I noticed Tatars plowing: some had camels harnessed to plows, and others had buffaloes. From here it is 22 versts to Ablana, where there is a mosque and a madrasah, that is, a school; then the last station 16 versts is Menlerchik; and from it 26 versts to Simferopol.
I arrived in Simferopol on April 27. Here, it seems to me, it would be appropriate to say a few words about the current Crimean Tatars. They should be divided into two clans, completely different from each other: mountain and steppe Tatars. The latter clearly descend from the Mongols who came to Europe with Batu; they have not mixed with other peoples and are short in stature; none of them are fat at all; Their faces are wide, prominent cheekbones, flat noses, and in general they are similar to the Kirghiz and Kalmyks, only they are more blond, or light brown, slouchy, baggy and shy. Mountain people, on the contrary, are a people who mixed with the ancient inhabitants of Taurida - with the Goths and Greeks. They are generally tall, slender, black-haired; their facial features are correct, their physiognomy and posture are expressive; they are free and somehow noble in their behavior; there is more reason and reflection in their speeches. Among them there are, although rarely, beautiful women; never among the steppe people: they are all bad, and that is why, it seems to me, they hide so carefully from foreigners.
However, in general the Tatars here are hospitable and gentle. The government is favoring them and they are starting to feel it. By patronizing their faith, establishing schools, freeing them from almost all taxes and conscription duties, they were completely unconcerned; and now, with the exception of some old Murzas, who still remember the originality of their ancient rule, they see that they can and are already living happier now than they ever did under the rule of their khans. The Steppe Tatar works a lot: he plows, constantly digs water canals for his fields, grazes his herds; the mountain man sits all day in the shade of his gardens, smokes a pipe or hookah, and, looking at the fruits of his trees, at the vines of his grapes, expects that this will be enough to feed and support himself and his family for the whole year. After this, he no longer cares about anything and spends his days in laziness and complete inaction. The Murzas and nobles also love to hunt with falcons and greyhounds.
Simferopol was formerly called by the Tatars Ak-Mosque (which means White Mosque), and also Sultan-Saray, or the Sultan's Palace, because Kalga-Sultan always had his stay here. It is now a provincial town. It would be in vain to look for antiquities and historical memories in it, because it was founded only around 1500 by Ibrahim Bey, who received its place from the khan as a reward for a successful raid on Russia. But its location is quite picturesque: Chatyrdag, located 20 miles away, seems to own the city and stands right next to its walls. Salgir, like a clean and fast stream, flows through it.
The new city, built since Russian rule, is completely separated from the old Tatar one. He is regular; its streets are wide and straight; in the middle there is a square on which government offices, barracks and a rather magnificent cathedral are built; There are already many private houses. Near it is an old Tatar city, which also contains one Greek and one Armenian church, four mosques, a bazaar, public but half-destroyed fountains; its streets are crooked, the houses are built in Turkish style, but between them some are already beginning to be built according to European models. It’s interesting to see in one everything done according to Asian customs, in the other everything according to European tastes. The latter is in no way similar to the Tatar city; but not a single Tatar lives in it; on the contrary, several Russians and foreigners settled in the Tatar city. The voice of the Muslims of the old city, calling from their minarets to prayer, interferes with the ringing of the bells of the new city, also calling Christians to prayer. This excites pleasant thoughts about the tolerance of faiths and the meekness of Russian rule.
A public garden has recently begun to be planted in Simferopol: it is beautifully designed in English style and has already grown quite large, so that it can provide pleasant shade for walkers. Here I found several Alpine laurel trees (laurier des Alpes), five arshins high and in full bloom, many Italian poplars, fragrant acacia, Babylonian willow and other woody and bushy plants of warm climates. In Crimea, the care and preferential efforts of Count Vorontsov, who cherishes this country like his beloved child, is noticeable everywhere. And it must be admitted that Taurida, if not all, then owes many of its improvements solely to him!