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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 589
wood *, neatly painted of a green colour. Weecarried a letter of recommendation from
Prince Staniflaus Poniatowfki, the King of Poland’s nephew, to the Count, who re-
ceived us with great franknefs. and detained us at dinner: he defired us to lay afide all
form, adding, that he was a plain man, had a high efteem for the Englifh nation, and
fhould be happy to render us every fervice in his power during our {tay at Mofcow.
We had the pleafure of dining feveral times with him, and always met with the moft
polite reception. The Count feemed to live in the true {tyle of old Ruffian hofpitality,
and kept an open table, abounding with a great variety of Greek wines, which he
brought from the Archipelago. One difh ferved on his plentiful board, was extremely
delicious, and only inferior to our beft venifon; it was a quarter of an Aftracan fheep,
remarkable for the quantity and flavour of the fat f.
There was mufic during dinner, which generally made a part of the entertainment
at the tables of the nobility. We obferved alfo another ufual inftance of parade; nu-
merous retainers and dependents were intermixed with the fervants, but feldom affift-
ed in any menial office: they occafionally ftood round their lord’s chair, and feemed
greatly pleafed whenever they were diftinguifhed by a nod or a fmile. In this train
was an Armenian, recently arrived from Mount Caucafus, who, agreeably to the cuf-
tom of his country, inhabited a tent pitched in the garden, and covered with felt. His
drefs confifted. of a long loofe robe tied with a fafh, large breeches, and boots: his
hair was cut, in the manner of the Tartars, in a circular form; his arms were a poign-
ard, and a bow of buffalo’s horn ftrung with the finews of the fame animal. He was
extremely attached to his mafter; and, when firft prefented, voluntarily took an oath
of fealty, and fwore, in the true language of Faltern hyperbole, to attack all the
Count’s enemies ; offering, as a proof of fincerity, to cut off his own ears; he alfo
wifhed that all the ficknefs, which at any time threatened his mafter, might be tranf-
ferred to himfelf. He examined our clothes, and feemed delighted with pointing out
the fuperiority of his own drefs in the article of convenience: he threw himfelf into
different attitudes with uncommon agility, and defied us to follow his example: he
danced a Calmuc dance, which confifted in ftraining every mufcle, and writhing the
body into various contortions without ftirring from the {pot : he beckoned us into the
garden, took great pleafure in fhewing us his tent and his arms, and fhot feveral arrows
to an extraordinary height. We were ftruck with the umartificial character of this
Armenian, who feemed like a wild man juft beginning to be civilized.
Count Orlof, who is fond of the manege, is efteemed to poffefs, though not the largeit,
yet the fineft ftud in Ruffia, and he was fo obliging as to gratify our curiofity by convey-
ing us to his country-houfe, at the diftance of fifteen miles from Mofcow. He conveyed
us in his own carriage drawn by fix horfes, harnefled with ropes, and placed two in
front, and four a-breaft in the hinder row; an empty coach with fix horfes, ranged
two by two, followed for parade. He was attended by four huffars, and the Armenian
accoutred with his bow and quiver, who continually fhouted and waved his hand with
the f{trongeft expreflions of tranfport ; he occafionally galloped his horfe clofe to the
* Wooden houfes are by many perfons in this country {uppofed to be warmer and more wholefome than
-thofe of brick ard ftone, which is the reafon why feveral of the Ruffian nobility chufe that part of the houfe
which they inhabit themfelves, to be conftruéted with wood.
+ In the court-yard I obferved feveral theep of this fpecies ranging about the ftables, fo perfectly tame
that they fuffered us to ftroke them. They are almoft as large as fallow deer, but with much fhorter legs :
they have no horns, long flowing ears, and inftead of tails, a large bunch of fat, fometimes weighing thirty
pounds. Mr. Pennant has given an engraving of thele fheep in his Hiftory of Quadrupeds, which he has
accompanied with an accurate defcription. ‘
arrlage,
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