common cause, and were willing to assist Jancyrus. The others declared they would remain peaceably at home, till some act of hostility on the part of Persia convinced them, that their liberties were in danger.

To revenge himself on these nations for their unexpected refusal of assistance, Jancyrus resolved to use his utmost exertions to draw the enemy into their country. Accordingly, he divided his army into two columns, one of which was to act, in conjunction with the Gelonians and Budians, under the command of Taxacis, and the other was commanded by himself, whilst the Sarmatians were ordered to march to the territories of Scopasis, that, in case the Persians should penetrate that way, they might retire to the river Tanais; and, upon their retiring, harass them as much as possible. Taxacis, in the mean time, was to keep a day's march behind the enemy, and to harass them with frequent skirmishes, in order to draw them into the territories of the neutral nations.

These arrangements being made, Jancyrus sent out a detachment of his best cavalry, which finding the Persian army encamped about three days' march from the Ister, destroyed all the products of the ground, and then retreated. The Persians eagerly pursued them as they retired farther back, till they were drawn into the territories of the Budians; where they burnt and demolished all that came in their way. Darius continued his pursuit of the fleeing Scythians, who by degrees drew him through the territories of all the nations, who had refused to join in the war, and laid waste the country as they retreated, that the Persians might be driven to extremities for want of food. At length, however, Darius was compelled to retire with the loss of the greatest part of his army.

Some other kings of this country are noticed by historians; but as nothing of importance is recorded of their actions, we shall pass them over in silence, and hasten to the reign of Atheas, under whom, the Scythians are reported to have sustained a very considerable defeat. This prince being engaged in a war with the Istrians, implored the assistance of Philip, king of Macedon, promising to make him his heir to the crown of Scythia. But the Istrians having precipitately quitted

the field at the news of this important succour, he sent a second message to Philip, asserting that he had neither craved his assistance, nor promised him the Scythian diadem. Philip, who was then employed at the siege of Byzantium, took no other notice of this than to request that Atheas would remit him some money to defray part of the expenses of the siege, as he had paid nothing, either toward the subsistence, or reward of the auxiliaries, who had been sent against the Istrians, in compliance with his desire.

Atheas pleaded incapacity, and alleged that the inclemency of the climate, and the sterility of the soil, scarcely afforded his Scythians a sufficient subsistence. Philip, incensed at this reply, resolved to retaliate; and accordingly sent the Scythians word, that he had made a vow to erect a statue to Herculus at the mouth of the Ister, and desired permission to come and set it up. Atheas suspecting his true design, returned for answer, that "if he was desirous of performing his vow, he might send the statue, which should be carefully erected and preserved; but if he presumed to enter the Scythian territories at the head of an army, the statue should soon be melted, and cast into arrows to be used against himself. Philip paid no attention to these proud menances; and, both monarchs being exasperated, an obstinate battle ensued, in which the Scythians were vanquished. Twenty thousand women and children were made prisoners; and 20,000 mares, with a vast quantity of cattle, were sent into Macedonia. As a proof, however, of the simplicity and poverty of the Scythians, it should be observed, that neither gold, silver, nor jewels, were found among the plunder. From this period, little notice is taken of them as a collective nation; though the different tribes, of which they were composed, signalized themselves on various future occasions. In process of time, most of them, by various changes, acquired the general name of Tartars; which, in modern times, has, in a great degree, been substituted for the ancient one of Scythians. Much of the same country was inhabited by both; and the latter seem by natural generation, conquest, or otherwise, to have proceeded from the former.

TARTARS.

THE modern Great Tartary, which in all ages, has been the seat of various uncultivated tribes, is situated between fiftyseven and one hundred and sixty degrees of longitude; and between the thirty-seventh and fifty-fifth degree of north latitude. This vast region is divided into two parts, the one called the Western, the other the Eastern Tartary. Western Tartary, which is considerably more extensive than the other, is also occupied by a great number of nations, or tribes of people, who call themselves Munguls, or Moguls; but by other nations, they are called Moguls or Tartars, indifferently.

These Moguls, after various revolutions, became divided into three branches, viz: the Moguls, properly so called, the Kalkas, and the Eluths; of whom the latter are better known by the name of Kalmucks. The origin of the appellations is uncertain.

