- 43 planted gardens with fruit trees, near which fish ponds beautified the situation; summer houses made in the taste of various nations, from which the view extended to the neighbouring fields and plains, added agreeableness to the dwelling.

As the Czarowitz grew up, his female guardians began to remark that he was no lefs prudent and sprightly, than handsome. The fame of the beauty, wisdom, and fine accomplishments of the Czarowitz was spread abroad on all sides. A certain Han . of the Kirguise Tartars, wandering in the desert with his Kibitkas,* heard of this, and was anxious to see so extraordinary an infant; and having seen him, he formed a wish to carry him away into the desert. He began by endeavouring to persuade the guardians to travel with the Czarowitz and him into the desert. The matrons told him with all politeness, that it was impofsible to do this without the Czar's permission that they had not the honour of knowing my lord Han, and that they never pay any visits with the Czarowitz to strangers. The Han has not contented with this polite answer, and stuck to them closer than formerly, just like a hungry person to a piece of paste; and insisted that the nurses fhould go with the child into the desert. Having at last re

*Kibitka is a sort of tent made of matts which is used by the wandering Kirguise and other Tartar nations. It also means a kind of covered waggon used for travelling in Rufsia. Probably this last was the original meaning of the word among the Tartars, for these waggons were originally their habitations. When they afterwards adopted tents for that purpose, they probably gave these their dwellings still the same name as formerly. Edit.

Sept. 11. ceived a flat denial, he was convinced he could not succeed in his intention by intreaties, and sent them a present. They returned him thanks,-sent his present back, and ordered to tell him that they were in want of nothing.

The Han, obstinate and fixed in his resolution, considered what was to be done? It came into his head to drefs himself in tattered clothes; and he sat down at the gate of the garden, as if he were a sick old man ; and he begged alms of the passengers. The Czarowitz happened that day to take a walk in the garden; and observing that a certain old man sat at the gate, sent to ask who the old man was? They returned with answer that he was a sick beggar. Ivan, like a boy possessed of much curiosity, asked leave to look at the sick beggar. The matrons to pacify Ivan, told him that there was nothing to be seen; and that he might send the beggar alms. Ivan wished to give the money himself, and ran off. The attendants ran after him; but the faster they ran, the faster the child set out, and got without the gate. Having run up to the feigned beggar, his foot catched a stone, and he fell upon his face. The beggar sprung up,-took the child under his arm, and set a running down the hill. A gilded rospoofki, (a kind of cart with four wheels,) trimmed with velyet, stood there:-he got on the rospoofki, and galloped away with the Czarwitz into the desert.

When the guardians had run up to the gate, they found neither beggar nor child; nor did they see any traces of them. Indeed there was no road at the place where the Han went down the hill. Sitting on the rospoofki, he held the Czarowitz before him with one

hand, like a chicken by the wing, and with the other he waved his cap round his head, and cried three times hura! On hearing this voice, the guardians ran to the slope of the hill; but it was too late: they could not overtake them.

:

The Han carried Ivan in safety to his camp, and went into his kibitka, where the grandees met the Han. The Han appointed to Ivan his best Starfhina*. This Starfhina took him in his arms, and carried him into a richly ornamented kibitka, covered with Chinese stuffs and Persian carpets. He set the Ichild on a cushion of cloth of gold, and tried to pacify him but Ivan cried and repented he had run away from his guardians. He was continually asking whither they were carrying him for what reason? to what purpose? and where he was? The Starshina and the Kirguise that were with him, told him many stories. One said that it was so ordained by the course of the stars; another that it was better living there than at home. They told him all but the truth. Seeing that nothing could pacify him, they tried to frighten him with nonsense; they told him they would turn him into a bat or a hawk, that they would give him to the wolf or frog to be eaten. The Czarwitz was not fearful, and amidst his tears laugu-' ed at such nonsense. The Starfhina seeing that the child had left off crying, ordered the table to be covered. They covered the table and served the supper. The Czarowitz eat a little: they then presented preserves and such fruit as they had. After supper they undressed him and put him to sleep.

Starshina an elder-man, from Starij old.

Sept. 11. Next morning before day break, the Han gathered his grandees, and spoke to them as follows: "Let "it be known unto you, that I yesterday carried "off the Czarowitz Ivan, a child of uncommon

beauty and prudence. I wish to know perfectly "whether all is true that is said of him; and I am "determined to employ every means of trying his "qualifications." The grandees having heard the the Han's words bowed themselves to the girdle. The flatterers among them praised the Han's conduct, when he had carried off a child, nay the child of a neighbouring Czar: the mean spirited approved, saying," right lord Han, our hope, whatever you

He

do must be right*." A few of them who really loved the Han, fhook their heads, and when the Han afked them why they held their tongues, they told him frankly, "You have done wrong in carrying "off the son of a neighbouring Czar, and you can "not escape misfortune, unless you compensate for this step." The Han answered, Just so; you are always discontented,' and passed by them. ordered the Czarowitz to be brought to him as soon as he fhould awake. The child seeing that they wished to carry him, said, “ Do not trouble yourselves, I can walk. I will go myself." Having come into the Han's kibitka, he bowed to them all, first to the Han, and then to the rest on the right and left. He then placed himself before the Han with such

* As I find I am unable to give a translation sufficiently exprefsive of the sense of the original here, I fhall set it down with a literal translation. Tak na desha gofudar Han, kak inako bit kak tebe na serdtse prijdet; that is; So hope lord Han, how otherwise to be how to you on the heart will come.

a respectful, polite, and prudent mein, that he filled all the Kirguise and the Han himself with wonder. The Han however recollecting himself, spoke as follows; "Czarowitz Ivan! they say of you that you

66

are a wise child, pray seek me a flower,-a rose "without prikles that stings not. Your tutor will "fhow you a wide field: I give you a term of three "days." The child bowing again to the Han said, 'I hear,' and went out of the kibitka to his own home.

To be concluded in our next.

ON THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF SHEEP IN A WILD AND DO-
MESTIC STATE, REARED IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE, AND BY
THE PASTORAL NATIONS FROM THE FRONTIERS OF EUROPE TO
THOSE OF CHINA.

Continued from vol. xvi. p. 312.
The fifth variety.

OVIS TAURICA.

THERE is still a breed of fheep in the Crimea, (iately brought back to its ancient appellation of Tauride by her imperial majesty,) which even the wide range of Dr Pallas's travels did not permit him to examine, but which he hopes to describe on his journey home from the new excursion he is going upon for the advancement of natural history in general, and the completion of his Flora Rofsica in particular; a splendid work executed by the learned academician, at the sole expence of her imperial majesty, who presents it to the learned in Europe, as a mark of her attention to science, and its professors.