their Dress Houses Hospitality Story of the Plague Religion Village Regulations Languaget and Origin.
THE Bulgarians, though ranking low in point of numbers amongst the other colonists of New Russia, are perhaps deserving the first notice, from the high character they bear, as a sober, industrious, and meritorious class. These people have migrated from the arbitrary subjection of the Turkish government, to the mild one of the Crimea, which, in affording a refuge from despotic tyranny, possesses a sufficiently strong inducement to the peasant, who lives there in ease and independence, such as he can scarcely find equalled in any other part of the world. Besides rather large villages which belong to this people in theneighbourhoodof Staria M2 Grim, they have a few flourishing ones near Odessa. They are in all respects under the same regulations as the German colonists, not furnishing horses to the government, and enjoying all their exemptions. Many of their community are more affluent than they are willing to acknowledge themselves : the policy of avoiding with extreme caution any display of wealth, which the imposition of their former masters has taught them, is, like other habits, continued even when the necessity for it no longer exists ; since none but the Tatars are now regarded with any jealousy by the Russian government.
Luxury, though the offspring of wealth, needs the fostering hand of civilization to rear it, and is not found in the cottage of the hardy mountaineer, or the uncivilized inhabitant of the plain. Nursed by frugality, he is parsimonious by nature, education, and long habit ; and the difference between abundance and poverty, is only discerned by a larger or smaller share of the same plain food, and plain clothing, if we except the single channel into which his wealth flows the increase of his flocks or herds.
The Bulgarian is a careful shepherd, and understands far better than the Tatar, either that occupation, or the culture of the ground. The former, however, is a point to which the Tatar would not accede ; and I think it possible his knowledge might be more conspicuous, were not his avarice and idleness so predominant.
The industry of the Bulgarian makes him a provident master; and while he too is careful in the expenditure of a kopeek, he does not neglect to guard against inclement seasons, and accidental wants.
The clean and healthy appearance of their flocks, shews the attention which is bestowed upon them, and the losses amongst them are proportionably less. These flocks are all of the Crimean breed, the Spanish flocks being in the hands of large proprietors, or among French settlers.
The Bulgarian shepherd leads a roving and unsettled life, moving about wherever he finds pasturage for his sheep, and raising his temporary and lonely habitation, sometimes in the woods, and at other times a short distance from some village of the plain. It never, I believe, happens that one man alone has charge of a flock; two, and often three or more, according to its size, are required ; and the dog, ever the faithful ally of man, is the watchful guardian of his master's treasure. To a thousand sheep four men are assigned, including the chief shepherd, called Attaman; the wages of the men are paid in kind, never in money. Indeed most of the shepherds are more or less proprietors or sharers in the flock, and some of them, who tend their flocks the whole year, possess a thousand sheep, and even more.
The goats kept with their sheep are turned to more profit than those of the Tatar flocks, for they milk them regularly, and make a rich good cheese of the milk, which is preserved in bladders, being put in while warm ; it then cuts and eats not unlike the fresh cheese of Cambridgeshire ; and is thus kept throughout the year.
I ate once a sort of pudding made of this curd, which some shepherds who had their flocks in the forest of Agirmish prepared for our party ; and both cheese and cheese-cakes, in the English manner of making, are excellent from this curd. The goats' hair is sometimes, but not generally, pulled ; it is to be bought in the Crimea, and is sent to Constantinople. They keep a few horses, oxen for the plough or team, and cows, but not in large numbers. Pigs are generally or frequently found in their store-yards, some of which they kill and take to market, and others reserve for their own seasons of feasting, or at least for those not set apart for fasts. Poultry also is kept for home consumption, and is seldom to be purchased in their villages.