This extensive country abounds with game and ferocious animals, such as lions, tigers, and others, peculiar to that climate; and is divided by mountains, separating vast and fertile plains, watered with small and large rivers, which abound with fish. Here are immense tracts of pasturage; and the deserts are so called, only because they are not inhabited by human beings.

Some of the Tartar tribes are stationary; others are wandering. The camps of the latter, intersected, like the different quarters of a town, and formed of tents, covered with cloths of various colours, present a very agreeable spectacle. In winter, the tents are covered with felt, which renders them impenetrable to the rigour of the season. The women are lodged in small wooden houses, which can be packed up in a few minutes, whenever they wish to remove their quarters.

Tartary is the highest land in the world, which renders it cold in comparison with other places in the same latitude.

From this country mighty empires have arisen; and from it, anciently, proceeded the conquerors of India, and the present possessors of China. In this country, during many revolving centuries, bloody wars were waged, and battles fought, which decided the fates of empires. There, the treasures of southern Asia have frequently been collected, and as often dissipated. The Tartar countenance has a national character distinguishing it from any other. They excel in horsemanship, are dexterous hunters, and skilful archers. Their arms consist of the bow and arrow, lance and sabre. They fight on horseback; their horses are stout and vigorous, qualities more estimable, in their opinion, than beauty. They have camels, sheep, and oxen. Mutton and horse flesh are almost the only animal food they eat. From the milk of various animals mixed together, they have the art of making a fermented liquor, with which they regale themselves to intoxication.

Commerce is carried on only between neighbouring tribes; and chiefly by barter. They trade in slaves; whom they sell to the Turks and Persians. From this trade flows their wealth; and when they cannot entrap strangers, they steal, and condemn to bondage, the offspring of their own country

men.

Polygamy among the tribes is general; a woman of forty is no longer noticed by them, and is considered as useful only to superintend the young girls, and to toil in all kinds of domestic drudgery. Children are educated in their father's profession; and with such a reverential awe of him, that it continues after his death. They afford him the most pompous funeral, which their circumstances will admit, and pay an annual visit to his tomb; while that of the mother is forgotten, and no honourable remembrance is bestowed on her. Some tribes bury, and some burn their dead. Even in the deserts, there have been found funeral monuments, which prove, that with the deceased, they likewise interred horses, arms, jewels, and human beings, most probably slaves, whose skeletons are ranged near the distinguished corpse.

The ancient religion of the Tartars acknowledged 'the existence of one God. They are now divided into two sects,

viz: Mahometans, and worshippers of the Lamas, who derive their origin from Fohi. The people believe that Fohi, to whom in the pulpit they give the appellation of god, assumes a human form, and resides at Thibet, where they offer him adorations, under the title of grand lama. His representatives live in the utmost splendor; and receive the worship of the Tartars. They pretend that the grand lama is immortal; though he sometime disappears. In the temple of the reigning idol a child is educated; and accustomed, from his earliest infancy, to divine honours.

The government of the Tartars may be termed patriarchal; each father being absolute master in his own family. Several families united form a tribe, and several tribes a nation, whose chief, denominated Khan, is elected by other chiefs, usually from the tribe of him, whom he 'succeeds. Each tribe marches to battle under a standard, bearing its name, surmounted with a figure of some favourite animal, as a horse, a camel, &c. The Tartars give, annually, two-tenths of their harvests, flocks, or of whatever their revenue consists: one-tenth to their khan, and the remainder to their tribe. When summoned, they are all obliged to take up arms, and plunder is their only pay.

The warlike exploits of the Tartars will be related hereafter. This general view of them is given here, in connection with the Scythians and Celtes. From these sources the popu lation of America is principally derived. From the Celtes, most of the citizens of the United States, and indeed of the white civilized population of America, have descended. From the Tartars, the offspring of the Scythians, the various tribes of Indians, on this continent, are supposed to have had their origin. Of all the races of mankind in the old world, the aborigines of America have the greatest resemblance to the Mogul Tartars. Of all the hypotheses for the population of this western continent, none is so probable, as that the Tartars and Scythians of Asia found their way to it across the narrow strait, by the islands and ice, which lie between the north-east of Asia, and the north-west of America.