to
help the servants to devour the remains of the feast; and there is often
a great deal of food left; for there are generally _ten_ tables, and
sometimes there are _forty_ tables. The guests are expected to taste the
food on each, however many there may be.

Instead of wine, there is a drink called shuat handed to the guests: it
is distilled from grain and honey. Vegetables are not much eaten in
Circassia: for greens are considered fit only for beasts: and there are
no potatoes. Pies, and tarts, and tartlets of various kinds are too well
liked, and the finest ladies in the land are skilful in making them.

The family live in a thatched cottage, called "the family-house." It is
not divided into rooms. If a man wants several rooms, he builds several
houses.

As you approach the dwelling of a Circassian, you hear the barking of
dogs, and upon coming nearer, you see women milking cows, and feeding
poultry, and boys tending goats, and leading horses.

If you go into the farm-yard, you will see among the animals, the
buffalo--but no pig. There are, however, wild boars in the woods.

CIRCASSIAN WOMEN.--They are not shut up as Hindoo, and Chinese, and
Turkish ladies are. They do not indeed go into the guest-house to see
strangers; but strangers are sometimes invited into the family-house to
see them.

An Englishman, who visited a family-house, was introduced to the wife and
daughter. They both rose up when he entered: nor would they sit down,
till he sat down; and this respect ladies show not only to gentlemen, but
even to the poorest peasants. The only furniture in the house was the
divan, on which the ladies sat; a pile of boxes, containing the beds,
which were to be spread on the floor at night; and a loom for weaving
cloth, and spindles for spinning.

The daughter, who was sixteen, was dressed in a skirt of striped silk,
with a blue bodice, and silver clasps; and she wore a cap of scarlet
cloth, adorned with silver lace--her light hair flowing over her
shoulders: yet though so finely arrayed, her feet were bare; for she only
put on her red slippers when she walked out. The mother was covered with
a loose calico wrapper, and her face was concealed by a thick white veil.
The visitor laid some needle-cases at the ladies' feet, for it is not the
custom for them to receive presents in their hands.

The needle-cases greatly delighted the young Hafiza, and her mother. The
present was well chosen, because the Circassian w