t for a considerable portion of the winter the
thermometer will not act, on account of the congelation of the mercury.
The whole district is often covered with snow; and if at these times the
south-west wind blows, the plain wears the aspect of a raging sea. The
wind raises the snow in immense waves, and impels the gigantic avalanches
vehemently before it. Then the Tartars hurry courageously to the aid of
their herds and flocks, and you see them dashing in all directions,
exciting the animals by their cries, and driving them to the shelter of
some rock or mountain. Sometimes these intrepid shepherds stop short
amid the tempest, and stand erect for a time, as if defying the cold and
the fury of the elements.

The training of the Tartar women is not more refined than that of the
men. They are not, indeed, taught the use of the bow and the matchlock;
but in equitation they are as expert and as fearless as the men. Yet it
is only on occasions that they mount on horseback; such, for example, as
travelling, or when there is no man at home to go in search of a stray
animal. As a general rule, they have nothing to do with the care of the
herds and flocks.

Their chief occupation is to prepare the family meals, and to make the
family clothes. They are perfect mistresses of the needle; it is they
who fabricate the hats, boots, coats, and other portions of the Mongol
attire. The leather boots, for example, which they make are not indeed
very elegant in form, but, on the other hand, their solidity is
astonishing.

It was quite unintelligible to us how, with implements so rude and coarse
as theirs, they could manufacture articles almost indestructible in their
quality. It is true they take their time about them; and get on very
slowly with their work. The Tartar women excel in embroidery, which, for
taste and variety of pattern and for excellence of manipulation, excited
our astonishment. We think we may venture to say, that no where in
France would you meet with embroidery more beautiful and more perfect in
fabric than that we have seen in Tartary.

The Tartars do not use the needle in the same way as the Chinese. In
China they impel the needle perpendicularly down and up; whereas the
Tartars impel it perpendicularly up and down. In France the manner is
different from both; if we recollect right, the French women impel the
needle horizontally from right to left. We will not attempt to pronounce
as to the respectiv