Travels Through the Southern Provinces of the Russian Empire, in the Years 1793 and 1794 (Volume 2) (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1812. Excerpt: ... or with a handkerchief crossed under the chin. Their singers are adorned with rings, and the nails of their hands and feet tinged with Kna (Lawsonia), which is imported from Constantinople, and is sometimes mixed with vitriol, to render the colour browner and more permanent; as it will thus continue about two months. But paint is rarely employed by young females. Married women cut off their hair obliquely over their eyes, and leave two locks also cut transversely, hanging down their cheeks; they likewise bind a long narrow strip of cloth round the head, within the ends of which they consine the rest of the hair, and turn it up from behind, braiding it in two large tresses. Like the Persians, they dye their hair of a reddish brown with Kna. Their under garment is more open below, but in other respects similar to that of the unmarried, as are their upper dress and girdle. They paint their faces red with cochineal, or other drugs, and white with an oxyd of tin, called Aklyk, which they carefully prepare over a dung fire, in small earthen pipkins *. They also dye the white of the eye blue, with a sinely pulverized preparation os copper (Masetajh) brought from Constantinople, and, by a * In order to compose the fashionable greyish-white Tartar cosmetic, the women first heat a pot, covered with clay, in a strong dung fire, till it is glowing hot. The vessel, being thus prepared, is placed with the opening sideways in another dung fire, which they accumulate around it; then bars of tin are thrown in, and the opening is closed with an iron cover, till the metal is melted. Next, the lid is removed, and the tin is continually stirred with an iron spatula: when it is perfectly fused, they add some sheep's tallow, with a small piece of lead and cyprus-soap, which must be burnt on the tin till ...