The boy travellers in the Russian empire- adventures of two youths in a journey in European and Asiatic Russia, with accounts of a tour across Siberia.. (1886) (14764888694)

Identifier: boytravellersinr00knox (find matches)
Title: The boy travellers in the Russian empire: adventures of two youths in a journey in European and Asiatic Russia, with accounts of a tour across Siberia..
Year: 1886 (1880s)
Authors: Knox, Thomas Wallace, 1835-1896
Subjects: Soviet Union -- Description and travel Siberia (Russia)
Publisher: New York : Harper & brothers
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



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kept burning in the middle of the floor during theday, and covered up at night; the door is made of a piece of felt of doubleor treble thickness, and hanging like a curtain over the entrance. I had not been two minutes inside the yourt before my eyes began tosmart severely, and I wanted to get into the open air. The pain was caused UG THE BOY TRAVELLERS LN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE. by the smoke, which was everywhere through the interior of the tent, but(lid not seem to inconvenience tlie Bouriats in the least. I noticed, how-ever, that nearly all their eyes were red, and apparently inliamed, anddoubtless this condition was caused by the smoke. A family of several persons finds plenty of space in one of thesetents, as they can be very closely packed. The furniture is principallymats and skins, which are seats by day and beds by night. They havepots and kettles for cooking, a few jars and bottles for holding li()uids,sacks for grain, half a dozen pieces of crockery, and little else. A wooden
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A BOURIAT VILLAGE. box contains the valuable clothing of the family, and this box, with two orthree bags and bundles, forms the entire wardrobe accommodation. My attention was drawn to a small altar on which were tiny cupscontaining oil, grain, and other offerings-to the Deities. The Bouriats areBuddhists, and have their lamas to give them the needed spiritual advice.The lamas are numerous, and frequently engage in the same callings astheir followers. By the rules of their religion they are not permitted tokill anything, howev^er small or insignificant. AVhenever a lama has a 150URIAT DRIVERS. 347 sheep to slaughter he gets everythnig ready, and then passes the knife tohis secular neighbor. Tlie Bouriats are not inclined to agriculture, but devote most of theirenergy to sheep-raising. They have large flocks, and sell considerable woolto the Russians. Their di-ess is a mixture of Russian and Chinese, theconveniences of each being adopted, and the inconveniences rejected.They decorate t