The monks of the monastery of the Ouspenye, were fitting up a good-sized house for the reception of votaries and pilgrims to the
■ One tomb only, at Laspy, bu bean found to bear an inKriptitm, and U dated 1773. * * Gotden Palace.'
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shrine of their Virgin Mary, which would be available to strangers of every Christian denomination; but no provision was being made for the supply of meat and drink. Travellers, however, may at all times rely upon finding desirable accommodation in a Tatar home.
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CHAPTER XLV.
EIGHTY-THIRD DAY.
Denizens of the KIuii's Palace-'The Royal ApaitmcnU— Maria Folalzka— The Fonntiin of the ' Flood of Tears ' — The Moaqua—BaioaTS— Gipsies — Monastery of the Assumption— Tchyfout-Kaleh- The Karaim Jews— Their Origin and History— Talmudist Upinioiu in regard to the Kaiainu — Doclrinea of the Karai'ms— Tchyfout-Kaleh or Kyiliyer — The Ute Rabbi Phyrkoviiob — Crypts at Tchyfoul-Kaleh — Vaiiey of Jehoshaphat — Antiquity of its Tombs.
The apartments in the Saral of the khans of Crim Tartary, are infested by the hostes //«»ia7« /wi^m equally with post-stations and inns; we therefore rejoiced at the appearance of daylight which put us into a better humour, for we had passed a restless night. How gladly we quitted the luxurious silk cushions and gold-braided coverlets that had seemed so inviting to us the preceding evening I Betakii^ ourselves to a small side court, we performed our morning ablutions at the pure stream that issues from a handsome marble fountain.
The Tatars are early risers, and the molla was soon in attendance to return the enquiries we made after his health the preceding evening. We borrowed his jaffrffvur, ordered a dish oi kebab ' at an eating-house, and having made an excellent breakfast, proceeded to the inspection of the royal enclosure.
The apartment we occupied to the right of the gate on entering, is one of a suite set aside expressly for the convenience of travellers,
■ Small pieces of matton roMted logelher on a skewer; <slUd alto shyskfyk.
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the wing to the left being reserved for the sole use of the Imperial family. The coup d'ail from our verandah at one end of the court, comprised the saralon the one hand, and the m^sjyd, ' mosque,' and adjoining burial-ground on the other. The quarters for the governor are erected where formerly stood the royal stables; but the opposite end of the court, formerly laid out in orchards protected by high walls, is a perfect picture of desolation.
We were conducted over the apartments by a kavass, who was one of the most garrulous guides it has ever been our fortune to come across; and it was well, for he was tinged with a lingering feeling of pride at the recollection of the greatness of his race in da^-s gone by, and of the powerful khans, and therefore took care to show us all, and afforded some amusement by relating the deeds of prowess of his own ancestors.
The first important alterations In the original disposition of the palace, were effected when preparations were made for the reception of the Empress Catherine, whose bedstead in the room she occupied, is shown. The palace has undergone several restorations since that time, so that the strange incongruity about the structure may be attributed rather to accident than to any questionable taste of" the projector. The walls without and within, and the ceilings, gaudily ornamented with painted representations of birds, flowers, and arabesques, reminded us of the sardar's chamber in the fortress of Erivan.
Three apartments are of special interest, one being a long dark room, in which, according to local tradition, the unhappy Polish countess, Maria Pototzka, the spoil of Crim-Ghyrey, sorrowfully spent the days of her captivity, whilst the Khan was labouring, but ever ineffectually, to win her heart to himself; another is the hall of justice, in which, from behind a lattice, the Khan unseen by Google t, Google
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