They claim Exemptionfrom consenting to the Death of the Saviour Jewish Women Curious Jewish Custom Of the Natives of other Nations resident in the Crimea Of the Poles Importance ofRank in Russia O6servance of the Russian Fast ofPrayer.
THE Armenians now settled in the Crimea arecomparativelyfew in number. The settlement of these colonists at Nachtchivan has been fully described by Dr. Clarke, who states the number of them there to be eight thousand. Those of theCrimea are universally resident in the towns, either as merchants or burghers ; and the application so contemptuously bestowed by Buonaparte on the English, seems, in truth, perfectly applicable to these people they are really a nation of shopkeepers, having no other pursuits than those of buying and selling, in which they shew a keenness that makes them much more apt to over-reach others, than liable to be deceived themselves.
In character they are more retired than many others of the settlers, and particularly the women, who are reserved andawkward amongst strangers :
they have quick piercing dark eyes, very dark hair, handsome noses, most intelligent countenances, shewinganaturalcapacity, which, from the want of education, is all absorbed in one acquirement, and devoted to the knowledge of increasing gain ; and in the comprehending pecuniary interest, they are remarkably shrewd.
The dress of the Armenian has little ofpeculiarity : a very high cap of fur, or lamb's wool, a loose frock coat, and acaftan, or shube, oflamb's wool or fur ; or in warm weather, of cloth. The women, in addition to the Eastern dress, wear a long and wide cloak of black silk, or satin, and a veil the same as the Tatars.
The Armenian prides himself as much upon performing pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as the Tatar or Turk upon that to Mecca, and assumes also therankofHadgee, having his arm tattooed with the sign of the Cross, the Holy Sepulchre, &c. &c. An Armenian merchant of Kaffa introduced his son to us, a rough awkward boy of thirteen years old, telling us with much exultation, that he was Hadgee, and shewing the indisputable marks of his being entitled to that rank.
I could not help feeling of how little true value is rank, which all so much prize, unless it be dignified by a character which exalts and ennobles it. The father of this lad, a drunken and disgusting man, could not possibly feel any interest in having visited the place where the Saviour of mankind had suffered : his was the pride of heart which least befits the man who bears upon his arm the badge of having been at the holy city.
The Armenians manufacture for sale a coarse felt, called wylocks, which is used for many purposes, and possessed by all the peasantry. Their chief amusement is playing at chess, and a game called by the Russians trie-track, which is a superior game of backgammon : they N sit on the shop-board in front of their shops, and often play throughout the day, except when interrupted by the occasional visit of a customer.
The most respectable of the Armenians are Roman Catholics, the rest Arians.
The Jews are very numerous indeed in all the colonies, composing from one-fifth to one-tenth of the whole population. But they are, with very few r exceptions, fixed in the class of burghers and shopkeepers, in every one of the towns ofNew Russia. Latterly the government tried the novel experiment of colonizing them as husbandmen, and some establishments were formed in the government ofEkaterinoslaff.
The Karaites, ofwhom Mrs. Guthrie speaks, still retain undisturbed possession of the fortress ofTchoufout Ka-Ie. Several ofthem, and particularly those of Kosloff, are designated Million Tcheks, from their possessing a million or more of rubles. The Karaites are commonly the most wealthy, and are on all accounts the most respectable. They hold themselves very distinct from their Polish brethren, and neither of the sects will eat meat with a stranger, or such as has been killed by strange hands. Would that they were found in their dealings with others, as strictlyobservant ofthe law in its moral sense, as in its outward rites. But still they continue "extortioners, unjust," yet expect that the observance of sacred ceremonials of fasts and feasts, shall be an acceptable offering to Him who has declared to them His abhorrence of them. They must be wilfully blind, who believe, like the fellow at Dunabourg, that his sanctified hypocrisy could avail him, when he took the money in a napkin, which he would not prophane his fingers by the touch of, on the Sabbath Day!