The Crimea: Simferopol, Bakhchisarai, Sevastopol and the Southern Coast

Baktshisera'i has been declared their exclusive possession, and, with the exception of official personages, no other than a Tartar is allowed to reside in it. The government has also had the good taste to bestow much pains on the preservation of the palace of the ancient Khans, once the dreaded enemies of Muscovy. The town is thickly peopled, and as full of music and song and life, of the sound of trumpets and the clang of cymbals, as if the Khans were still reigning there. It forms a most striking contrast with the two very modern looking cities of Sevastopol and Simferopol, and has so Httle to remind the patriotic Tartar, or the historical inquirer, of the Russian conquest, that it is easy to lose oneself entirely In the memories of the past. It lies, as I have said, in a narrow valley, affording httle room for extension on either side, so that it consists of little else than one long street, with some insignificant branches. In this street, which is besides very narrow, is carried on all the trade and commerce of Baktshiserai, the central point for all the western part of the Tartar mountain country. Here in the shops are laid up in store all the productions of Tartar and even Turkish industry, and in the houses one may see most of the articles in process of manufacture. The streets in the Russian cities are of such a bomidless length and breadth, that one can nowhere obtain a good view, whilst here every thing is close enough to be touched with the hand, and at every step there arises a new and characteristic picture. At the same time all sorts of things that with us are withdra^vn into impenetrable obscurity, are here open to the light of day. The houses have no windows, but the entire front wall consists only of wooden flaps, which can be let down or di'awn up at pleasure, and which sometimes serve as tables or boards for goods. Li one house you may see a baker at work preparing his dough, and pushing it into the oven, the warmth of which can be felt in the street. In the next you may overlook all the manipulations required in the preparation of the Turkish beverage entitled " boussa" all the process that is deemed necessary to give it the true flavour. Here, in a section of a house, sit a tailor and his journeymen, stitcliing busily away, and quite regardless of the curious eyes that are watching their proceedings. There is unveiled the entire organisation of the kitchen of a cook's shop. The saucepans steam, and the savouiy roast lamb sends forth its inviting odours to salute the nostrils of hungry passers by. No poisonous messes can be cooked in such kitchens as these, and the stranger, after satisfying himself as to the cleanliness of the cuisine, "^^y stop, take a plate of soup from the kettle that is always kept boiling, and may then provide himself with a slice of roast lamb, with which to amuse his leisure as he trudges along. In some houses may be seen families of gipsies, carrying on the trade of smiths, the father wielding the hammer, the mother blowing the bellows, and the children bringing coals, tongs, and water. In every shop the entij'e stock is spread out before the eyes of the purchaser, and he can see at a glance the quantity and quahty of all the goods he has to choose from. The most attractive in appearance are the saddlers with their whips adorned with silver wire and red morocco, and the fruit shops heaped with the rich produce of the vallies and the southern coast. This publicity of all household arrangements of course makes the streets far more interesting to a stranger than ours, which are mere channels of communication. In the east they are theatres for the transaction of all kinds of business, and a daily newspaper could never become necessary to a Tartar, for nothing passes behind the scenes. All kinds of news run warm from mouth to mouth, and a man may enjoy the pleasures of a Diable Boiteux, without the necessity of becoming one.