before us.

With the Tartars, the tail is considered the most delicious portion of
their sheep, and accordingly the most honourable. These tails of the
Tartarian sheep are of immense size and weight, the fat upon them alone
weighing from six to eight pounds.

The fat and juicy tail having thus been offered a homage to the two
stranger guests, the rest of the company, knife in hand, attacked the
four quarters of the animal, and had speedily, each man, a huge piece
before him. Plate or fork there was none, the knees supplied the absence
of the one, the hands of the other, the flowing grease being wiped off,
from time to time, upon the front of the jacket. Our own embarrassment
was extreme. That great white mass of fat had been given to us with the
best intentions, but, not quite clear of European prejudices, we could
not make up our stomachs to venture, without bread or salt, upon the
lumps of tallow that quivered in our hands. We briefly consulted, in our
native tongue, as to what on earth was to be done under these distressing
circumstances. Furtively, to replace the horrible masses upon the table
would be imprudent; openly to express to our Amphytrion our repugnance to
this _par excellence_ Tartarian delicacy, was impossible, as wholly
opposed to Tartar etiquette. We devised this plan: we cut the villainous
tail into numerous pieces, and insisted, in that day of general
rejoicing, upon the company's partaking with us of this precious dish.
There was infinite reluctance to deprive us of the treat; but we
persisted, and by degrees got entirely clear of the abominable mess,
ourselves rejoicing, instead, in a cut from the leg, the savour of which
was more agreeable to our early training. The Homeric repast completed,
a heap of polished bones alone remaining to recall it, a boy, taking from
the goat's-horn on which it hung a rude three-stringed violin, presented
it to the chief, who, in his turn, handed it to a young man of modest
mien, whose eyes lighted up as he received the instrument. "Noble and
holy travellers," said the chief, "I have invited a Toolholos to
embellish this entertainment with some recitations." The minstrel was
already preluding with his fingers upon the strings of his instrument.
Presently he began to sing, in a strong, emphatic voice, at times
interweaving with his verses recitations full of fire and animation. It
was interesting to see all those Tartar faces bent towards the Minstrel,
an