchief; but forked with points of a distinct dye. To every pike was also suspended a small pennon, serving to mark the division to which each individual was attached. The effect of all these standards recalled to my recollection the procession in Blue Beard, where there are almost as many ensigns of command, as men to command.

Then followed a very fine corps indeed: the Kalmucs, who are some of the best disciplined troops in the Russian service. They sprung from the Huns; a people, who, many years after the descent of the

Sarmates, overwhelmed the neighbouring nations of Russia. But why should I tell you who and what they were? when every schoolboy knows their origin; since, like the burner of the temple at Ephesus, they gave themselves to everlasting remembrance by the subversion of the Roman empire, under their conquering Attila.

The Mongoles, or Kalmuc Tartars, were descended of this victorious race: and marching from their patriarchal seat on the borders of China, towards the Oral and Caspian Seas; they subdued the inhabitants of that vast tract of country; and mingling with the natives, in the course of time were so altered from their ancient manners, as to lose all apparent traces of their origin. Among the hives which they subjugated and incorporated with themselves under the general name of Kalmuc Tartars, were the Turkomanes and the Kumenæs pitched near the Caspian Sea; and several Sarmatian and Scythian swarms which dwelt more to the northward. These all made one people under the great Tschinghis-Khan; and following his conquering banner, overran Buckkaria, Persia and all China. Their next spoils were to be found in Russia: and owing to the continued feuds between the separate princes, it became an easy prey to the victorious Khan. In short, from the year 1223, when the Prince of Kief sacrificed the empire to his jealousy, to that of 1554, did the Russians groan under the Tartar yoke. But at that memorable period, the valiant arm of Ivan the Terrible, not only gave freedom to his country, but destroyed the Golden Horde of the Kalmucs, the seat of the Khans, pursued the remnants of their power to Kazan and Astrakhan; and laying both cities in ruins, for ever after annihilated the sovereignty of Tartary. From that hour, instead of being the Lords of Russia, the Kalmucs are